Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time with speculation and worry Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully bring a group of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with jealousy and backbiting.
The first challenge was finding enough birds for the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so the pairs needed to be matched well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically endangered Spix's macaw. This bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small population of the birds kept in captivity and are hoping to release them into the wild close to Curaca. They call them their little blue friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw in the wild. They describe him a true survivor, who lost his family, but remained loyal to the area. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his and feel a strong connection to him.
Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has survived for so long. It also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to gather important data about the bird's movements throughout the day, seasonal adjustment to drought, and food habits. They also monitored attempts at reproduction with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaws which was a significant step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has enabled scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to the wild. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act to save other species of parrots that are endangered. This has also encouraged zoos to develop their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.
This group is a good example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can work together to protect endangered species of wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian governmental officials Zoo representatives as well as international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists with a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's Macaw.
The working group has already accomplished a lot of work. This includes the development of a plan to reintroduce the bird back to the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction project. It has also established a permanent committee for the recovery of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was threatened by the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to work tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made the Spix's Macaw known to millions of people across the globe However, this is only the beginning in the long road to save these birds from the brink. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is a native species to a small region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This arid area is home to flat savannah scrubland and is which is surrounded by galleries and streams that flow through the season. The first time it was described was in 1819 and is one of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, despite only occasional sightings in the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population, an international group was established. It was comprised of Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird and officials from the government. The group forged a partnership with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws back to their natural habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, thereby providing a genetically pure source of the animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws will live in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and forage for fruits, seeds, nuts, and other species. They can spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local community was recruited to join the field team. The community was provided with watches that would be activated if Spix's Macaws are recognized. This allowed them to track the birds in the wild and their daily movements. This approach has been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found in the family Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last known wild parrot disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction program is in the process of trying to return this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.
This dry forest is located in the region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are scheduled to follow in 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group of Blue-winged Macaws which have been reintroduced. They will provide information on food sources, nesting and areas to roost.
The reintroduction programme has already obtained valuable biological data on the behavior of the bird, including details about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It has also provided an insight into the nature of the Spix's Macaw and helped to better discover the reasons behind its extinction in the wild.
buy macaw consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many plants that are native to the Caatinga biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) as well as the joazeiro (Ziziphus Joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They may also consume the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds, and they have a close bond with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic sounds and speech. They make a mating call known as the "whichaka," which is described as a short continuous grating sound similar to a flute note. They are well-known for flying fast and high when they are in a breeding mood.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with each other by making a variety of squawking and screeching sounds, and like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very strict routine for their day, from flights to bathing routines, and they can recognize the members of their flock. They are adored as pets and are often targeted by illegal trade in birds because of this.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, with all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds in a plan to pair them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws in captivity are a mix of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, which makes them at risk of disease and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at an breeding center in Germany however, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed and causing doubt about future plans to repatriate the birds and return them into the wild.
Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws for the collector.
In part due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is starting to grow, though not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. The selection of the right birds for release is also critical. Macaws must be reproductively mature, and they should be joined by a sibling or a close family member.
It could be difficult to bring the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, however, it is essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which aims to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and share areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will help the macaws become accustomed to their new environment and will also provide safety by large numbers.