Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first obstacle was to find enough birds for the trade. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs had to be matched properly.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small amount of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and compare their experience with the journey of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They say he was as a true survivor, who lost his family but was loyal to the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his, and feel a strong connection to him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw provided a valuable opportunity for researchers to investigate its behavior in wild and gain an understanding of how the species was able to survive for such a long time. This allowed researchers to determine the historical population of this rare bird more accurately. Researchers were able gather important data on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable feat that this bird was able survive and thrive in the wild despite the smallest gene pool and has helped scientists to understand how these birds could be reintroduced to the wild. The survival of the last bird also inspired people to take action to save other parrots and threatened species. Zoos have also been enticed to establish their own captive breeding program for these exotic bird species.
This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to save endangered wildlife and endangered animals. It brings Brazilian officials from the government, zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw.
buy macaw has accomplished a lot of work, including developing plans for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. It also has established a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was endangered by habitat destruction and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to do their best to save this iconic bird back from the brink extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions of people all over the globe thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. But this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and bring back Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species that is found in a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This desert region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland and is interspersed with galleries and seasonal streams. It was first documented in 1819 and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with sporadic sightings from the wild, a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To protect the population that is declining, an international committee was created that brought together aviculturists that had the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws in their native habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, which will provide a genetically pure source of the animals for the next generation of.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws reside in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They usually nest in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They will typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team in order to help to track Spix's macaws. The community was given watches that would activate if a Spix's Macaw is identified. This allowed them to track the birds in the wild and their daily actions. This method has proven successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last known wild parrot disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. A reintroduction program is in the process of attempting to bring this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil covers approximately 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows of old caraibeira trees and were recognized for their dietary habits of eating nuts and seeds.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June and 12 more are expected to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws that were reintroduced into the same area and will assist to share knowledge of food sources, nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction programme has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of the bird, which includes details of the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It has also provided a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw and helped to better determine the causes that led to its disappearance in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, seeds and nuts of numerous species 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 also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic speech and other sounds. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief continuous grating sound similar to a flute note. When they are in breeding mode they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking and other sounds. As with many parrots they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits and are able to recognize the members of their flock. This is why they are the most sought-after pets, and also a target for illegal trade in birds.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, and all of them being poached. A plan to pair the male and female foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time, all Spix's macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws kept in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are kept in the breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal which raises doubt about the future plans to repatriate the birds and return them into the wild.
Despite their petty numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws from a collector.
In part, due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is starting to grow, but not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds prior to releasing them. Macaws must be reproductive and be paired up with close relatives or siblings.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild may prove difficult, but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have established reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's Macaws who were recently released will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix’s macaws are also. These birds will help macaws become accustomed to their new surroundings and will also ensure safety through numbers.