Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with jealousies and backbiting.
The first challenge was finding enough birds for the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so it was important to match pairs well.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw which was declared extinct in 2000 after years of poaching and habitat loss. They have a few of the birds that are in captivity and are hoping to release them close to Curaca. They refer to them as their blue-eyed friends and compare their lives with the journey of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They call him as a true survivor who lost his family but was loyal to the region. They feel a strong kinship to him and view their lives as identical to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's Macaw offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to investigate its behavior in wild and gain a deeper understanding of why this species has survived for this long. This enabled researchers to determine the historical population of this unique bird more precisely. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, and eating habits. They even monitored attempts to reproduce using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw pair which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird was able to survive and thrive in the wild despite the smallest gene pool and it has also helped scientists understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other parrots and endangered species. Zoos and other organizations to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to protect endangered species of wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian officials from government, zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird, and ornithologists together with one common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has already achieved a lot of work. This includes the development of a plan to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to fund field research and community outreach as well as captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction project. They have also formed a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
Threatened by poaching and habitat destruction The Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to fight tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made Spix's Macaw known to millions of people worldwide However, this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long-distance journey to bring these birds back from the brink. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an endemic species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This arid region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland, interspersed with galleries and streams that flow through the season. The first time it was described was in 1819 and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, despite only few glimpses of the wild as well as a few captive birds and some museum specimens.
To save the declining population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was established which brought together aviculturists who were the last to hold the birds, as well as government officials. This group formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to create an intensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's macaws into their natural habitat in northeast Brazil.
AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, providing a genetically pure source of the animals for future generations.
Spix's Macaws can be found in trees, and rarely seen on the ground. They typically build nests in tree holes or hollows and forage for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They may spend up to one third of the time in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team in order to help to track Spix's macaws. The community was provided with watches that would activate if the Spix's Macaw was recognized. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily movements. This approach has been very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species in the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. However, a reintroduction project is in the process of trying to restore the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil covers approximately 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws were found in hollows old caraibeiras and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction plan is currently in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are scheduled to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws that have been released back 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, including details about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It also has provided a glimpse into the nature of the Spix's Macaws. This aids in understanding the causes that led to their decline.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of numerous species native to the Caatinga biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) as well as the joazeiro (Ziziphus Joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other bird species are social birds and have close relationships with their parents. They are very vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief continuous grating sound similar to a flute note. They are often seen flying high and fast when they are in a breeding macaw for sale mood.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are exceptionally intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of screeching and squawking sounds. They, like other parrots, mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, which includes the way they fly and their bathing habits. They can also recognize other members of their family. They are adored as pets, and are frequently targeted by the illegal bird trade because of this.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then all known Spix's macaws have been bred in captivity, mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws kept in captivity are made up of individuals that are the descendants of just two individuals, which makes them vulnerable to disease and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds in captivity are in a breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 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 reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder was able to beat a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce again, although not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is important to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be at a reproductive age and be joined by a sibling or a close relatives.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could prove difficult, but it's essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that aims to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws that were released recently will be joined by 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 adjust to their new environment and will also offer protection by numbers.