Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also rife with jealousy and backbiting.
The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds for the trade. Macaws are monogamous, so it was essential 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, following years of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a few of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them near Curaca. They call them their blue-eyed friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They say he was as a true survivor, who lost his family but remained loyal to the area. They feel a strong connection to him and see their lives as being identical to his.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has lasted so long. It also allowed them to form a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather crucial information on the bird's movements throughout the day and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and food habits. They also monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaw pair which was a crucial step in the rehabilitation of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird was able endure and thrive in the wild with such a limited gene pool, and it has also helped scientists to understand how these birds could be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action to save other parrots as well as threatened species. Zoos have also been enticed to develop their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.
This group of experts is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to protect endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists, with an aim in common to save this endangered bird.
The group has accomplished a lot of work, including developing a plan for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. It has also created a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was endangered due to habitat destruction and illegal poaching. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to work tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people worldwide however this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long journey to save these birds from the brink. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity back into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an endemic species to a small region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This desert region has flat savannah scrubland, interspersed with galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was first described in 1819 and is among of the lesser-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 To help save the declining population, a global group was created. It was comprised of Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws in their native habitat.
AWWP has acquired and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released in the wild. This will give the genetically pure source of animals for the future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws are found in trees, and are not often seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team to help identify Spix's Macaws. The members of the community were given watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was detected which allowed them to keep track of the birds and their daily activities in the wild. This approach has proven very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in the year 2000. subsequent surveys failed to find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction plan is in the process of trying to bring back the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil that covers about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were found in hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are expected to be released by 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws, which have been reintroduced to the same area, and will help to share knowledge of food sources, nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of this bird, which includes details of daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also provides an insight into the nature of the Spix's Macaw which helps to discover the reasons behind its disappearance in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of numerous species native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brazil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. They may also consume the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other birds are social birds and develop close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating noise similar to an acoustic note. When Leia blue macaw and red macaw are in a breeding mode, they are known to fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are extremely intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with each other with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They also adhere to a rigid daily routine, ranging from flights to bathing routines and are able to recognize the members of their flock. This is what makes them so popular pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, all of them poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws kept in captivity are a mix of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are 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 and causing doubt about future plans to return the birds and then reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their low numbers the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws from the collector.
In part because of this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to increase, though not at a speedy pace. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is crucial to select the right birds before release. Macaws must be at a reproductive age and be joined by an older sibling or close relatives.
It could be difficult to bring the Spix's macaw back to the wild, but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have developed a reserve system to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws are going to be joined by blue-winged macaws that are more common in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These savvy birds will help the macaws become more used to the region and will offer safety in numbers.