Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time filled with uncertainty and fear, Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds to trade. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs had to be matched well.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw which was declared extinct in 2000 after decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small number of the birds that are in captive, and they hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They call the birds their blue-eyed friends and compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They call him as a true survivor who lost his family but kept his faith in the region. They feel a strong connection to him and perceive their lives as being similar to his.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has survived for so long. This enabled researchers to estimate the population of this unique bird more precisely. Researchers were able to gather crucial information on the bird's daily movement patterns and seasonal adaptation to drought, and its feeding habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has helped scientists understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the natural world. The last bird's survival also inspired people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos and other groups to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to protect endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian governmental officials, zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has achieved a lot of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird back to the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds for field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction plan. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
At risk due to habitat destruction and poaching The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to do their best to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions of people around the globe thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. This is just the beginning on the long road of returning these birds. For a long time, a global team has been trying to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This arid region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland that is scattered with galleries and seasonal streams. It was described in 1819 and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, with a few birds in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population, an international group was formed. It was comprised of aviculturists who held the last remaining bird as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws in their native habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in the Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also raising and breeding harlequin macaw to be released into the wild, thereby providing a genetically pure source of the animals for 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 hunt to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They may spend up to one third of the time in the nest.
To help track the Spix's macaws as well as their movements local communities were invited to join the field team. The members of the community were given watches that could be activated if the Spix's Macaw was detected, allowing them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their daily movements 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 after the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in the year 2000. subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. A reintroduction plan is currently underway to try to restore this critically threatened bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows of old caraibeiras and were recognized for their dietary habits of eating seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released into the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released by 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws. They were reintroduced into the same area, and will help to share knowledge about food sources and nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, which includes details of the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It has also provided a glimpse into the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which helps to understand the factors that led to their decline.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brasil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. They may also consume the fruit of the palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a short repeated grating sound that is similar to a flute. When they are in breeding mode they can fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are exceptionally intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with one another with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine that includes flight patterns and bathing habits. They also can recognize other members of their flock. This is what makes them such popular pets and a target for illegal trade in birds.
In the early 1980s only three Spix’s macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the male and female defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mixture, which is the descendant of only two individuals. This makes them susceptible to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are kept in a breeding centre in Germany. However this year, an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired which leaves the future plans for repatriation and reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder managed to beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's Macaws that weren't part of the breeding program.
In part because of this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, though not at a speedy pace. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. It is crucial to select the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be in a reproductive stage and should be paired with an older sibling or close relative.
It may be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back into the wild, but it's important to try. To aid, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that will help to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's Macaws who were released recently will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix's macaws are also. These savvy birds will help the macaws become more accustomed to the region, and they will provide the security of a large number.