Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also rife with backbiting and jealousy.
The first obstacle was to find enough birds to trade. These 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 following years of poaching and habitat loss. They have a small number of the birds kept in captivity, and they hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their little blue companions and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. chestnut fronted macaw describe him as a true survivor who lost his family but was loyal to his home. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his, and feel a strong affinity with him.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw wild, and to better understand the reasons why this species has survived for so long. Researchers were able to determine the historical population of this unique bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able gather important information about the bird's daily movement patterns, seasonal adjustment to drought, and its feeding habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce with a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’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 limited gene pool. This has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to nature. The bird's survival has motivated people to act to save other endangered parrots and species. It has also prompted zoos and other organizations to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group of experts is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian officials from government as well as representatives from zoos and international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists with a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has completed a lot of work, including developing plans for reintroducing the bird into the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. It has also created a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was endangered by the destruction of habitat and illegal poaching. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to work hard to bring this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made Spix's Macaw known to millions of people across the globe, but this is just the beginning of the iceberg in the long road to save these birds from the brink. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is among of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with only occasional sightings in the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To protect the population that is declining An international committee was established which brought together aviculturists who were the last to hold the 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 establish a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws back to their natural habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released in the wild. This will give the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws will live in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically nest in tree holes or hollows and hunt for fruits seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They will typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team to help to track Spix's macaws. The members of the community were given watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's macaw was detected, allowing them to keep an eye on the birds and their daily movements in the wild. This approach has been very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. This was after the last wild parrot vanished in 2000. No additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is in the process of attempting to bring back this critically endangered bird back to its home in the Caatinga.
This region in northeast Brazil covers approximately 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws were found in hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are scheduled to follow in 2022. They will be joined by a group Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will provide information on food sources, nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of the bird, which includes details of daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It also has provided a glimpse into the evolution of the Spix's Macaws. This aids in understanding the causes that led to their extinction.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, nuts, and fruits of a variety of plants 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 as with all parrots and other bird species are social birds that have close relationships with their parents. They are very vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry called "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating sound that resembles the note of a flutist. When they are in a breeding mode they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots they can mimic human speech. They have a strict routine, which includes routines for bathing and flight. They also can recognize other members of their family. This is why they are such popular pets, and also a target for illegal trade in birds.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, and all of them being poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time, all Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mix, which is the descendant of only two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are kept in an breeding center in Germany. However, this year an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government expired and future plans for repatriation and their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their precarious number 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.
As a result of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, but not at a high rate. Maintaining their health and generating will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. Selecting the right birds for release is also critical. Macaws must be reproductively mature, and they should be paired with one of their siblings or a close relative.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could be difficult, but it's essential to try. ABC and its partners have established reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will help the macaws adapt to their new surroundings and will also provide safety by the sheer numbers.