Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time with speculation and worry Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring however, it is also filled with jealousies and backbiting.
The first obstacle was getting enough birds to participate in the exchange. The macaws were monogamous so it was essential to ensure that the pairs were well-matched.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission to save the critically threatened Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a tiny population of the birds in captivity and hope to release them into the wild close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and compare their lives to that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family, but kept his faith in the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as akin to his, and feel a strong affinity with him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered researchers with an opportunity to investigate its behavior in wild and gain a deeper understanding of how the species was able to survive for such a long time. It also helped them make a more precise estimate of the historic population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able gather important information on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, and its eating habits. They even monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaw pair which was a significant step in the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird managed to endure and thrive in the wild with such the smallest gene pool and it has also helped researchers understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. It also inspired zoos and other organizations to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group of experts is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to save endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian governmental officials as well as representatives from zoos as well as international owners of this unique bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's Macaw.
The working group has already completed a lot of work, including preparing a plan for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds for the reintroduction program. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
Endangered by poaching and habitat destruction, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to bring this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is known to millions around the world thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. However, 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 trying to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws raised in a captive environment back into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an endemic species to a small region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This dry region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland and is interspersed with galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was described in 1819, and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, with a few birds in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was formed. It brought together experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird as well as government officials. This group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to develop a comprehensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's to their natural habitat in northeast Brazil.
AWWP has bought and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released into the wild. This will create the genetically pure source of animals for the future generations.
Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees, and are seldom seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and forage to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to one third of their day in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team in order to help to track Spix's macaws. The members of the community were provided watches that could be activated if the Spix's Macaw was detected which allowed them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their movements throughout the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) 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 following the disappearance of the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys did not find 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.
This dry forest is located in the region of northeast Brazil, covering approximately 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the 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 Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released in the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released by 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group of Blue-winged macaws that have been reintroduced and will share information on food sources, nesting sites and areas to roost.
The reintroduction program has already obtained valuable biological data on the behavior of the bird, which includes details of the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It has also provided a glimpse into the nature of the Macaws of Spix, which can help to understand the causes that led to their extinction.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas Brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) and the Joazeiro (Ziziphus Joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They also eat the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are vocal and often imitate 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. When they are in breeding mode they are known to fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are exceptionally intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of squawking and screeching sounds. They, like other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine, which includes routines for bathing and flight. They are also able to recognize other members of their family. Lolita blue & gold macaw is what makes them so popular pets and targets for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds in a plan to pair them. Since the time, all Spix's macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mixture that descends of only two individuals. This leaves them vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws in captivity reside in a breeding center in Germany. However this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired and future plans for repatriation and the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.
Despite their precarious number of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat a sheikh from Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's macaws which were not part of the breeding program.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, but not at a high rate. 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 in a relationship with an older sibling or close family member.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild may prove difficult, but it is crucial to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that is designed to safeguard the last remaining habitats. The eight 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 the Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adjust to their new environment and will also offer protection by numbers.