Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time filled with speculation and worry Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with jealousies and backbiting.
The first obstacle was obtaining enough birds for the trade. The macaws were monogamous, therefore it was crucial to match pairs well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 owing to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small number of the birds in captivity, and hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to them as little blue friends, and compare their lives to that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They say he was as a true survivor, who lost his family but kept his faith in the region. They feel a strong kinship to him and perceive their lives as being like his.
Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of how this species has lasted so long. This allowed researchers to estimate the population of this unique bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, and eating 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 a remarkable accomplishment that this bird was able survive and thrive in the wild with such a limited gene pool, and it has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced to the wild. The bird's survival has encouraged people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. It also inspired zoos and other groups to set up 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 conserve endangered animals and wildlife. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists with an aim in common to save this endangered bird.
The group has completed a lot of work, including the creation of a plan for reintroducing the bird into the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds to fund field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction plan. The group has also established an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was threatened due to habitat destruction and poaching that was illegal. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to bring this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made Spix's macaw famous to millions of people across the globe, but this is just the beginning in the long journey to bring these birds back from the brink. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity back into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga, an arid region of savannah scrubland that is 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 sporadic sightings from the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and some museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population, an international committee was created that gathered aviculturists who held the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws back to their natural habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released in the wild. This will create the genetically pure source of animals for the future generations.
Spix's Macaws are typically found in trees and seldom seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and forage for fruit, seeds, 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 track Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would activate if Spix's Macaws are identified. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily movements. This approach has proven very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to 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, and subsequent surveys failed to find any additional birds. A reintroduction program is in progress to try to bring back this 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 nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
Fiona hyacinth macaw bird for sale is now underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released by 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws. They have been released back into the same area, and will help to share knowledge of food sources, nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction programme has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of this bird, which includes details of the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It also provides an insight into the nature of the Spix's Macaw, helping to understand what led to its disappearance in the wild.
Spix's Macaws eat the fruits, seeds and nuts of numerous 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).
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots and other birds, are social birds that develop close bonds 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 brief continuous grating sound similar to a flute note. They are known to fly high and fast when they are in a breeding mood.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are exceptionally intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with one another with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds, and like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They also have a strict routine for their day, from flights to bathing routines and are able to recognize members of their family. This is what makes them so popular pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, just three Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds in the hope of pairing them. Since then, all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are a mixture of individuals that are the descendants of just two individuals, which makes them at risk of disease and other environmental threats. The majority of Spix's macaws in captivity reside in a breeding center in Germany. However this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government was canceled which leaves the possibility of repatriation or the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.
Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing 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.
In part, due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is starting to grow, though not at a rapid pace. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. It is essential to choose the right birds prior to releasing them. Macaws should be in a reproductive stage and be in a relationship with a sibling or a close family member.
It may be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back into the wild, however, it is essential to try. ABC and its partners have established reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's Macaws who were released recently will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix’s macaws are also. These intelligent birds will aid macaws to become familiar with the area, and they will provide the security of a large number.