Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also rife with backbiting and jealousy.
The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds to exchange. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs needed to be well-matched.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically threatened Spix's Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small number of the birds in captivity and are hoping to release them close to Curaca. They call them their blue-eyed friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw in the wild. They say he was 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 identical to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw provided researchers with an opportunity to examine its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of how the species has survived for so long. This allowed researchers to estimate the population of this unique bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to collect important details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce with an Illiger's and a Spix's hybrid macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery for this species.
It was a marvellous achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be restored to nature. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action to save other endangered parrots and species. Zoos are also encouraged to develop their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.
This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered animals and wildlife. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of this unique bird.
The group has already achieved a lot of work. This includes developing plans to reintroduce the bird in 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
At risk due to poaching and habitat destruction The Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought 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 brink of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions of people around the world thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the beginning on the long-distance road to returning these birds. For decades, an international team has been trying to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga, an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population An international committee was formed that gathered aviculturists who held the last remaining birds and government officials. The group forged a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws in their native environment.
AWWP has purchased and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released in the wild. This will give a genetically-pure source of animals for the future generations.
Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees and seldom seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and forage for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend as much as one third of their day in the nest.
A local community was enlisted as part of the field team in order to help identify Spix's Macaws. Members of the community were given watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was observed and thereby allowing them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their daily activities in the wild. This method has proven 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. However, a reintroduction project is in the process of trying to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of old caraibeira trees, and they were also recognized for their dietary habits of eating seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are expected to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws. They have been released back into the same area and will assist to share knowledge about food sources and nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction programme has already gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this unique bird, including information on the patterns of movement throughout the day and seasonal adjustments to drought. It also provides an insight into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw which helps to understand what led to its disappearance in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many plants that are native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are very vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive noise similar to the note of a flutist. They are often seen flying high and fast when they are in the mood to breed.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking, and other sounds. As with many parrots they can mimic human speech. They also have a rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits and can identify members of their flock. They are very popular as pets and are often targeted by illegal bird trade because of this.
In the early 1980s, only three Ziggy Our Scarlet Macaw Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds as part of an attempt to pair them. Since then the Spix's macaws have been captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mix, which is the descendant of only two individuals. This leaves them vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at an breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed and causing doubt about future plans to return the birds and return them back into the wild.
Despite their precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out 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 reproduce, though not at a high rate. Keeping them healthy and producing will be important to reintroducing the birds into the wild. The selection of the right birds for release is equally important. Macaws should be of reproductive age and be paired with close relatives or siblings.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it's crucial 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 that were released recently will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga, and they live in areas where the Spix's macaws are also. These savvy birds will help the macaws get familiar with the area, and they will provide safety in numbers.