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 resentment and jealousy.
The first challenge was to find enough birds to be traded. These macaws are monogamous, therefore the pairs had to be matched properly.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the task of saving the critically endangered Spix's macaw. This bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small population of the birds in captive, and they hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They call the birds their little blue companions and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw in the wild. They describe him as a true survivor, who lost his family, but was loyal to the region. They feel a strong kinship to him and view their lives as similar to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain a better understanding of why this species survived such a long time. This also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather important data about the bird's daily movement patterns and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its feeding habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple, which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable feat that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has helped scientists understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other parrots and endangered species. It also inspired zoos and other organizations to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can collaborate to protect endangered species of wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian officials from the government as well as representatives from zoos as well as international owners of this unique bird and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has completed a lot of work, including preparing an idea for reintroducing this bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also set up a permanent committee for the recovery of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was threatened by the destruction of habitat and illegal poaching. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to bring this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions around the globe thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is a native species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This dry region has flat savannah scrubland, scattered with galleries and seasonal streams. Darling hahns macaw was described in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, a few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To save the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was formed. It was comprised of aviculturists who held the last remaining bird and government officials. This group formed a collaboration with the world-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 Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, thereby providing the genetically pure source of animals for the next generation of.
Spix's Macaws can be found in trees and seldom seen on the ground. They usually nest in hollows or holes in trees and forage for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They may spend up to 1/3 of their time in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team to assist identify Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would activate if a Spix's Macaw is recognized. This enabled them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily activities. This approach has proven very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to 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 was lost in 2000 and no additional birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction project is in the process of trying to bring back the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This region in northeast Brazil is home to about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of old caraibeiras, and they were also recognized for their dietary habits of eating nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are scheduled to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws. They have been released back into the same area and will help to share knowledge about food sources and nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this unique bird, which includes details about daily movements patterns as well as seasonal adjustments to drought. It also provides a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw, helping to understand what led to its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of numerous plants that are 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.
Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a short continuous grating sound similar to a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode, they are known to fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots, they are able to mimic human speech. They have a strict routine, which includes routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their flock. This is why they are the most sought-after pets and targets for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, with all of them poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds as part of the hope of pairing them. Since since then the Spix's macaws have been bred in captivity, mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are made up of individuals who are the descendants of just two individuals, making them vulnerable to disease and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are in the breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 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 reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder was able to beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from a collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program.
In part because of this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is beginning to increase, though not at a rapid pace. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the right birds prior to release. Macaws must be reproductively mature, and they should be paired with a sibling or a close family member.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have developed reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws that were released recently will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga and are found in areas where the Spix’s macaws also live. These birds will help the macaws adjust to their new environment and will also provide safety by large numbers.