Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also rife with resentment and jealousy.
The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds to participate in the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so it was essential to ensure that the pairs were 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 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a tiny population of the birds that are in captive, and they hope to release them into the wild near Curaca. They call the birds their little blue friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw in the wild. They say he was as a true survivor who lost his family, but was loyal to the region. They feel a strong connection to him and view their lives as identical to his.
Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw wild, and to better understand the reasons why this species has survived for so long. This enabled researchers to estimate the population of this rare bird more precisely. Researchers were able to collect important data on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce with a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has allowed scientists understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the natural world. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action to save other parrots and threatened species. Zoos are also encouraged to establish their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.
This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together to protect endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian governmental officials Zoo representatives, international holders of this unique bird and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has accomplished a lot of work. This includes developing plans to reintroduce the bird in the wild. Tallula indigo park mollie macaw has also worked to raise funds for field research as well as community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction plan. It has also created a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
Threatened by habitat destruction and poaching The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to work tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made Spix's Macaw known to millions of people worldwide however this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long road to save these birds from the brink. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species that is found in a small area of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This dry region has flat savannah scrubland and is interspersed with galleries and streams that flow through the season. The first time it was described was in 1819, and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with few glimpses of the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To protect the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was created. It was comprised of experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird and government officials. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws back to their natural habitat.
AWWP has bought and is recovering 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will give an animal that is genetically pure for the future generations.
Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees, and seldom seen on the ground. They usually nest in hollows or tree holes and hunt for fruit, seeds, nuts and other plants. They can spend up to 1/3 of their time in the nest.
To aid in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local group was invited to join the field team. The members of the community were provided watches that 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 movements in the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of 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 known wild parrot disappeared in the year 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. A reintroduction programme is in the process of attempting to restore this critically threatened bird back to its home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil that covers about 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws were a nesting species in the hollows of old caraibeiras and were known to feed on nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's Macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled to be released by 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that were reintroduced into the same area, and will help to share knowledge about food sources, nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of this bird, including information about the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It has also provided a glimpse into the natural history of the Spix's Macaws. This aids in understanding the causes that led to their extinction.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds 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). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry called "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating sound similar to the note of a flutist. They are well-known for flying high and fast when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with each other through a range of squawking and screeching sounds. They, like other parrots, mimic human speech. They also have a strict daily routine, from flights to bathing routines and can identify the members of their flock. This is why they are so popular pets and targets for illegal trade in birds.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds in a plan to pair them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mix that descends of only two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are in the 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 repatriate the birds and return them into the wild.
Despite their low numbers the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from a collector three Spix's macaws that weren't part of the breeding program.
In part, due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to increase, though not at a speedy pace. Maintaining their health and generating will be crucial for reintroducing the birds back into the wild. It is essential to choose the right birds prior to release. The macaws should be of reproductive age and paired with siblings or close relatives.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild may prove difficult, but it's crucial to try. ABC and its partners have established reserves to protect 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 share areas with the Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adjust to their new surroundings and will also provide safety by numbers.