Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also rife with jealousy and backbiting.
The first challenge was finding enough birds for the exchange. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs needed to be matched well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw. This bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 owing to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a tiny population of the birds in captive, and are hoping to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and compare their journey with the story of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor who lost his family, but remained loyal to his area. They see their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his, and feel a strong affinity with him.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of how this species has survived for so long. This allowed researchers to estimate the historical population of this rare bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able gather important information about the bird's movements throughout the day and its seasonal adaptation to drought and its food habits. They even monitored attempts to reproduce using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw pair which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird was able survive and thrive in the wild despite a limited gene pool, and it has helped scientists to understand how these birds could be reintroduced to the wild. The last bird's survival also inspired people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos have also been enticed to establish their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.
This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to protect endangered wildlife and endangered animals. It brings Brazilian governmental officials Zoo representatives, international holders of this rare bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has accomplished a lot of work. This includes developing a plan to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to support field research as well as community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction program. The group has also set up a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was endangered by habitat destruction and illegal poaching. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to work hard to save this iconic bird from the brink extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions of people around the world due to a cult animated film and two sequels. This is just the beginning on the long-distance road to returning these birds. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is a native species to a small region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This dry region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland, which is surrounded by galleries and seasonal streams. It was described in 1819 and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, few birds that are kept in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.
To save the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was formed. It brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining bird, as well as government officials. This group formed a collaboration 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 habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and rears 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 typically found in trees and rarely seen on the ground. They usually nest in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruits as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
To aid in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements local communities were recruited to become part of the field team. The community was provided with watches that would be activated if the Spix's Macaw was identified. This enabled them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily movements. This method has proven to be extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species in the Genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot vanished in 2000, and no more birds were observed in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is in progress to try to bring back this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is located in the region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were found in hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction programme is 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 birds are scheduled to be released in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information on food sources, nesting sites and places to roost.
The reintroduction program has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of the bird, which includes details of the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It has also provided a window into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw which helps to understand what led to its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, seeds and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia), along with 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 highly social birds that bond closely with their parents. They have vocalizations and often mimic other sounds and words. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive noise similar to an acoustic note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other with a variety of squawking and screeching sounds. Like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very strict daily routine, from flights to bathing routines and are able to recognize the members of their flock. This is what makes them the most sought-after pets and a target for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, all of them poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds as part of an attempt to pair them. Since the time, all Spix's macaws are captive-bred, Buy-Macaw.Com mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws in captivity are a mix of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, which makes them at risk of 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 expired without renewal and causing doubt about future plans to repatriate the birds and return them back into the wild.
Despite their petty numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws from the collector.
As a result of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, but not at a high rate. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it is crucial to reintroduce these birds to the wild. Selecting the right birds for release is also crucial. Macaws must be at a reproductive age and be in a relationship with a sibling or a close relatives.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild may prove difficult, but it's essential to try. ABC and its partners have developed reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws that were released recently will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more common in Caatinga and are found in areas where the Spix's macaws also live. These savvy birds will help macaws to become accustomed to the region and will offer security in large numbers.