Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational however, it is also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first challenge was finding enough birds to exchange. The macaws were monogamous, therefore it was essential to match the pairs well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically threatened Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small number of the birds that are in captivity, and hope to release them into the wild near Curaca. They call them their little blue companions and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw in the wild. They call him a true survivor, who lost his family, but kept his faith in the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his, and they feel a strong connection to him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered researchers with an opportunity to examine its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of how this species has survived for such a long time. It also helped them create a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to collect important information about the bird's daily movement patterns and its seasonal adaptation to drought and its food habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has allowed scientists to better understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act to save other parrots as well as threatened species. Zoos have also been enticed to establish their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.
This working group is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to save endangered wildlife and endangered animals. It brings Brazilian officials from the government Zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird, and ornithologists with a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has accomplished a lot of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird to the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to support field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds for the reintroduction project. They have also formed 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 the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to do their best to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is known to millions of people all over the world due to a well-known animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long road of bringing these birds back. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's macaw is endemic to a small portion of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region of flat savannah scrubland scattered with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is one of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, with few glimpses of the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To save the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was established. It was comprised of experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird, as well as government officials. This group formed a collaboration with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws in their native habitat.
AWWP has bought and is restoring this hyperlink of prime habitat in the Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, providing a genetically pure source of animals for the next generation of.
Spix's Macaws can be found in trees, and are seldom seen on the ground. They typically nest in hollows or holes in trees and forage for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They can spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team to help identify Spix's Macaws. The community was provided with watches that would be activated if Spix's Macaws are identified. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily movements. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last known wild parrot disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction project currently underway is trying to bring back the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in 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 the old caraibeira trees and were recognized for their dietary habits of eating nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction program is now in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's Macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released by 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group of Blue-winged Macaws which have been reintroduced. They will share information on food sources, nesting and places to roost.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including information about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also provides a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw which helps to determine the causes that led to its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of a myriad of 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 acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are very vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive noise similar to a flutist note. When they are in breeding mode they are known to fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other by making a variety of squawking and screeching sounds. They, like other parrots, mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, including the way they fly and their bathing habits. They can also recognize other members of their flock. They are adored as pets and are often targeted by the illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, and all of them poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds as part of an attempt to pair them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mixture that descends of just two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws in captivity live at a breeding centre in Germany. However, this year an agreement between a German conservation center and the Brazilian government was canceled which leaves the possibility of repatriation or reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
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 buy three Spix's Macaws from the collector.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, though not at a high rate. Maintaining their health and generating will be crucial for reintroducing the birds back into the wild. Selecting the right birds to release is also critical. Macaws must be reproductive and be paired up with close relatives or siblings.
Continued may be difficult to bring the Spix's macaw back into the wild however, it is essential to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and share areas with the Spix's macaws. These intelligent birds will aid the macaws get used to the region and will offer the security of a large number.