Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period filled with worry and speculation, Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with jealousies and backbiting.
The first challenge was obtaining enough birds for the trade. The 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 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 population of the birds in captive, and hope to release them into the wild close to Curaca. They refer to them as little blue companions, and compare their experience with that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw found 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 kinship to him and perceive their lives as being like his.
Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw wild, and better understand how this species has survived so long. It also helped them form a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather crucial details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, and eating habits. They also observed attempts at reproduction with a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaw pair which was a significant 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 limited gene pool. This has enabled scientists understand how these birds can be returned to nature. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other endangered parrots and species. Zoos are also encouraged to develop 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 work together to protect endangered wildlife and endangered animals. It brings Brazilian governmental officials as well as representatives from zoos as well as 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, including preparing plans for reintroducing the bird into the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
At risk due to poaching and habitat destruction The Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to work hard to save this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made Spix's Macaw known to millions of people around the world, but this is just the beginning in the long road to bring these birds back from the brink. For a long time, a global team has been trying to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, with a few captive birds, and a handful of museum specimens.
To save the declining population An international committee was created which brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. The group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to develop a comprehensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's macaws into their native environment in the northeast of Brazil.
AWWP has acquired and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, thereby providing a genetically pure source of animals for the next generation of.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws are found in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically nest in tree holes or hollows and hunt for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They will typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
A local community was enlisted as part of the field team to assist identify Spix's Macaws. Members of the community were provided watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's Macaw was detected, allowing them to keep an eye on the birds and their daily activities in the wild. This approach has been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as 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 failed to locate any additional birds. However, a reintroduction program currently underway is trying to restore this critically endangered bird back to its natural home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is located in the region of northeast Brazil, covering approximately 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June and 12 more are expected to arrive in 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group of Blue-winged macaws who were reintroduced. They will provide information on food sources, nesting sites and places to roost.
The reintroduction program has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this unique bird, including information on daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought during the season. It has also provided an insight into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw, helping to understand what led to its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brazil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. They may also consume the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots as well as other birds are social birds that develop close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating sound that resembles a flutist note. They are well-known for flying fast and high when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are extremely intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like pet macaw cost many parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits, and they can recognize members of their flock. They are popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s, just three Spix’s macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the male and female unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mixture of birds, and are the descendant of only two individuals. This makes them susceptible to illnesses and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are in an breeding center in Germany however, 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 then reintroduce them into the wild.
Despite their petty numbers the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat a sheikh in Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws which weren't part of the breeding program.
In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, but not at a high rate. Reintroducing them to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. Selecting the right birds for release is equally important. The macaws need to be in a reproductive stage and be joined by one of their siblings or a close family member.
It could be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back into the wild, but it's important to try. To aid, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that will help to protect the species' last remaining habitats. The eight recently released Spix's macaws are going to be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more common in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These savvy birds will help macaws to become used to the region and will offer security in large numbers.