Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time with speculation and worry, Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring however, it is also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first challenge was finding enough birds for the exchange. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs needed to be matched properly.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 following decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a tiny population of the birds in captivity and are hoping to release them in the wild near Curaca. They call the birds little blue friends, and compare their lives to the story of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They call him as a true survivor, who lost his family, but kept his faith in the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as akin to his, and feel a strong affinity with him.
Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has survived so long. It also allowed them to create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather important information about the bird's daily movements, seasonal adjustment to drought, and food habits. They also monitored attempts at reproduction with a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaw pair which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable feat that this bird was able endure and thrive in the wild despite the smallest gene pool and it has also helped scientists to understand how these birds could be reintroduced back to the wild. The last bird's survival also inspired people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos are also encouraged to create their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.
This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered wildlife and endangered animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with an aim in common: the recovery of this rare bird.
The working group has already accomplished a lot of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird to the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction project. They have also formed an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.
Habitat
At risk due to habitat destruction and poaching The Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to tirelessly work to bring this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
A well-known animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people around the world However, this is only the beginning in the long-distance journey to save these birds from the edge. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and bring back captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga, an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. The first time it was described was in 1819, and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with sporadic sightings from the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To protect the population that is declining, an international committee was created that brought together aviculturists that held the last remaining birds and government officials. The group Cleo female macaws for sale formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws in their native environment.
AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, providing the genetically pure source of the animals for the next generation of.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws are found in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They typically nest in tree holes or hollows and forage for fruit, seeds, nuts and other plants. They will typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team to assist to track Spix's macaws. The members of the community were given 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 proven very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to the genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. However, a reintroduction project is currently in progress to bring back the critically endangered bird 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 were found in hollows old caraibeiras and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are scheduled to arrive in 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will provide information on food sources, nesting sites and places to roost.
The reintroduction programme has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of this unique bird, including information on daily movement patterns and the seasonal changes to drought. It also provided a glimpse into the evolution of Spix's Macaws, which helps to understand the factors that led to their decline.
Spix's Macaws eat the fruits, seeds and nuts of numerous 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 Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They make a mating call known as the "whichaka," which is described as a short, repetitive grating sound similar to a flute. They are known to fly high and fast when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other by making a variety of screeching and squawking sounds, and like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits and are able to recognize the members of their flock. They are very popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal bird trade because of this.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, with all of them poached. A plan to pair the male and female defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time, all Spix's macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mixture, which is the descendant of just two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are kept 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 return the birds and then reintroduce them into the wild.
Despite their precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder managed to beat a sheikh from Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's Macaws that weren't 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 into the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is crucial to select the correct birds before releasing them. The macaws should be of reproductive age and be paired up with siblings or close relatives.
It may be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back into the wild, but it's important to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that will help to protect the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will help the macaws adjust to their new surroundings. They will also offer protection by the sheer numbers.