Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with jealousies and backbiting.
The first obstacle was to get enough birds to trade. Macaws are monogamous, so it was crucial 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 United Nations in 2000 owing to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small population of the birds kept in captive, and hope to release them into the wild close to Curaca. They call them their little blue companions and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They describe him as a true survivor, who lost his family but remained loyal to his area. They feel a strong bond to him and see their lives as similar to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's Macaw offered researchers with an opportunity to study its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of why this species survived this long. This enabled researchers to estimate the historical population of this rare bird more precisely. Researchers were able to gather crucial data on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery for this species.
It was a marvellous feat that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has enabled scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The bird's survival has motivated people to act to save other species of endangered parrots. Zoos are also encouraged to establish their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.
Leia blue macaw and red macaw is a great example of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can collaborate to save endangered animals and wildlife. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international holders of the Spix’s macaw, and ornithologists to achieve one goal in common that is the recovery of this unique bird.
The working group has already completed a great deal of work. This includes developing plans to reintroduce the bird in the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds for field research and community outreach as well as captive-breeding birds for the reintroduction program. The group has also established a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered through the destruction of habitats and illegal poaching. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird from the brink extinction.
A well-known animated film and two sequels have made Spix's macaw famous to millions of people worldwide However, this is only the beginning in the long road to bring these birds back from the edge. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is among of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, with few glimpses of the wild as well as a few captive birds and some museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was established. It brought together experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird, as well as officials from the government. Leia blue macaw and red macaw formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat in the northeast of Brazil.
AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released in the wild. This will give the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws are found in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and various other plants. They will typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local community was recruited to become part of the field team. Members of the community were provided watches that could be activated if the Spix's macaw was observed, allowing them to keep an eye on the birds and their daily movements in the wild. This approach has been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to 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 disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. A reintroduction programme is currently underway to try to bring this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil is home to about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws were a nesting species in the hollows of old caraibeira trees, and they were also known to feed on seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released in the wild in June. Twelve more are expected 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 information about food sources and nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction program has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this rare bird, including details on the patterns of movement throughout the day and seasonal adjustments to drought. It has also opened a window on the evolution of the Macaws of Spix, which helps to understand the factors that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, seeds and nuts of numerous plants native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Spix's Macaws like all parrots and other bird species are social birds and form close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive noise similar to an acoustic note. When they are in a breeding mode they can fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are extremely intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking, and other sounds. As with many parrots they are able to mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine, including routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their flock. This is what makes them so popular pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, just three Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds in an attempt to pair them. Since then, all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mix of birds, and are the descendant of just two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity reside in a breeding centre in Germany. However this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government ran out which leaves future plans for repatriation and the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.
Despite their precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing 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.
In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce, but not at a rapid rate. Maintaining their health and generating will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. Selecting the right birds for release is equally important. Macaws must be reproductively mature and should be paired with one of their siblings or a close relative.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could be difficult, but it is crucial to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These smart birds will help macaws to become used to the region, and they will provide the security of a large number.