Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time with worry and speculation, 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 jealousies and backbiting.
The first obstacle was obtaining enough birds for the trade. The macaws are monogamous therefore the pairs had 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 habitat loss. They have a small number of the birds in captivity and they hope to release them near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their little blue friends 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 the area. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as similar to his, and they feel a strong affinity with him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw provided an excellent opportunity for researchers to investigate its behavior in wild and gain an understanding of why this species has survived for so long. It also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to collect important information about the bird's daily movements and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its feeding habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird was able to endure and thrive in the wild despite an insufficient gene pool and it has helped scientists to understand how these birds could be reintroduced to the wild. The survival of the bird that was killed motivated people to act in order to save other parrots and threatened species. Zoos and other groups to set their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to protect endangered species of wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian officials from the government Zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird, and ornithologists together with one common goal: the recovery of the Spix's Macaw.
The group has accomplished a great deal of work, including developing an idea for reintroducing this bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. It also has established an ongoing committee to oversee the recovery of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was endangered due to habitat destruction 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. This is just the tip of the iceberg on the long road of bringing these birds back. For decades, an international team has been trying to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is a native species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This dry region has flat savannah scrubland, scattered with seasonal streams and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, with 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 formed. It brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining bird as well as officials from the government. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat.
AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, thereby providing the genetically pure source of the animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws will live in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes, and hunt for fruits, seeds, nuts, and other species. Pixie mini macaw may spend up to one third of the time in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team to assist track Spix's Macaws. The members of the community were provided watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's macaw was observed and thereby allowing them to keep track of the birds and their daily activities in the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of the family Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and no more birds were found in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction programme is in progress to try to bring this critically endangered bird to its native 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 seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently in progress. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are scheduled to follow in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws, which have been reintroduced to the same area, and will help to share knowledge of food sources, nesting and roosting locations.
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 also provides a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw which helps to determine the causes that led to its disappearance in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many plants that are native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas Brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) and the Joazeiro (Ziziphus Joazeiro) and facheiro Cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They may also consume the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws like all parrots and other birds are social birds and have close relationships with their parents. They are vocal and frequently 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 are known to fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They have a strict routine, including the way they fly and their bathing habits. They are also able to recognize other members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are frequently targeted by the illegal trade in birds because of this.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, all of them poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds in a plan to pair them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mixture, which is the descendant of only two individuals. This makes them susceptible to illnesses and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at the breeding center in Germany, but this year 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 return them into the wild.
Despite their precarious number, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder was able to beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from a collector three Spix's macaws which weren't part of the breeding program.
In part because of this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, but not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing them to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. Choosing the right birds for release is also critical. The macaws need to be at a reproductive age and be paired with one of their siblings or a close relatives.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild could prove difficult, but it is important to try. ABC and its partners have created a reserve system to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws that were recently released will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga and are found in areas where the Spix’s macaws also live. These birds will help macaws adapt to their new surroundings. They will also ensure safety through the sheer numbers.