Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time filled with worry and speculation Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first hurdle was to get enough birds to trade. The macaws are monogamous therefore the pairs had to be matched well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw. This bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small amount of the birds in captivity and are hoping to release them close to Curaca. They call the birds their little blue friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last 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 being similar to his, and feel a strong connection to him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw provided a valuable opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how the species was able to survive for this long. It also helped them make a more precise estimation of the historical population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery for this species.
It was a remarkable feat that this bird was able survive and thrive in the wild despite the smallest gene pool and has helped researchers understand how these birds could be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action in order to save other parrots as well as threatened species. Zoos are also encouraged to create their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.
This group is a great illustration of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can collaborate to protect endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps international owners of the Spix's macaw, and ornithologists to achieve an aim in common to save this endangered bird.
The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including developing a plan for reintroducing the bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
Endangered by 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 fight to bring this iconic bird back from the brink extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions of people all over the globe thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the beginning on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is a native species to a small region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This dry region has flat savannah scrubland, interspersed with galleries and seasonal streams. The first time it was described was in 1819 and is among of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, despite only few glimpses of the wild, a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To protect Blondie scarlet macaw bird that is declining An international committee was established which brought together aviculturists who had the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat.
AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, which will provide the genetically pure source of the animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws are found in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruits as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They typically spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team to help 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 observed which allowed them to keep an eye on the birds and their daily activities in the wild. This method has proven successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to the Genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was in the wake of the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000. No additional birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is in the process of attempting to restore this critically threatened bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil covers approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were a nesting species in the hollows of the old caraibeira trees, and they were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction programme is underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are expected to follow in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws that were reintroduced into the same area, and will help to share knowledge of 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 information on daily movement patterns and the seasonal changes to drought. It also opened a window on the nature of Spix's Macaws, which can help to understand the causes that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, nuts, and fruits of many plants that are 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). They may also consume the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are very vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a short repeated grating sound that is similar to a flute note. They are well-known for flying fast and high when they are in the mood to breed.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are exceptionally intelligent and social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots they are able to mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, which includes the way they fly and their bathing habits. They can also recognize other members of their flock. This is what makes them such popular pets and a target for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds in the hope of pairing them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, leaving them vulnerable to disease and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are in a breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal, casting doubt over future plans to repatriate the birds and return them into the wild.
Despite their precarious number the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder managed to beat a sheikh in Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program.
As a result of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, though not at a rapid rate. Keeping them healthy and producing is crucial to reintroduce these birds to the wild. The selection of the right birds to release is also crucial. Macaws should be at a reproductive age and should be joined by an older sibling or close relatives.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could prove difficult, but it's essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that will help to protect the 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 share areas with the Spix's macaws. These smart birds will help macaws to become familiar with the area and provide the security of a large number.