Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period filled with worry and speculation, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully bring a group of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring however, it is also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
Pixie mini macaw was obtaining enough birds to trade. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs had to be well-matched.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small amount of the birds in captivity and hope to release them close to Curaca. They call the birds little blue friends, and compare their journey with the journey of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor who lost his family and was loyal to his home. They feel a strong kinship to him and see their lives as being similar to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how the species survived such a long time. Researchers were able to estimate the population of this unique bird more precisely. Researchers were able gather important information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. They even monitored reproduction attempts using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaws which was a significant step in the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has helped scientists understand how these birds can be returned to the natural world. The bird's survival has encouraged people to take action to save other species of endangered parrots. It has also prompted zoos and other groups to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can collaborate to save endangered wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian governmental officials as well as representatives from zoos as well as international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's Macaw.
The group has 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 to fund field research and community outreach as well as captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction project. The group has also established a permanent committee to recover 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.
hyacinth macaw parrots for sale 's Macaw is known to millions of people all over the world thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. This is just the tip of the iceberg on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's macaw is endemic to a small portion of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, with a few captive birds, and a handful of museum specimens.
To protect the population that is declining An international committee was established which brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. The group forged a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.
AWWP has purchased and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, which will provide a genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
Spix's Macaws are typically found in trees, and are seldom seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes, and hunt to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They can spend as much as 1/3 of their time in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements local communities were invited to join the field team. The community was given watches that would activate if the Spix's Macaw was identified. This allowed them to track the birds in the wild and their daily actions. This approach has been very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the family Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. This was after the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and no more birds were found in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is in progress to try to restore this critically threatened bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
This region in northeast Brazil is home to about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled to be released by 2022. They will be joined by a group Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will provide information on food sources, nesting and areas to roost.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including details about the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It also provides a window into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw and helped to better understand what led to its disappearance in the wild.
Spix's Macaws eat the seeds, fruits and nuts of numerous 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 extremely vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive sound similar to an acoustic note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking and other sounds. As with many parrots they can mimic human speech. They have a strict routine, including routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their family. This is why they are so popular pets and a target for illegal trade in birds.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws that are in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are the descendants of only two individuals, which makes them at risk of disease and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at an 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 return the birds and reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their petty numbers, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show 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 beginning reproduce, but not at a high rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. Selecting the right birds for release is also critical. The macaws should be reproductive and be paired with close relatives or siblings.
It could be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back into the wild but it is vital to try. ABC and its partners have developed 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, which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adapt to their new environment and will also offer protection by numbers.