Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long period uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also rife with resentment and jealousy.

The first obstacle was to get enough birds for the trade. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs had to be matched well.

Range

A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a tiny population of the birds kept in captivity and hope to release them into the wild near Curaca. They refer to them as little blue companions, and compare their lives with the story of Presley the only known Spix's Pixie mini macaw in wild. They describe Presley as an authentic survivor who lost his family, but kept his faith in his region. They feel a strong bond to him and view their lives as being identical to his.

Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Tallula indigo park mollie macaw in wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has lasted so long. It also helped them form a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to collect important information about the bird's movements throughout the day, seasonal adjustment to drought, and its feeding habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce with an Illiger's and a Spix's hybrid Fiona hyacinth macaw bird for sale couple which was an important step in the recovery of this species.

It was an amazing achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has allowed scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The last bird's survival also inspired people to take action to save other species of endangered parrots. Zoos have also been enticed to develop their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.

This working group is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered wildlife and endangered animals. It brings Brazilian officials from the government, zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.

The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including preparing an idea for reintroducing this bird into the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to fund field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds for the reintroduction program. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.

Habitat

Threatened by poaching and habitat destruction The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to fight tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions of people around the globe thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. But this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long journey of bringing these birds back. For a long time, a global team has been working to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.

The Spix's Macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, few birds that are kept in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.

To protect the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was established. It brought together experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird as well as officials from the government. This group formed a collaboration with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws in their native environment.

AWWP has bought and is restoring 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released into the wild. This will give the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.

In the wild, Spix's Macaws will live in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and forage for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They can spend as much as 1/3 of their time in the nest.

To help track the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local community was recruited to become part of the field team. The community was provided with watches that would be activated if Spix's Macaws are identified. This allowed them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily movements. This method has proven successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last known wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. A reintroduction plan is in the process of attempting to bring back this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.

This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were found in hollows old caraibeiras and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.

A reintroduction programme is in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's macaw cage. Eight Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled 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 knowledge of food sources, nesting and roosting locations.

The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of this bird, including information about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It has also opened a window on the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which aids in understanding the causes that led to their disappearance.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, nuts, and fruits of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) as well as the Joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief repeated grating sound that is like a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode they can fly fast and high.

Breeding

Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with one another by making a variety of squawking and screeching sounds. Like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine, which includes the way they fly and their bathing habits. They also can recognize other members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are often targeted by illegal bird trade because of this.

By the early 1980s, only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, all of them poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds as part of an attempt to pair them. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.

The handful of Spix's macaws in captivity are made up of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, leaving them susceptible to illness and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws that are in captivity reside in an breeding center in Germany. However this year an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government was canceled which leaves the possibility of repatriation or their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.

Despite their low numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws from the collector.

In part, due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, though not at a rapid pace. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. The selection of the right birds for release is equally important. Macaws must be reproductive and be paired with siblings or close relatives.

It may be difficult to bring the Spix's macaw back into the wild but it is vital to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's Macaws that were recently released will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga and are found in areas where the Spix’s macaws also reside. These intelligent birds will aid macaws to become accustomed to the region and will offer security in large numbers.