Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time filled with uncertainty and fear, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational however, it is also filled with jealousies and backbiting.
The first obstacle was getting enough birds for the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, therefore the pairs had to be matched well.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 after years of poaching and habitat loss. They have a few of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as their little blue companions and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the 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 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 a deeper understanding of how this species was able to survive for so long. This also helped them make a more precise estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important data about the bird's daily movements and its seasonal adaptation to drought and its food habits. They also observed attempts to reproduce using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw pair which was a significant step in the recovery of this species.
macaw cage was a marvellous achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has enabled scientists understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the last bird also inspired people to take action to save other parrots and threatened species. This has also encouraged zoos to establish their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.
This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to conserve endangered wildlife and endangered animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with one goal in common that is the recovery of this unique bird.
The working group has already achieved a lot of work. This includes preparing a plan to reintroduce the bird in the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research as well as community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction plan. It has also established a permanent committee for the reintroduction of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered through the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird back from the brink extinction.
A well-known animated film and two sequels have made Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people around the world However, this is only the beginning in the long-distance journey to save these birds from the brink. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is one of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, despite only few glimpses of the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population, an international committee was formed which brought together aviculturists who had the last remaining birds and government officials. The group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to develop a comprehensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their natural habitat in the northeast of Brazil.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released in the wild. This will create an animal that is genetically pure for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws are found in trees, and are not often seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes, and hunt for fruits, seeds, nuts, and various other plants. They typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team to assist track Spix's Macaws. The community was provided with watches that would be activated if Spix's Macaws are recognized. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily actions. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found in the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys failed to find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction plan is currently in progress to restore this critically endangered bird back to its natural 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 were known to eat nuts and seeds.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight birds raised in captivity 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. They have been reintroduced to the same area, and will help to share information about food sources, nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has already collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including details about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also has opened a window on the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which can help to understand the causes that led to their extinction.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. They may also consume the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other bird species are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive noise similar to the note of a flutist. They are well-known for flying fast and high when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking, and other sounds. Like many parrots they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very strict daily routine, from flight paths to bathing habits, and they can recognize the members of their flock. They are adored as pets and are often targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, and all of them being poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mix that descends of only two individuals. This makes them susceptible to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity reside in a breeding center in Germany. However this year an agreement between the German conservation center and Brazilian government was canceled which leaves the possibility of repatriation or their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat a sheikh in Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program.
In great green macaw to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, but 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 to release is also crucial. The macaws need to be at a reproductive age and be paired with a sibling or a close family member.
It's not easy to bring the Spix's macaw back to the wild, but it is vital to try. To help, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which aims to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws that were released recently will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix's macaws also live. These smart birds will help macaws to become accustomed to the region and will offer security in large numbers.