Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time with uncertainty and fear, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully bring a group of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also rife with backbiting and jealousy.
The first obstacle was getting enough birds for the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so 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 after years of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small number of the birds in captivity and are hoping to release them close to Curaca. They call the birds their blue-eyed friends and compare their experience with that of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They call him a true survivor, who lost his family, but kept his faith in the region. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as being similar to his and feel a strong connection to him.
Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and to better understand the reasons why this species has survived for so long. This also helped them create a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather crucial information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. They even monitored attempts at reproduction with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaws, which was an important step in the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird managed to endure and thrive in the wild with such an insufficient gene pool and it has also helped researchers understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other parrots and endangered species. It also inspired zoos and other groups to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group serves as 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 as well as representatives from zoos as well as international owners of this unique bird and ornithologists together with one common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including developing plans for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. It has also established a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Endangered by habitat destruction and poaching, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to work tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
A well-known animated film and two sequels have made Spix's macaw famous to millions of people around the world, but this is just the tip of the iceberg in the long road to bring these birds back from the edge. For a long time, a global team has been working to breed and bring back Spix's macaws raised in a captive environment back into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is among of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, with occasional sightings in the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To save the declining population, an international group was created. It was comprised of Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird as well as officials from the government. The group forged a partnership with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws back to their natural habitat.
AWWP has acquired and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will provide the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws reside in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically nest in tree holes or hollows and forage for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to 1/3 of their time in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team to assist identify Spix's Macaws. The community was provided with watches that would activate if a Spix's Macaw is detected. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild and their daily activities. This approach has been very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found 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 following the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and no more birds were observed in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction program currently underway is trying to bring back this critically endangered bird back to its natural habitat in Caatinga.
This region in northeast Brazil covers approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the 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. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are scheduled to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws, which have been released back into the same area and will help to share knowledge about food sources and nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including information about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It has also provided a window into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw and helped to better determine the causes that led to its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws eat the fruits, seeds and nuts of many species 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 can also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots and other bird species, are social birds that have close relationships with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief continuous grating sound like a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are extremely intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots, they are able to mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine, including routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their flock. This is why they are such popular pets and targets for illegal trade in birds.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, all of them being poached. A plan to pair the male and female defeated 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 made up of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, leaving them susceptible to illness and other environmental threats. macaw purchase of the birds in captivity are in the breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed and causing doubt about future plans to repatriate the birds and reintroduce them into the wild.
Despite their petty numbers, captive-bred Spix’s macaws 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 increase, though not at a rapid pace. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws must be in a reproductive stage and should be in a relationship with an older sibling or close family member.
It's not easy to bring the Spix's Macaw back into the wild, but it is vital to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that is designed to safeguard the last remaining habitats. The eight recently released Spix's macaws are going to be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and share areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adapt to their new surroundings. They will also provide safety by numbers.