Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period filled with uncertainty and fear Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also rife with jealousy and backbiting.
The first obstacle was getting enough birds to participate in the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so it was crucial to match the pairs well.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 after decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small population of the birds kept in captivity and are hoping to release them into the wild near Curaca. They refer to the birds as little blue friends, and compare their journey to the story of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw found in the wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor, who lost his family but kept his faith in his region. They feel a strong kinship to him and view their lives as being identical to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's Macaw offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to investigate its behavior in wild and gain a better understanding of why this species was able to survive for so long. This enabled researchers to determine the historical population of this unique bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to collect crucial information on the bird's daily movements and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its feeding 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 an amazing achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has enabled scientists understand how these birds can be returned to the natural world. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action in order to save other parrots as well as endangered species. Zoos and other groups to set their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is a good illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together to protect endangered wildlife and animals. Lolita blue & gold macaw brings Brazilian officials from government Zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird, and ornithologists together with one common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The working group has already accomplished a lot of work. This includes the development of plans to reintroduce the bird in the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds to support field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds for the reintroduction project. It has also established a permanent committee for the recovery of the bird.
Habitat
Threatened by poaching and habitat destruction The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to work tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
A well-known animated film and two sequels have made Spix's Macaw known to millions of people across the globe, but this is just the beginning in the long-distance journey to save these birds from the brink. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species to a small region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This dry area is home to flat savannah scrubland, scattered with galleries and seasonal streams. It was first described in 1819 and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, a few captive birds and a handful of museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population, an international group was created. It brought together Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird as well as government officials. This group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws to their natural environment.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and rears 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 reside in trees, and are not often seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They typically spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements local communities were invited to join the field team. The community was given watches that would turn on when Spix's Macaws are detected. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily actions. This method has proven successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species in the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot vanished in 2000 and no additional birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction plan is in the process of attempting to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is located in the region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws were found in hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are expected to follow in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced to the same area and will assist to share knowledge about food sources, nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of the bird, including details about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also has opened a window on the evolution of Spix's Macaws, which aids in understanding the causes that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws eat the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many 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 may also consume the fruit of the palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other birds are social birds and develop close bonds 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 brief continuous grating sound similar to a flute. They are well-known for flying high and fast when they are in the mood to breed.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of squawking and screeching sounds, and like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits and can identify members of their family. They are very popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s, just three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds as part of a plan to pair them. Since since then the Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws in captivity are a mix of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, leaving them susceptible to illness and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are kept in an breeding center in Germany however, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed and causing doubt about future plans to return the birds and reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their low numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder was able to beat a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program.
In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, though not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. Selecting the right birds for release is also crucial. Macaws must be reproductive and be paired up with siblings or close relatives.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild may prove difficult, but it's essential to try. ABC and its partners have developed a reserve system to protect 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 they live in areas where the Spix's macaws are also. These birds will help macaws adapt to their new surroundings. They will also provide safety by numbers.