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 into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with backbiting and jealousy.
The first challenge was finding enough birds to exchange. 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. The bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small number of the birds kept in captivity and are hoping to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw in the wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family, but remained loyal to the area. They feel a strong kinship to him and view their lives as being similar to his.
Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and to better understand the reasons why this species has survived for so long. This also helped them make a more precise estimation of the historical population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important data on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. They also monitored reproduction attempts using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaw pair which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird was able survive and thrive in the wild despite the smallest gene pool and has helped scientists understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the wild. The bird's survival has motivated people to act to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos have also been enticed to create their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.
This working group is a good example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can work together in order to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw, and ornithologists to achieve a common goal: the recovery of this rare bird.
The group has completed a great deal of work. This includes the development of an approach to reintroduce this bird back to 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 project. They have also formed a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was endangered through the destruction of habitats and poaching that was illegal. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to tirelessly work to save this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions of people all over the world thanks to a popular animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long road of returning these birds. For a long time, a global team has been trying to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws raised in a captive environment back into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region of flat savannah scrubland that is dotted with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, few birds that are kept in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.
To protect the declining population, an international group was formed. It was comprised of experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird, as well as government officials. The group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organisation Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to create an intensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their natural habitat in northeast Brazil.
AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, providing the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
Spix's Macaws can be found in trees, and are rarely seen on the ground. They usually nest in tree holes or hollows and forage for fruit, seeds, nuts and other plants. They typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.
To aid in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements, a local group was invited to join the field team. Members of the community were provided watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's macaw was detected which allowed them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their daily activities in the wild. This approach has proven very 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 after the last wild parrot was lost in 2000, and no more birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction project is currently in progress to bring back the critically endangered bird to its natural home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is located in the region of northeast Brazil which covers around 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 underway to establish a natural 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 that were reintroduced into the same area and will assist to share knowledge about food sources and nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of this rare bird, which includes details about the patterns of movement throughout the day and adjustments to drought during the season. It also has opened a window on the nature of the Macaws of Spix, which aids in understanding the causes that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of a variety of species native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are social birds, and they have a close bond with their parents. They are very vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive noise similar to an acoustic note. They are known to fly fast and high when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also have a rigid daily routine, ranging from flight paths to bathing habits and can identify members of their flock. This is what makes them such popular pets, and also a target for illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, with all of them being poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are a mixture of individuals that are the descendants of only two individuals, which makes them vulnerable to disease and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are in an breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal and causing doubt about future plans to repatriate the birds and reintroduce them into the wild.
Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws from a collector.
As a result of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce again, although not at a great rate. Reintroducing them to the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. The selection of the right birds to release is equally important. Macaws must be reproductively mature and be joined by a sibling or a close family member.
It could be difficult to bring the Spix's Macaw back into the wild but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have developed reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. macaw cage that were released recently will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga, and they live in areas where the Spix's macaws are also. These birds will help the macaws adjust to their new surroundings. They will also ensure safety through the sheer numbers.