Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with jealousies and backbiting.
The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds to participate in the exchange. The macaws are monogamous therefore the pairs had to be well-matched.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission to save the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. Darling hahns macaw was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. Paisley hyacinth macaw for sale have a small population of the birds in captivity, and are hoping to release them in the wild near 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 a true survivor who lost his family, but kept his faith in his region. They feel a strong kinship to him and see their lives as similar to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of why this species survived this long. It also allowed them to create a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to collect important data about the bird's daily movements and seasonal adaptation to drought and its food habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce using an Illiger's and a Spix's hybrid macaw couple which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird was able survive and thrive in the wild despite a limited gene pool, and it has also helped scientists to understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the bird that was killed motivated people to act to save other parrots and endangered species. It has also prompted zoos and other groups to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group of experts is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to conserve endangered animals and wildlife. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists, with an aim in common: the recovery of this unique bird.
The group has completed a lot of work, including developing an idea for reintroducing this bird back into the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research and community outreach as well as captive-breed birds for the reintroduction plan. 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 threatened by habitat destruction and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to work hard to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made Spix's macaw famous to millions of people worldwide however this is only the tip of the iceberg in the long road to save these birds from the brink. For decades, an international 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, called the Caatinga, 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 least-known Neotropical parrots, despite only occasional sightings in the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and some museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population, an international committee was formed that gathered aviculturists who had the last remaining birds and government officials. 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 to their natural habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, which will provide a genetically pure source of animals for the next generation of.
In the wild, Spix's macaws reside in trees, and are not often 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 one third of the time in the nest.
To aid in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements, a local community was recruited to join the field team. The community was provided with watches that would turn on when Spix's Macaws are identified. This enabled them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily activities. This approach has been extremely 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 disappeared in 2000, and no more birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction project is currently in progress to return this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil covers approximately 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of old caraibeira trees and were known to eat nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction program is now in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are scheduled to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws. They were reintroduced into the same area and will help to share knowledge about food sources and nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of the bird, including information about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It has also provided a glimpse into the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which helps to understand the factors that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many plants that are native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. They also eat the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws like all parrots and other birds are social birds and have close relationships with their parents. They are very vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They make a mating call known as the "whichaka," which is described as a short, repetitive grating sound similar to a flute note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other by making a variety of screeching and squawking sounds, and like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They also adhere to a strict daily routine, from flight paths to bathing habits, and they can recognize members of their flock. This is why they are such popular pets and a target for illegal trade in birds.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, with all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds as part of the hope of pairing them. 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 that are the descendants of just two individuals, leaving them vulnerable to disease and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are kept in the breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed which raises doubt about the future plans to return the birds and reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws from a collector.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, but not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is crucial to select the right birds prior to releasing them. The macaws need to be reproductively mature and should be paired with one of their siblings or a close relative.
It may be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, but it is vital to try. ABC and its partners have established reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more common in the Caatinga and share areas with the Spix's macaws. These smart birds will help macaws to become accustomed to the region, and they will provide safety in numbers.
