Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period filled with worry and speculation Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully reintroduce a couple 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. The macaws were monogamous so it was important 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 following years of poaching and habitat loss. They have a tiny population of the birds that are in captive, and are hoping to release them into the wild close to Curaca. They refer to them as little blue friends, and compare their journey to that of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family but was loyal to his home. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as similar to his and feel a deep connection with him.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has survived for so long. This allowed researchers to determine the historical population of this unique bird more precisely. Researchers were able to gather important information about the bird's daily movements and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and food habits. They even monitored attempts at reproduction with a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaws, which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has allowed scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to the wild. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action to save other species of endangered parrots. It also inspired zoos and other organizations to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can collaborate in order to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian officials from government as well as representatives from zoos, international holders of this unique bird and ornithologists with a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's Macaw.
The group has accomplished a lot of work. This includes developing plans to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to fund field research as well as community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction plan. It also has established an ongoing committee to oversee the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was endangered through the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to work hard to bring this iconic bird back from the brink extinction.
A well-known animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people across the globe, but this is just the beginning 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 captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region of flat savannah scrubland interspersed with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To save the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was created. It was comprised of aviculturists who held the last remaining bird, as well as officials from the government. This group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws to their natural environment.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, thereby providing a 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 build nests in hollows or holes and search in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They may spend up to one third of their day in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team to assist track Spix's Macaws. Members of the community were provided watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's Macaw was detected, allowing them to keep an eye on the birds and their movements throughout the wild. This approach has been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was in the wake of the last wild parrot vanished in 2000, and no more birds were observed in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction program is in the process of trying to restore this critically endangered bird back to its natural habitat in the 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 program is now in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that 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 valuable data from biology on the behavior of this unique bird, which includes details about the patterns of movement throughout the day and seasonal adjustments to drought. It has also provided a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw which helps to determine the causes that led to its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of a variety of 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 also eat the fruit of the palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots as well as other birds, are social affordable macaw birds that have close relationships with their parents. They are vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive sound similar to a flutist note. When they are in a breeding mode they can fly fast and high.
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 follow a strict routine, including the way they fly and their bathing habits. They are also able to recognize other members of their family. They are popular as pets and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds because of this.
In the early 1980s only three Spix’s macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the male and female foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time, all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws that are in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, which makes them at risk of disease and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity reside in an breeding center in Germany. However this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government expired, leaving the possibility of repatriation or the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.
Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder managed to beat a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's Macaws that weren't part of the breeding program.
In part because of this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, though not at a speedy pace. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds before release. Macaws should be of reproductive age and be paired with close relatives or siblings.
It's not easy to get 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 will help 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 common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix's macaws also live. These smart birds will help the macaws become more used to the region and will offer safety in numbers.