Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long period filled with speculation and worry Brazilians and German conservationists were able successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also rife with resentment and jealousy.

The first obstacle was getting enough birds for the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so it was important to ensure that the pairs were well-matched.

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 tiny population of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to them as their blue-eyed friends and compare their lives to that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They call him as 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 they feel a strong affinity with him.

The discovery of the last Spix's Macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of why this species has survived for this long. This allowed researchers to estimate the historical population of this unique bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able gather important data on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, as well as its eating habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce with 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 feat that this bird was able to endure and thrive in the wild with such an insufficient gene pool and has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the last bird encouraged people to take action in order to save other parrots and endangered species. Zoos have also been enticed to create their own captive breeding program for these exotic bird species.

This working group is an example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can collaborate to save endangered species of wildlife and animals. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw, and ornithologists to achieve one goal in common that is the recovery of this endangered bird.

The group has accomplished a lot of work, including preparing an idea for reintroducing this bird into the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. It has also created an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.

Habitat

Threatened by poaching and habitat destruction The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to work hard to save this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.

A popular animated movie and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw famous to millions of people across the globe, but this is just the beginning in the long journey to save these birds from the edge. For a long time, a global team has been trying to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.

The Spix's macaw is endemic to a tiny area of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga, an arid region of flat savannah scrubland that is dotted with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is among of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, despite only sporadic sightings from the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and some museum specimens.

To protect the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was created. It brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining bird as well as government officials. The group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to develop a comprehensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's macaws into their natural habitat in northeast Brazil.

AWWP has bought and is renovating 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, providing the genetically pure source of the animals for future generations.

In the wild, Spix's macaws are found in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruits, seeds, nuts and other plants. They can spend up to one third of the time in the nest.

A local community was selected as part of the field team in order to help track Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would turn on when a Spix's Macaw is recognized. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily movements. 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 1, 2019. This was after the last wild parrot vanished in 2000 and no additional birds were found in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction program currently underway is trying to restore this critically endangered bird back to its natural home in the Caatinga.

The northeast region of Brazil is home to about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.

Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight captive-raised Spix's Macaws were released into the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled to be released in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced to the same area and will help to share knowledge about food sources and nesting and roosting locations.

The reintroduction program has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of this unique bird, which includes details about daily movement patterns and the seasonal changes to drought. It has also provided a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw and helped to better understand what led to its disappearance in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a myriad of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) and the Joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro Cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.

Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a short repeated grating sound that is similar to a flute note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly high and fast.

Breeding

Spix's macaws are extremely intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of screeching and squawking sounds, and like many other parrots, mimic human speech. They also adhere to a strict routine for their day, from the flight path to bathing habits and can identify members of their family. They are popular as pets and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this.

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 in an attempt to pair them. Since since then, all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.

The handful of Spix's macaws kept in captivity are a mix of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, which makes them at risk of disease and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at an breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed, casting doubt over future plans to return the birds and then reintroduce them into the wild.

Despite their precarious 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 for the collector.

In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce again, although not at a great rate. Maintaining their health and generating will be important to reintroducing the birds into the wild. It is important to choose the right birds before releasing them. The macaws need to be in a reproductive stage, and they should be in a relationship with one of their siblings or a close family member.

Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild may prove difficult, but it's essential to try. ABC and its partners have established a reserve system to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws 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 also live. These birds will assist the macaws become accustomed to their new environment and will also offer protection by the sheer numbers.