Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first obstacle was to find enough birds to trade. Macaws are monogamous, so it was essential to match the pairs well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically threatened Spix's Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small amount of the birds that are in captivity and are hoping to release them near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their little blue friends and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They call him as a true survivor, who lost his family, but was loyal to the region. They feel a strong kinship to him and see their lives as being similar to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw provided researchers with an opportunity to investigate its behavior in wild and gain a better understanding of how this species survived this long. This also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather crucial information on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, as well as its eating habits. They also observed attempts at reproduction with an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaw pair which was a significant step in the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird was able to endure and thrive in the wild with such a limited gene pool, and it has also helped scientists to understand how these birds could be reintroduced back to the wild. The bird's survival has inspired people to take action to save other endangered parrots and species. This has also encouraged zoos to develop their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.
This group is a good example of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can collaborate to save endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with one goal in common that is the recovery of this endangered bird.
The working group has already achieved a lot of work. This includes developing a plan to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds to fund field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction program. It also has established a permanent committee for the reintroduction of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered due to habitat destruction and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird from the brink extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people worldwide However, this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long road to save these birds from the brink. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity back into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga which is an arid region of flat savannah scrubland scattered with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, with a few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To protect the population that is declining An international committee was created that brought together aviculturists that held the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.
AWWP has acquired and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, which will provide an incredibly pure genetic source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws will live in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and various other plants. They typically spend up to one third of the day in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements local communities were recruited to become part of the field team. The community was given watches that would activate if the Spix's Macaw was identified. This enabled them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily actions. This method has proven successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000 and no additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction program is currently in progress to restore this critically endangered bird back to its natural home in the Caatinga.
This region in northeast Brazil is home to about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows of the old caraibeira trees, and they were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and buymacaw 12 more are scheduled to follow in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information about food sources, nesting sites and roosting locations.
The reintroduction program has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of the bird, including information about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It has also provided a glimpse into the evolution of the Spix's Macaws. This can help to understand the causes that led to their disappearance.
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) 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 highly social birds, and they have a close bond with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive sound that resembles the note of a flutist. When they are in a breeding mode, they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, including routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws in captivity are a mix of individuals who are the descendants of only two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity are kept in a breeding centre in Germany. However, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and Brazilian government was canceled, leaving the future plans for repatriation and their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
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 part, due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is starting to grow, though not at a speedy pace. Reintroducing them to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the right birds prior to release. Macaws must be reproductive and be paired up with siblings or close relatives.
It may be difficult to bring the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, however, it is essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which is designed to safeguard the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's Macaws that were recently released will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix’s macaws also reside. These smart birds will help macaws to become familiar with the area, and they will provide safety in numbers.