Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long period of worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also rife with backbiting and jealousy.

The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds to participate in the exchange. The macaws were monogamous so it was important to match pairs well.

Range

A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw which was declared extinct in 2000, following decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small number of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them near Curaca. They call the birds their little blue companions and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw in the wild. They say he was as a true survivor, who lost his family, but remained loyal to the area. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as being similar to his, and feel a strong connection to him.

The discovery of the last Spix's Macaw offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to investigate its behavior in wild and gain a better understanding of how this species survived so long. This also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to gather important information about the bird's daily movement patterns and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and food habits. They also observed reproduction attempts using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaws which was a significant step in the rehabilitation of this species.

It was an amazing feat that this bird was able to endure and thrive in the wild despite a limited gene pool, and has helped scientists understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act to save other species of parrots that are endangered. It also inspired zoos and other organizations to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This working group is a good example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can work together to protect endangered wildlife and animals. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international holders of the Spix’s macaw, and ornithologists to achieve one goal in common to save this endangered bird.

The group has achieved a lot of work. This includes preparing a plan to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds for the reintroduction project. It also has established a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.

Habitat

Threatened by poaching and habitat destruction, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to do their best to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is known to millions around the world due to a well-known animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the beginning on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity into the wild.

The Spix's Macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga, an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat scattered with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was described in 1819, and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, few captive birds and a handful of museum specimens.

To save the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was established. It brought together experts in aviculture who had 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 create a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat.

AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will provide the genetically pure source of animals for the future generations.

Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees, and rarely seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes, and hunt to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and various other plants. Buy Macaw will typically spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.

To help track the Spix's macaws as well as their movements, a local group was invited to join the field team. The community was given watches that would turn on when the Spix's Macaw was detected. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily movements. This method has proven to be successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found 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 observed in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is in progress to try to bring this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.

This dry forest is a part of northeast Brazil which covers around 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of the old caraibeira trees and were known to feed on nuts and seeds.

Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently in progress. Eight captive-raised Spix's Macaws 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 have been reintroduced and will share information about food sources, nesting sites and places to roost.

The reintroduction program has collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this rare bird, including details on daily movements patterns as well as the seasonal changes to drought. It also provides an insight into the nature of the Spix's Macaw and helped to better discover the reasons behind its disappearance in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a myriad of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brasil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. They may also consume the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

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 often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating sound similar to a flutist note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly high and fast.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking and other sounds. As with many parrots they are able to mimic human speech. They also have a strict routine for their day, from flights to bathing routines and are able to recognize members of their family. This is why they are the most sought-after pets and targets for illegal trade in birds.

By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds as part of an attempt to pair them. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.


The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mix, which is the descendant of just two individuals. This leaves them vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity reside in a breeding centre in Germany. However, this year an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government ran out which leaves the possibility of repatriation or their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.

Despite their precarious number the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some 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 were not part of the breeding program.

In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, though not at a rapid rate. Keeping them healthy and producing is crucial to reintroduce the birds into the wild. Choosing the right birds to release is also critical. Macaws should be at a reproductive age, and they should be paired with one of their siblings 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. To help, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which will help to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's Macaws who were recently released will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more common in Caatinga, and they live in areas where the Spix’s macaws are also. These birds will help the macaws adapt to their new environment and will also offer protection by the sheer numbers.