Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with jealousies and backbiting.
The first hurdle was to find enough birds for the trade. Macaws are monogamous, so the pairs needed to be well-matched.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 owing to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small population of the birds in captive, and hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They call the birds little blue companions, and compare their lives to the story of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw found in the wild. They describe him as a true survivor, who lost his family but remained loyal to the area. They feel a strong connection to him and perceive their lives as being identical to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw provided researchers with an opportunity to examine its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of how this species survived so long. This enabled researchers to estimate the population of this unique bird more precisely. Researchers were able to collect important information about the bird's daily movements and seasonal adaptation to drought and its food habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce using an Illiger's and a Spix's hybrid macaw couple, which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be restored to the wild. The survival of the last bird also inspired people to take action in order to save other parrots as well as threatened species. Zoos and other groups to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group is a good example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can work together to save endangered wildlife and animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists, with one goal in common: the recovery of this unique bird.
The group has already completed a great deal of work. This includes developing an approach to reintroduce this bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also set up a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was endangered by the destruction of habitats and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions of people all over the world thanks to a popular animated film and two sequels. But this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. For a long time, a global team has been working to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is endemic to a small portion of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819, and is one of the least-known Neotropical parrots, with few glimpses of the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and some museum specimens.
To save the declining population, an international group was established. It was comprised of Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird and officials from the government. This group formed a partnership 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 native environment in northeast Brazil.
AWWP has bought and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released into the wild. This will create a genetically-pure source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws will live in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They usually nest in tree holes or hollows and hunt for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements local communities were recruited to join the field team. The members of the community were provided watches that could be activated if the Spix's Macaw was detected, allowing them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their movements throughout the wild. This method has proven 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 following the last wild parrot vanished in 2000. No additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is in progress to try to restore this critically threatened bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil is home to about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction programme is underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. 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 Blue-winged Macaws which have been reintroduced. They will provide information on food sources, nesting and areas to roost.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of the bird, including information about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also provides an insight into the natural history 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 numerous species native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. They may also consume the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots and other birds, are social birds that have close relationships with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive noise similar to the note of a flutist. They are known to fly high and fast when they are in the mood to breed.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also adhere to a rigid daily routine, ranging from flights to bathing routines and can identify the members of their flock. They are very popular as pets and are often targeted by illegal bird trade because of this.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, all of them being poached. A plan to pair the male and female defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mixture that descends of just two individuals. This leaves them vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental threats. The majority of Spix's macaws in 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 reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws from a collector.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, though not where to get a macaw at a great rate. Maintaining their health and generating is crucial to reintroduce the birds back into the wild. Choosing the right birds to release is also critical. The macaws should be of reproductive age and be paired up with close relatives or siblings.
It could be difficult to bring the Spix's macaw back into the wild, but it is vital to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and share areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will help the macaws adapt to their new surroundings. They will also provide safety by large numbers.