Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period filled with worry and speculation Brazilians and German conservationists were able successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first hurdle was to get enough birds to be traded. These macaws are monogamous, therefore the pairs had to be well-matched.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's Macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 after decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small number of the birds kept in captivity, and hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and compare their experience to the story of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They say he was a true survivor, who lost his family but kept his faith in the region. 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 wild, and gain a better understanding of how this species has survived for so long. It also helped them create a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery for this species.
It was an amazing achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has helped scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The survival of the last bird also motivated people to act in order to save other parrots as well as threatened species. This has also encouraged zoos to develop their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.
This group is a great illustration of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can collaborate to save endangered wildlife and animals. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international owners of the Spix's macaw, and ornithologists to achieve one goal in common that is the recovery of this rare bird.
The working group has already accomplished a lot of work, including developing plans for reintroducing the bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. It has also 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 threatened through habitat destruction and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
A well-known animated film and two sequels have made Spix's Macaw known to millions of people around the world however this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long journey to bring these birds back from the edge. For a long time, a global team has been working to breed and bring back Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is endemic to a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga, an arid region of flat savannah scrubland interspersed with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population, an international group was established. It brought together Aviculturists who owned 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 back to their natural environment.
AWWP has bought and is restoring 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga area, close to 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.
In the wild, Spix's macaws are found in trees, and are not often seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes, and hunt in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They typically spend up to one third of the day in the nest.
To help track the Spix's macaws as well as their movements, a local community was recruited to join the field team. The members of the community were given watches that could be activated if the Spix's macaw was detected and thereby allowing them to keep an eye on the birds and their movements throughout the wild. This method has proven 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 1st, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot vanished in 2000, and no more birds were observed in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction programme is currently underway to try to restore this critically threatened bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil covers approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of old caraibeira trees, and they were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently in progress. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are scheduled to follow in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws. They were reintroduced into the same area and will help to share knowledge of food sources and nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable biological data about the check here behavior of this bird, which includes details of daily movements and adjustments to drought. It has also opened a window on the natural history of Spix's Macaws, which can help to understand the causes that led to their extinction.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brazil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots and other bird species, are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They have vocalizations and often mimic speech and other sounds. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a short, repetitive grating sound like a flute note. When they are in breeding mode they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of squawking and screeching sounds. Like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They also have a rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits and are able to recognize the members of their flock. This is what makes them such popular pets and a target for illegal bird trade.
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 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 few Spix's macaws in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, making them at risk of disease and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are kept in the breeding center in Germany however, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal and causing doubt about future plans to repatriate the birds and then reintroduce them into the wild.
Despite their petty numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder was able to beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's Macaws that weren't part of the breeding program.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce again, although not at a high rate. Maintaining their health and generating is crucial to reintroduce the birds back into the wild. Choosing the right birds for release is also crucial. Macaws must be at a reproductive age and should be in a relationship with one of their siblings or a close family member.
It could be difficult to bring the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, however, it is essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that is designed to safeguard the last remaining habitats. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws that are more common in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These smart birds will help the macaws become more accustomed to the region, and they will provide the security of a large number.