Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also rife with jealousies and backbiting.
The first challenge was to get enough birds to trade. These macaws are monogamous, therefore the pairs had to be matched properly.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw. The bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a tiny population of the birds in captivity and are hoping to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and 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 was loyal to the region. They feel a strong kinship to him and perceive their lives as being like his.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and better understand the reasons why this species has survived for so long. This also helped them form a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important data about the bird's daily movements, seasonal adjustment to drought, and its feeding habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple which was an important step in the recovery for this species.
It was a marvellous feat that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a limited gene pool. This has enabled scientists to 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 endangered species. It has also prompted zoos and other groups to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group serves as a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian governmental officials Zoo representatives as well as international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has accomplished a lot of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
Endangered by habitat destruction and poaching The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to work tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions around the globe thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long journey of returning these birds. A multi-national team has been working 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 which is known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. The first time it was described was in 1819 and is among of the least-known Neotropical parrots, with sporadic sightings from the wild as well as a few captive birds and some museum specimens.
To save the declining population An international committee was created which brought together aviculturists who had the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. This group formed a collaboration with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws back to their natural habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released into the wild. This will create an animal that is genetically pure for the future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws reside in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and forage for fruit, seeds, nuts and other plants. They can spend up to one third of their day in the nest.
A local community was enlisted as part of the field team to assist track Spix's Macaws. Members of the community were provided watches that could be activated if the Spix's macaw was observed and thereby allowing them to keep track of the birds and their daily movements in the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species in the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last known wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. However, a reintroduction plan currently underway is trying to restore this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This region in northeast Brazil is home to about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June and 12 more are expected to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws, which have been released back into the same area and will help to share knowledge of food sources and nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of this rare bird, which includes details about daily movement patterns and the seasonal changes to drought. It has also provided a window into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw, helping to discover the reasons behind its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, nuts, and fruits of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brasil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. They can also eat the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots and other bird species are social birds and develop close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic other sounds and words. They make a mating call known as the "whichaka," which is described as a brief continuous grating sound similar to a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode they can fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other by making a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They have a strict routine that includes the way they fly and their bathing habits. They can also recognize other members of their family. This is why they are the most sought-after pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s only three Spix’s macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds in a plan to pair them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mix that descends of just two individuals. This makes them susceptible to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are housed at a breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement get more info between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal which raises doubt about the future plans to return the birds and return them back into the wild.
Despite their precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from a collector three Spix's macaws which weren't part of the breeding program.
In part because of this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is starting to increase, though not at a rapid pace. Maintaining their health and generating will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. It is important to choose the right birds before releasing them. Macaws must be of reproductive age and be paired up with close relatives or siblings.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild could prove difficult, but it's crucial 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 blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga, and they live in areas where the Spix’s macaws also reside. These birds will help macaws adapt to their new surroundings. They will also ensure safety through the sheer numbers.