Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long period filled with speculation and worry, Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully bring a group of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with backbiting and jealousies.

The first challenge was obtaining enough birds for the trade. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs needed to be matched properly.

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 habitat loss. They have a small number of the birds that are in captivity, and are hoping to release them in the wild near Curaca. They call them their little blue friends and compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They describe him as a true survivor, who lost his family and was loyal to his home. They feel a strong bond to him and perceive their lives as being similar to his.

Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and better understand how this species has survived for so long. This also helped them make a more precise estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to gather crucial data on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, and its eating habits. They even monitored reproduction attempts using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaws which was a significant step towards the recovery of this species.

It was a remarkable achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has enabled scientists to understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act in order to save other parrots as well as threatened species. It has also prompted zoos and other groups to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This group of experts is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to protect endangered wildlife and endangered animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists, with an aim in common: the recovery of this rare bird.

The group has accomplished a lot of work, including developing an idea for reintroducing this bird into the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to recover the bird.

Habitat

Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered due to the destruction of habitats and illegal poaching. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to work tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions of people all over the world thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. This is just the tip of the iceberg on the long journey of returning these birds. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.

The Spix's Macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is among of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with few glimpses of the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and a few museum specimens.

To preserve the declining population, an international group was formed. It brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining bird as well as officials from the government. This group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's Macaws into their native environment in the northeast of Brazil.

AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, providing a genetically pure source of animals for future generations.

Spix's Macaws can be found in trees, and are seldom seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and search in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to a third of the day in the nest.

A local community was enlisted as part of the field team to assist identify Spix's Macaws. The community was provided with watches that would be activated if the Spix's Macaw was recognized. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily movements. This method has proven to be successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to 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 did not find any additional birds. A reintroduction program is in the process of attempting 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 entire country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.

Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is in progress. 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 in the area by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will share information on food sources, nesting sites and roosting locations.

The reintroduction program has already collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including information about the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It also opened a window on the nature of the Macaws of Spix, which aids in understanding the causes that led to their decline.

Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of many plants that are native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas Brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) as well as 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, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating cry called "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive sound similar to the note of a flutist. When they are in breeding mode they can fly fast and high.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking, and other sounds. Like many parrots, they are able to mimic human speech. They also follow a very rigid daily routine, ranging from flight paths to bathing habits and can identify members of their flock. This is why they are the most sought-after 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. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds as part of the hope of pairing them. Since the time all known Spix's macaws have been bred in captivity mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mix of birds, and are the descendant of here only two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are in a breeding center in Germany however, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal which raises doubt about the future plans to repatriate the birds and then reintroduce them back into the wild.

Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder managed to beat out a sheikh in Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws which were not part of the breeding program.

In part because of this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is beginning to increase, though not at a rapid rate. Keeping them healthy and producing will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. Selecting the right birds to release is also critical. The macaws need to be reproductively mature and should be paired with an older sibling or close relative.

It may be difficult to bring the Spix's Macaw back into the wild but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have developed reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more common in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adapt to their new surroundings. They will also ensure safety through the sheer numbers.