Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with backbiting and jealousy.
The first challenge was to find enough birds for the trade. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs had to be matched well.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's Macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000, following years of poaching and habitat loss. They have a small number of the birds kept 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 in the wild. They call him as a true survivor, who lost his family, but kept his faith in the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his and feel a strong connection to him.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and gain a better understanding of the reasons why this species has lasted so long. It also helped them make a more precise estimate of the historic population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to collect important data on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and eating habits. They even monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaw pair, which was an important step in the rehabilitation of this species.
It was a remarkable feat that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has enabled scientists understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other endangered parrots and species. Zoos have also been enticed to establish their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.
This group of experts is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. 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 the development of plans to reintroduce the bird in the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds to support field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction program. It has also established an ongoing committee to oversee the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered by the destruction of habitats and illegal poaching. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to fight tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people worldwide, but this is just the beginning of the iceberg in the long road to bring these birds back from the brink. 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 native to a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was described in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, a few captive birds and a handful of museum specimens.
To save the declining population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was created that gathered aviculturists who had the last remaining birds and government officials. The group forged a partnership with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, which will provide the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws are found in trees, and are not often seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and forage for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They typically spend up to one third of the day in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team in order to help identify Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would activate if Spix's Macaws are identified. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily movements. This approach has been very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the Genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. exotic bird purchase This was following the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000. No additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction plan currently underway is trying to return the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of the old caraibeira trees and were known to feed on seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction plan is currently in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are expected to follow in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws that have been released back into the same area and will assist to share knowledge of food sources and nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of the bird, which includes details of daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also provides an insight into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw which helps to determine the causes that led to its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws eat the seeds, fruits and nuts of a variety of plants 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). They may also consume the fruit of the palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws like all parrots as well as other birds, are social birds that develop close bonds with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief, repetitive grating sound similar to a flute note. When they are in breeding mode, they are known to fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking, and other sounds. Like many parrots they are able to mimic human speech. They also adhere to a rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits and can identify members of their family. They are very popular as pets and are frequently targeted by the illegal bird trade because of this.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws kept in captivity are made up of individuals that are the descendants of only two individuals, leaving them at risk of disease and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at the breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal and causing doubt about future plans to return the birds and return them into the wild.
Despite their shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's macaws are showing some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat out a sheikh in Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws that weren't part of the breeding program.
As a result of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce again, although not at a high rate. Reintroducing them to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is crucial to select the right birds before releasing them. Macaws must be reproductively mature and be joined by one of their siblings or a close relatives.
It's not easy to bring the Spix's Macaw back into the wild, however, it is essential to try. To help, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which will help to protect the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws that were recently released will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix's macaws also reside. These smart birds will help the macaws get accustomed to the region and will offer the security of a large number.