Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational however, it is also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first obstacle was getting enough birds for the exchange. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs had 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 after years of poaching and habitat loss. They have a tiny population of the birds in captive, and they hope to release them into the wild close to Curaca. Lolita blue & gold macaw refer to them as their blue-eyed friends and compare their experience with the journey of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw found in the wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family but was loyal to the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as being 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 to better understand how this species has lasted so long. Fiona hyacinth macaw bird for sale allowed researchers to estimate the population of this unique bird more accurately. Researchers were able to collect important information about the bird's daily movement patterns, seasonal adjustment to drought, and food habits. They even monitored reproduction attempts using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaws, which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has helped scientists understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The survival of the bird that was killed encouraged people to take action in order to save other parrots as well as endangered species. It has also prompted zoos and other groups to set their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can collaborate in order to conserve endangered wildlife and animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international owners of the Spix's macaw, and ornithologists to achieve a common goal: the recovery of this endangered bird.
The group has achieved a lot of work. This includes the development of plans to reintroduce the bird in the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. It also has established an ongoing committee to oversee the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was endangered due to the destruction of habitats and illegal poaching. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to work hard to save this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions of people around the globe thanks to a popular animated film and two sequels. But this is only the beginning on the long journey of returning these birds. For decades, an international team has been trying to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga an arid area of flat savannah scrubland that is dotted with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is one of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, with only few glimpses of the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To protect the population that is declining, an international committee was created which brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining birds and government officials. The group forged a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.
AWWP has bought and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, thereby providing an incredibly pure genetic source of animals for 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 tree holes and forage for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They can spend up to one third of the day in the nest.
To aid in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements local communities were invited to join the field team. The community was given watches that would be activated if the Spix's Macaw was detected. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild and their daily actions. This method has proven successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the family Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. A reintroduction program is currently underway to try to bring back this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil covers approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were found in 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 birds were released into the wild in June and 12 more are expected to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information about food sources, nesting sites and roosting locations.
The reintroduction program has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this rare bird, which includes details about daily movement patterns and seasonal 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 eat the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of species native to the Caatinga biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas Brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia), along with the joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They can also eat the fruit of 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 vocal and often mimic sounds and speech. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an extremely 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 exceptionally 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, including routines for bathing and flight. They also can recognize other members of their family. This is what makes them so popular pets, and also a target for illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, all of them poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds in the hope of pairing them. Since then the Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws 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 in a breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement 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 shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws from the collector.
In part due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, though not at a speedy pace. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. It is crucial to select the right birds before release. Macaws must be reproductive and paired with close relatives or siblings.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it's essential to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adapt to their new surroundings and will also offer protection by large numbers.