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Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with jealousy and backbiting.
The first challenge was to find enough birds to trade. 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 after years of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small number of the birds in captivity and are hoping to release them close to Curaca. They refer to them as their blue-eyed friends and compare their lives to the journey of Presley the only known Spix’s Macaw found in the wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor who lost his family and kept his faith in his region. They see their lives in the Caatinga as akin to his and feel a deep connection with him.
Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix’s Macaw in wild, and better understand how this species has lasted so long. This also helped them form a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important data about the bird’s movements throughout the day, seasonal adjustment to drought and its food habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with an Illiger’s and a Spix’s hybrid macaw couple which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a marvellous achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has enabled scientists understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The bird’s survival has motivated people to act to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos are also encouraged to create their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.
This working group is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to save endangered species of wildlife and animals. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with a common goal that is the recovery of this unique bird.
The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including the creation of a plan for reintroducing the hyacinth bird price to the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction project. It has also established an ongoing committee to oversee the recovery 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 illegal poaching. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird from the brink extinction.
The Spix’s Macaw is recognizable to millions of people around the world due to a popular animated film and two sequels. This is just the tip of the iceberg on the long road of bringing these birds back. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and reintroduce Spix’s macaws raised in a captive environment back into the wild.
The Spix’s Macaw is a native species that is found in a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This arid region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland, scattered with galleries and seasonal streams. The first time it was described was in 1819 and is among of the smallest known Neotropical parrots to buy, despite only sporadic sightings from the wild, 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. The group forged a partnership 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 purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to 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 usually nest in hollows or tree holes and forage for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to a 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 members of the community were provided watches which could be activated if the Spix’s macaw was detected which allowed them to keep an eye on the birds and their daily movements in the wild. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix’s macaw To buy (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of 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 find any additional birds. A reintroduction plan is currently underway to try to bring this critically endangered bird back to its home in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil covers approximately 10% of the country. Spix’s Macaws nestled in the hollows of the old caraibeira trees, and they were also known to feed on 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 are expected to be released in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws, which were reintroduced into the same area and will help to share knowledge about food sources, nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this unique bird, including details on daily movements patterns as well as adjustments to drought during the season. It has also provided a glimpse into the nature of the Macaws of Spix, which can help to understand the causes that led to their decline.
Spix’s Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) and 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, and they have a close bond with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the “whichaka,” which is described as a short repeated grating sound that is similar to a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode, they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix’s macaws are exceptionally intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with one another with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. They, like other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also adhere to a strict daily routine, from flights to bathing routines and can identify members of their family. They are very popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by the illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix’s macaws remained 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 captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix’s macaws kept in captivity are a mix of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, which makes them susceptible to illness and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are kept in the breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed, casting doubt over future plans to repatriate the birds and then reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their low numbers of captive-bred Spix’s macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat a sheikh from Qatar to purchase from a collector three Spix’s Macaws that 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 pace. Reintroducing them to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the right birds prior to release. Macaws must be of reproductive age and be paired up with siblings or close relatives.
The return of the Spix’s Macaw to the wild may prove difficult, but it’s crucial to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix’s Macaws who were released recently will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga, and they live in areas where can i buy a macaw the Spix’s macaws also live. These birds will help macaws adjust to their new environment and will also offer protection by numbers.
