Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period of anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with jealousy and backbiting.
The first obstacle was obtaining enough birds to trade. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs needed 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 after decades of poaching and habitat loss. They have a small amount of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their little blue companions and compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw in the wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor, who lost his family, but was loyal to his home. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his and feel a strong connection to him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw provided an excellent opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how this species has survived for this long. It also helped them form a more accurate 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 its eating habits. They also monitored attempts at reproduction with an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaws, which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird managed to survive and thrive in the wild despite the smallest gene pool and has helped scientists understand Buy-macaw.com how these birds could be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird also motivated people to act in order to save other parrots and threatened species. Zoos and other groups to set their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group of experts is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered animals and wildlife. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw, and ornithologists to achieve an aim in common to save this unique bird.
The working group has already accomplished a lot of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird in the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. It has also created 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 through habitat destruction and poaching that was illegal. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to fight tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's Macaw known to millions of people across the globe However, this is only the beginning in the long-distance journey to save these birds from the edge. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species to a small region of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This arid region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland and is scattered with galleries and seasonal streams. It was first described in 1819 and is among of the least-known Neotropical parrots, with only few glimpses of the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was established which brought together aviculturists who had the last remaining birds and government officials. This group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws to their natural environment.
AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will provide a genetically-pure source of animals for the future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws are found in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or tree holes and hunt for fruits as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to one third of the day in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team to help identify Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would activate if Spix's Macaws are detected. This enabled them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily movements. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the Genus 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 to be identified disappeared in the year 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. However, a reintroduction project is currently in progress to return the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil, covering approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows of old caraibeira trees and were known to eat seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction program is now 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 a group of Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will provide information on food sources, nesting sites and areas to roost.
The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable biological data about the behavior of the bird, including details about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It has also provided a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw which helps to determine the causes that led to its disappearance in the wild.
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 the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia), along with the joazeiro (Ziziphus Joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Spix's Macaws like all parrots as well as other birds, are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are very vocal and often mimic 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 high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of squawking and screeching sounds. Like many other parrots, mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, including flight patterns and bathing habits. They are also able to recognize other members of their family. They are adored as pets and are frequently targeted by the illegal trade in birds because of this.
In the early 1980s, just three Spix’s macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds as part of a plan to pair them. Since the time, all Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws kept in captivity are made up of individuals who are the descendants of only two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws that are in captivity reside in a breeding centre in Germany. However this year an agreement between a German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired, leaving the possibility of repatriation or their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program.
In part due to 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 crucial for reintroducing the birds into the wild. It is essential to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be in a reproductive stage and be joined by an older sibling or close family member.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could prove difficult, but it's crucial to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that is designed to safeguard the species' last remaining habitats. 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 live in areas where the Spix's macaws also live. These smart birds will help macaws to become familiar with the area and provide safety in numbers.