Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with resentment and jealousy.
The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds for the trade. These macaws are monogamous, therefore 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 decades of poaching and habitat loss. They have a few of the birds in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They say he was a true survivor, who lost his family, but remained loyal to the area. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as being similar to his, and feel a strong connection to him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered researchers with an opportunity to examine its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of how this species was able to survive for so long. This enabled researchers to estimate the historical population of this rare bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to collect important data about the bird's daily movements and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its feeding habits. They also monitored reproduction attempts using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaw pair, which was an important step in the rehabilitation of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has allowed scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to nature. The survival of the bird that was killed encouraged people to take action to save other parrots and threatened species. Zoos are also encouraged to develop their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.
This working group is a good example of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can collaborate in order to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, 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 great deal of work, including the creation of an idea for reintroducing this bird back into the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to fund field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds for the reintroduction plan. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was threatened through the destruction of habitat and illegal poaching. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to fight tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.
A well-known animated film and two sequels have made Spix's macaw recognizable to millions of people across the globe, but this is just the tip of the iceberg in the long-distance journey to bring these birds back 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 endemic species to a small region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This arid region has flat savannah scrubland, which is surrounded by seasonal streams and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, with a few captive birds and a handful of museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population, an international group was formed. It was comprised of Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird, as well as government officials. This group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will create a 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 build nests in hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They can spend as much as 1/3 of their time in the nest.
To help track the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local group was recruited to join the field team. Members of the community were given watches which could be activated if the Spix's Macaw was detected which allowed them to keep track of the birds and their movements throughout the wild. This method has proven successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was in the wake of the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and no more birds were observed in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction plan currently underway is trying to return this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil that covers about 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction programme is underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June. Twelve more birds are expected to be released in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws. They have been reintroduced to the same area and will assist to share information about food sources, nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction program has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of this unique bird, including details on daily movement patterns and the seasonal changes to drought. It has also provided a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw, helping to determine the causes that led to its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of numerous 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). They can also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other birds are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are 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. They are well-known for flying high and fast when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another by making a variety of screeching and squawking sounds, and like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They also adhere to a rigid daily routine, ranging from flights to bathing routines and are able to recognize members of their flock. This is why they are such popular pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, all of them being poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since the time, all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mix, which is the descendant of just two individuals. This makes them susceptible to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws that are in captivity live at a breeding centre in Germany. However this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government was canceled and the future plans for repatriation and reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their low 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 a collector.
In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce, though not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds prior to releasing them. Macaws must be of reproductive age and be paired up with siblings or close relatives.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild may prove difficult, but it is essential to try. ABC and its partners have developed a reserve system to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. glaucous macaw will assist the macaws adjust to their new surroundings and will also provide safety by the sheer numbers.
