Melody blue spix macaw (sneak a peek here)

After a long time filled with worry and speculation, Brazilians and German conservationists were able successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with resentment and jealousy.

The first obstacle was getting enough birds to exchange. The macaws were monogamous so it was crucial to match the pairs well.

Range

A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically threatened Spix's Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 owing to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small number of the birds in captivity and hope to release them into the wild near Curaca. They call the birds their little blue companions and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor, who lost his family but kept his faith in his region. They feel a strong kinship to him and see their lives as identical to his.

Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and gain a better understanding of how this species has survived for so long. This enabled researchers to estimate the population of this rare bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to collect important information on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, as well as its eating habits. They also monitored reproduction attempts using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's severe macaw pair which was a significant 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 helped scientists to understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The bird's survival has inspired people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos and other organizations to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This group is a great example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can work together to save 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 unique bird.

The group has completed a great deal of work. This includes developing a plan to reintroduce the bird in the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.

Habitat

Threatened by habitat destruction and poaching, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to do their best to bring this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions of people around the world thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. But this is only the beginning on the long-distance road to returning these birds. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity into the wild.

The Spix's macaw keycaps is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga, an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, few birds in captivity and a handful of museum specimens.

To save the declining population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was formed that gathered aviculturists who held the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. The group forged a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat.

AWWP has acquired and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released in the wild. This will create a genetically-pure source of animals for the 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 tree holes or hollows and hunt for fruits as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They may spend up to one third of the time in the nest.

To help track the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local community was invited to join the field team. The community was given watches that would activate if a Spix's Macaw is detected. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily movements. This method has proven to be extremely successful.

Diet

The Spix's macaw purchase 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 1st, 2019. This was in the wake of the last wild parrot vanished in 2000, and no more birds were found in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction programme is in progress to try to restore this critically threatened bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.

This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil, covering approximately 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws were found in hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.

Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is in progress. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled to be released in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws that were reintroduced into the same area and will help to share information about food sources and nesting and roosting locations.

The reintroduction program has collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this unique bird, including details on the patterns of movement throughout the day and adjustments to drought during the season. It has also provided a window into the nature of the Spix's hyacinth macaw parrots for sale which helps to determine the causes that led to its disappearance in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of a myriad 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). They may also consume the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds, and they have a close bond with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic other sounds and words. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a short continuous grating sound 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 highly social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking, and other sounds. As with many parrots they are able to mimic human speech. They also have a strict routine for their day, from the flight path to bathing habits and can identify members of their family. This is what makes them the most sought-after pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.

In the early 1980s, only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, with all of them being poached. A plan to pair the male and female defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.

The handful of Spix's macaws in captivity are a mixture of individuals that are the descendants of only two individuals, leaving them susceptible to illness and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are in the breeding center in Germany however, 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 reintroduce them back into the wild.

Despite their precarious number, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out 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, but not at a rapid rate. Maintaining their health and generating will be crucial for reintroducing the birds into the wild. It is essential to choose the right birds prior to release. Macaws must be in a reproductive stage and should be paired with an older sibling or close relatives.

Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could be difficult, but it is essential to try. To help, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that will help to protect the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws are going to be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These intelligent birds will aid the macaws get familiar with the area, and they will provide security in large numbers.