Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time filled with uncertainty and fear Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also rife with backbiting and jealousies.

The first challenge was finding enough birds to participate in the exchange. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs had to be well-matched.

Range

A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's Macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 following years of poaching and habitat loss. They have a small amount of the birds in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They call the birds little blue companions, and compare their lives to that of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They describe him a true survivor, who lost his family but was loyal to the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his and feel a strong affinity with him.

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 so long. This also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able gather important information about the bird's daily movements, seasonal adjustment to drought, and food habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.

It was a remarkable feat that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has allowed scientists understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The bird's survival has inspired people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos have also been enticed to create their own captive breeding program for these exotic bird species.

This group is a good illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together in order to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists, with one goal in common: the recovery of this unique bird.

The working group has already completed a lot of work, including the creation of an idea for reintroducing this bird to 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 a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.

Habitat

At risk due to habitat destruction and poaching, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought 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.

A popular animated movie and two sequels have made Spix's macaw famous to millions of people worldwide however this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long journey to bring these birds back from the brink. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity into the wild.

The Spix's macaw is endemic to a small portion of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga which is an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is one of the least-known Neotropical parrots, with only occasional sightings in the wild as well as a few captive birds and some museum specimens.

To preserve the dwindling population, an international committee was formed that brought together aviculturists that held the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.

AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, which will provide a genetically pure source of animals for future generations.

Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees, and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically nest in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They can spend as much as one third of their day in the nest.

To help track the Spix's macaws as well as their movements local communities were recruited to become part of the field team. The members of the community were provided watches that could be activated if the Spix's macaw was observed which allowed them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their daily activities in 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 was lost in 2000, and no more birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction plan is currently in progress to return the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.

This region in northeast Brazil covers approximately 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.

A reintroduction programme is underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's Macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are expected to be released in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws. They were reintroduced into the same area and will assist to share information about food sources and nesting and roosting areas.

The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of this bird, which includes details of the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It has also opened a window on the nature of the Macaws of Spix, which helps to understand the factors that led to their extinction.

Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, seeds and nuts of many plants native to the Caatinga biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and 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.

Spix's Macaws as with all parrots and other birds are social birds and have close relationships with their parents. They are vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They make a mating call known as the "whichaka," which is described as a short repeated grating sound that is like a flute note. When they are in breeding mode they are known to fly fast and high.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking and other sounds. As with many parrots they can mimic human speech. They also have a rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits and can identify members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are often targeted by illegal trade in birds because of this.

By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds in the hope of pairing them. Since since then, all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mixture, which is the descendant of only two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity live at an breeding center in Germany. However, this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government was canceled which leaves future plans for repatriation and their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.

Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws for the collector.

In part, due to this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is beginning to increase, though not at a rapid pace. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the correct birds before release. Macaws should be reproductive and be paired with siblings or close relatives.

It's not easy to bring the Spix's Macaw back into the wild but it is vital to try. To aid, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which aims to protect the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws are going to be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These savvy birds will help the macaws become Lolita blue & gold macaw more accustomed to the region, and they will provide the security of a large number.