Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with jealousies and backbiting.
The first hurdle was to find enough birds to be traded. Macaws are monogamous, therefore the pairs had to be well-matched.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission to save the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a few of the birds in captivity and hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as little blue friends, and compare their lives to that of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They call him as a true survivor who lost his family, but kept his faith in the region. They feel a strong connection to him and view their lives as similar to his.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how this species has survived for such a long time. It also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather important information about the bird's daily movements and seasonal adaptation to drought, and food habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable feat that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a limited gene pool. This has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird also encouraged people to take action to save other parrots as well as endangered species. This has also encouraged zoos to create their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.
This group of experts is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to protect endangered wildlife and endangered animals. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists, with an aim in common: the recovery of this endangered bird.
The working group has already completed a great deal of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird back to the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. They have also formed an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.
Habitat
Threatened by 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 from the brink extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is known to millions around the world thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long road of returning these birds. For Visit Webpage , an international team has been trying to breed and reintroduce captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga which is an arid region of savannah scrubland that is flat, scattered with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, few birds in captivity and a few museum specimens.
To preserve the declining population, an international group was formed. It brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining bird as well as government officials. The group formed a collaboration with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's macaws into their native environment in the northeast of Brazil.
AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, thereby providing an incredibly pure genetic source of the animals for the next generation of.
In the wild, Spix's macaws reside in trees, and are not often seen on the ground. They usually nest in tree holes or hollows and hunt for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They typically spend up to one third of the day in the nest.
To aid in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements, a local community was recruited to join the field team. The members of the community were provided watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was detected which allowed them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their daily activities in the wild. This approach has been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species in the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. This was after the last wild parrot vanished in 2000 and no additional birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction project is currently in progress to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.
This dry forest is a part of northeast Brazil that covers about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently in progress. Eight birds that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are scheduled to follow in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws. They were reintroduced into the same area, and will help to share knowledge about food sources, nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this rare bird, including details on daily movements patterns as well as the seasonal changes to drought. It has also opened a window on the evolution of the Spix's Macaws. This aids in understanding the causes that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia), along with the Joazeiro (Ziziphus Joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They can also eat the fruit of the palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots as well as other birds are social birds and form close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic other sounds and words. They make a mating call known as the "whichaka," which is described as a short repeated grating sound that is similar to a flute. When they are in a breeding mode they are known to fly high and fast.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are exceptionally intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. They, like other parrots, can mimic human speech. They also follow a very strict daily routine, from the flight path to bathing habits and are able to recognize members of their family. This is what makes them so popular pets and targets for illegal trade in birds.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, and all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers killed both male and female birds in an attempt to pair them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws kept in captivity are a mixture of individuals that are the descendants of just two individuals, which makes them susceptible to illness and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are in a breeding center in Germany however, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed, casting doubt over future plans to return the birds and reintroduce them into the wild.
Despite their precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat out a sheikh in 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 grow, but not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is important to choose the right birds prior to release. Macaws must be reproductively mature and be joined by one of their siblings or a close family member.
Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it's important 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 who were recently released 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 birds will assist the macaws adapt to their new surroundings. They will also provide safety by the sheer numbers.