The 9 Things Your Parents Taught You About Melody Blue Spix Macaw

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After a long time filled with worry and speculation, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with backbiting and jealousies.

The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds to participate in the exchange. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs needed to be matched properly.

Range

A South African couple has taken on the task of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small amount of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them close to Curaca. They call the birds their blue-eyed friends and compare their journey with the story of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They describe him as a true survivor, who lost his family and remained loyal to his area. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as similar to his, and feel a strong connection to him.

The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered researchers with an opportunity to study its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of how the species has survived for this long. This also helped them form a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to collect important information on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.

It was a remarkable accomplishment that this bird managed to survive and thrive in the wild with such a limited gene pool, and has helped scientists understand how these birds could be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the bird that was killed inspired people to take action to save other parrots as well as endangered species. It has also prompted zoos and other groups to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This group is an illustration of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can work together to save endangered animals and wildlife. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international holders of the Spix’s macaw, and ornithologists to achieve a common goal to save this endangered 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 also raised funds to fund community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also set up a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird.

Habitat

Threatened by poaching and habitat destruction The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to work tirelessly to save this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.

A well-known animated film and two sequels have made Spix's Ziggy hyacinth macaw parrots for sale recognizable to millions of people worldwide however this is only the beginning in the long journey to save these birds from the edge. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity into the wild.

The Spix's macaw is endemic to a tiny area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga an arid area of flat savannah scrubland scattered with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, few birds that are kept in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.

To save the declining population An international committee was created which brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. 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 natural habitat in the northeast of Brazil.

AWWP has acquired and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released into the wild. This will create a genetically-pure source of animals for the future generations.

In the wild, Spix's Macaws reside in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They usually nest in tree holes or hollows and forage for fruit, seeds, nuts and other plants. They typically spend up to a third of the day in the nest.

To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws as well as their movements, a local community was invited to join the field team. Members of the community were provided watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's macaw was detected and thereby allowing 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 that it was extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot was lost in 2000. No additional birds were found in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction programme is in the process of attempting to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.

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

A reintroduction program is now in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are expected to be released by 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged macaws that have been reintroduced and will share information about food sources, nesting sites and areas to roost.

The reintroduction program has gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this rare bird, including information on the patterns of movement throughout the day and the seasonal changes to drought. It also provides an insight into the nature of the Spix's Macaw which helps to understand what led to its disappearance in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many species 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.

Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive noise similar to an acoustic note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly fast and high.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of squawking and screeching sounds. They, like other parrots, can mimic human speech. They have a strict routine, including flight patterns and bathing habits. They can also recognize other members of their family. This is what makes them such popular pets, and also a target for illegal trade in birds.

In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws were left in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mix, which is the descendant of only two individuals. This makes them susceptible to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at an breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed and causing doubt about future plans to repatriate the birds and reintroduce them into the wild.

Despite their low numbers, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to buy macaw three Spix's Macaws from a collector.

In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, but not at a great rate. Keeping them healthy and producing will be crucial for reintroducing the birds back into the wild. It is essential to choose the right birds before releasing them. The macaws need to be at a reproductive age and should be joined by one of their siblings or a close relatives.

Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild may prove difficult, but it's essential to try. ABC and its partners have developed reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. 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 intelligent birds will aid the macaws get used to the region, and they will provide the security of a large number.