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Melody Blue Spix Macaw After a long time with speculation and worry, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with backbiting and jealousy. The first challenge was finding enough birds to participate in the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so it was crucial to ensure that the pairs were well-matched. Range A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw which was declared extinct in 2000 after decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small amount of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and compare their experience with the journey of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They say he was a true survivor, who lost his family but was loyal to the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as akin to his, and feel a strong affinity with him. Researchers were able study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and to better understand how this species has lasted so long. This allowed researchers to determine the historical population of this unique bird more accurately. Researchers were able to collect important data on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and eating habits. They even monitored attempts to reproduce using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaw pair which was a crucial step in the rehabilitation of this species. It was a remarkable feat that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has helped scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to nature. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. This has also encouraged zoos to establish their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds. This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to conserve endangered animals and wildlife. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists with a common goal that is the recovery of this endangered bird. The group has already accomplished a lot of work. This includes developing an approach to reintroduce this bird to the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. They have also formed 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 10 years ago. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to work hard to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction. A cult animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw famous to millions of people worldwide However, this is only the beginning in the long road to bring these birds back from the brink. For a long time, a global team has been working to breed and bring back captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild. The Spix's Macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat interspersed with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, few captive birds and a few museum specimens. To preserve the dwindling population An international committee was created which brought together aviculturists who had the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. This group formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their native environment in the northeast of Brazil. AWWP has acquired and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released in the wild. This will create a genetically-pure source of animals for future generations. Spix's Macaws can be found in trees and seldom seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or tree holes and hunt for fruit as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They can spend as much as one third of the time in the nest. A local community was selected as part of the field team in order to help to track Spix's macaws. Fiona hyacinth macaw bird for sale was given watches that would turn on when the Spix's Macaw was identified. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild and their daily actions. This method has proven to be extremely successful. Diet The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to the Genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. This was in the wake of the last wild parrot was lost in 2000 and no additional birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction plan is in progress to try to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga. The northeast region of Brazil covers approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat nuts and seeds. A reintroduction plan is currently underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised birds were released into the wild in June and 12 more are scheduled to follow in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws, which have been released back into the same area and will assist to share information about food sources and nesting and roosting locations. The reintroduction programme has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of this bird, including information about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also has opened a window on the evolution of the Macaws of Spix, which aids in understanding the causes that led to their decline. Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, nuts, and fruits of many plants that are 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). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible. Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry called “whichaka,” described as an extremely short and repetitive sound that resembles an acoustic note. They are often seen flying high and fast when they are in the mood to breed. Breeding Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking, and other sounds. Like many parrots, they are able to mimic human speech. They also have a rigid daily routine, ranging from flights to bathing routines and are able to recognize members of their flock. They are very popular as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this. 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 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 mix of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, leaving them at risk of disease and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws in captivity reside in an breeding center in Germany. However, this year, an agreement between the German conservation center and Brazilian government expired which leaves future plans for repatriation and the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt. Despite their low numbers the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder managed to beat out a sheikh in Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program. In part due to this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is starting to grow, but not at a speedy pace. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it is crucial to reintroduce the birds back into the wild. Choosing the right birds to release is equally important. The macaws should be reproductive and be paired with close relatives or siblings. Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it's crucial to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's Macaws that were recently released will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more common in Caatinga and are found in areas where the Spix's macaws also reside. These birds will help macaws adjust to their new environment and will also provide safety by numbers.