Melody blue spix macaw - have a peek here,

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

The first obstacle was to find enough birds to trade. The 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 severe macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 after decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small number of the birds that are in captive, and hope to release them into the wild near Curaca. They call the birds their little blue companions and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They describe him as a true survivor, who lost his family, but was loyal to his home. They see their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his, and feel a deep connection with him.

The discovery of the last Spix's glaucous macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain a better understanding of why this species was able to survive for such a long time. It also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to gather crucial information on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, as well as its eating habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.

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

This group is an example of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can work together in order to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists, with one goal in common that is the recovery of this unique bird.

The group has accomplished a lot of work, including developing a plan for reintroducing the bird into the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. It has also created an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.

Habitat

Endangered by habitat destruction and poaching, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to work tirelessly to save 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 around the world however this is only the tip of the iceberg in the long journey to save these birds from the edge. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity to the wild.

The Spix's Macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga an arid area of flat savannah scrubland interspersed with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is one of the least-known Neotropical parrots, despite only few glimpses of the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and some museum specimens.

To save the declining population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was established that brought together aviculturists that had the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organisation 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 purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in the Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released in the wild. This will give a genetically-pure source of animals for future generations.

In the wild, Spix's Macaws will live in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or tree holes and forage for fruit seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They may spend up to one third of their day in the nest.

A local community was enlisted as part of the field team in order to help track Spix's Macaws. Members of the community were given watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw purchase was detected and thereby allowing them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their movements throughout the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found in the family 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 disappeared in 2000. No additional birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is currently underway to try to restore this critically threatened bird to its native home in the Caatinga.

The northeast region of Brazil comprises about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows of old caraibeiras and were recognized for their dietary habits of eating seeds and nuts.

A reintroduction plan is currently underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released into the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released by 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will provide information on food sources, nesting sites and areas to roost.

The reintroduction program has already gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this rare bird, including details on the patterns of movement throughout the day and seasonal adjustments to drought. It has also opened a window on the nature of the Spix's Macaws. This aids in understanding the causes that led to their extinction.

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) as well as 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 like all parrots as well as other birds, are social birds that develop close bonds with their parents. They are very 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 a breeding mode they are known to fly fast and high.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds, and like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They also follow a very rigid daily routine, ranging from flights to bathing routines and can identify members of their flock. This is what makes them the most sought-after pets and a target for illegal bird trade.

In the early 1980s, only three Spix’s macaws remained 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 the time, all Spix's macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mixture that descends of just two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds in captivity are in an breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal, casting doubt over future plans to return the birds and return 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 was able to 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 due to this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is starting to grow, but not at a rapid pace. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it will be crucial for reintroducing the birds back into the wild. It is crucial to select the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws must be in a reproductive stage and be in a relationship with a sibling or a close relative.

It could be difficult to bring the Spix's Macaw back into the wild but it's important to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws that were released recently will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix’s macaws also reside. These birds will help the macaws adapt to their new environment and will also ensure safety through the sheer numbers.