melody blue spix macaw (historydb.date)

After a long time filled with uncertainty and fear, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully bring a group of couples back to their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with backbiting and jealousy.

The first hurdle was to find enough birds to trade. Macaws are monogamous, therefore the pairs had to be matched well.

Range

A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw which was declared extinct in 2000 following decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small number of the birds in captive, and hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to them as little blue friends, and compare their lives with that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw found in the wild. They say he was as 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 connection to him.

Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and better understand how this species has lasted so long. This enabled researchers to estimate the population of this unique bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to gather crucial details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. They even monitored attempts at reproduction with a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaws, which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.

It was a marvellous achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very limited gene pool. This has enabled scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the natural world. The survival of the last bird also inspired people to take action in order to save other parrots as well as endangered species. It has also prompted zoos and other groups to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This group serves as a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to protect endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian officials from government Zoo representatives and international owners of this unique bird and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of the Spix's Macaw.

The group has accomplished a lot of work. This includes developing plans to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds to support field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction plan. It has also created an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.

Habitat

At risk due to poaching and habitat destruction 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 extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is known to millions of people all over the world thanks to a popular animated film and two sequels. But this is only the beginning on the long-distance road to bringing these birds back. 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 an arid area of flat savannah scrubland scattered with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, with a few birds in captivity and a handful of museum specimens.

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

AWWP has acquired and is renovating 2,380 hectares in 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 rarely seen on the ground. They typically build nests in tree holes or hollows and hunt for fruit, seeds, nuts and other plants. They can spend up to a third of the day in the nest.

A local community was recruited as part of the field team to assist to track Spix's macaws. Members of the community were provided watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's Macaw was detected which allowed them to keep an eye on the birds and their daily activities in the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.

Diet

The Spix's macaw cage (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species in the family 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 additional birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction plan currently underway is trying to return this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.

The northeast region of Brazil comprises about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were found in 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 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 in the area by a group Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced and will provide information on food sources, nesting and areas to roost.

The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable biological data about the behavior of the bird, which includes details of daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also provided a glimpse into the natural history of the Spix's Macaws. This can help to understand the causes that led to their disappearance.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many plants that are native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) and the joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro Cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They can also eat the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or Macaw parrot cost mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).

Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic other sounds and words. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive sound similar to the note of a flutist. They are known to fly high and fast when they are in the mood to breed.

Breeding

Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other through a range of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, including routines for bathing and flight. They are also able to recognize other members of their family. They are very popular as pets and are often targeted by illegal bird trade because of this.

In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, with all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds as part of a plan to pair them. Since since then, all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mixture that descends of only two individuals. This makes them more vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are in a 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 reintroduce them into the wild.

Despite their shaky 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 purchase three Spix's Macaws from a collector.

As a result of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, though not at a high rate. Maintaining their health and generating will be important to reintroducing the birds back into the wild. The selection of the right birds to release is also crucial. The macaws need to be in a reproductive stage and should be in a relationship with an older sibling or close family member.

It's not easy to bring the Spix's Mindy catalina macaw back into the wild but it's important 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 released recently will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix’s macaws are also. These birds will assist the macaws become accustomed to their new environment and will also ensure safety through numbers.