The Worst Advice We've Ever Been Given About Melody Blue Spix Macaw

Melody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time of worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also rife with resentment and jealousy.

The first challenge was finding enough birds to exchange. The macaws are monogamous therefore the pairs had to be well-matched.

Range

A South African couple has taken on the task of saving the critically threatened 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 small number of the birds that are in captivity and are hoping to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as little blue friends, and compare their journey to that of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw found in the wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor, who lost his family and remained loyal to his area. They feel a strong kinship to him and see their lives as being identical to his.

The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain a better understanding of why this species has survived for this long. Researchers were able to determine the historical population of this unique bird more precisely. Researchers were able to collect important data about the bird's daily movements and its seasonal adaptation to drought, and food habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.

It was an amazing achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has allowed scientists to better understand how these birds can be returned to nature. The survival of the bird that was killed encouraged people to take action in order to save other parrots and threatened species. It has also prompted zoos and other organizations to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This group of experts is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to save endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian officials from the government, zoo representatives and international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.

The working group has already accomplished a lot of work, including preparing an idea for reintroducing this bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also set up a permanent committee for the reintroduction of the bird.

Habitat

Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was endangered due to habitat destruction and poaching that was illegal. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to bring this iconic bird back from the edge of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is known to millions around the world due to a well-known animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long road of returning these birds. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity to the wild.

The Spix's Macaw is an endemic species found in a tiny region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This desert region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland, which is surrounded by galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was first described in 1819 and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, with a few birds in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.

To preserve the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was established. It was comprised of Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird, as well as government officials. This group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organisation Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to develop a comprehensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's macaws into their native environment in northeast 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 animals for future generations.

In the wild, Spix's macaws will live in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and various other plants. They will typically spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest.

A local community was recruited as part of the field team to assist identify Spix's Macaws. The community was provided with watches that would turn on when Spix's Macaws are recognized. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily activities. This method has proven 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 disappeared in 2000 and no additional birds were found in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction plan is in the process of trying to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural home in the Caatinga.

This region in northeast Brazil comprises about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of old caraibeira trees, and they were also known to feed on seeds and nuts.

A reintroduction plan is currently in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are scheduled to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws. They were reintroduced into the same area and will assist to share information about food sources and nesting and roosting sites.

Ziggy Our Scarlet Macaw  has obtained valuable biological data on the behavior of the bird, which includes details of the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It has also provided an insight into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw and helped to better determine the causes that led to its extinction in the wild.

Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of numerous species native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brasil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.

Spix's Macaws as with all parrots and other birds, are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief repeated grating sound that is like a flute note. They are well-known for flying fast and high when they are in an ecstatic mood.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking and other sounds. As with many parrots they are able to mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine, which includes the way they fly and their bathing habits. They are also able to recognize other members of their family. This is why they are such popular pets, and also a target for the illegal bird trade.

In the early 1980s, only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, all of them poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds in a plan to pair them. Since the time all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.

The Spix's Macaws in captivity are a mixture, which is the descendant of just two individuals. This leaves them vulnerable to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds in captivity are kept in the breeding center in Germany however, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal and causing doubt about future plans to return the birds and return them into the wild.

Despite their precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat a sheikh from Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's macaws that were not part of the breeding program.

As a result of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce again, although not at a high rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. The selection of the right birds to release is equally important. Macaws should be at a reproductive age and should be paired with a sibling or a close relatives.

It may be difficult to bring the Spix's macaw back into the wild, however, it is essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that is designed to safeguard the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These smart birds will help macaws to become familiar with the area and will offer safety in numbers.