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Melody Blue Spix Macaw

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

The first obstacle was obtaining enough birds for the trade. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs had to be well-matched.

Range

A South African couple has taken on the task of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 owing to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small number of the birds kept in captive, and they hope to release them into the wild near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their little blue friends and compared their experience to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's Fiona hyacinth macaw bird for sale in the wild. They describe him as an authentic survivor who lost his family, but was loyal to his home. They feel a strong kinship to him and perceive their lives as like 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 deeper understanding of how this species was able to survive for such a long time. This enabled researchers to determine the historical population of this rare bird more accurately. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, as well as its eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.

It was an amazing feat that this bird was able to survive and thrive in the wild despite an insufficient gene pool and has helped scientists understand how these birds can 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 threatened species. This has also encouraged zoos to establish their own captive breeding program for these exotic bird species.

This group is an illustration of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can collaborate to save endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian officials from the government as well as representatives from zoos as well as international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists together with one common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.

The group has achieved a lot of work. This includes preparing plans to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. It has also created a permanent committee to save the bird.

Habitat

At risk due to habitat destruction and poaching The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to bring this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is known to millions of people around the world thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. But this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long journey of bringing these birds back. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity back into the wild.

The Spix's Mindy Catalina Macaw is endemic to a small portion of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region of flat savannah scrubland that is dotted 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 birds that are kept in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.

To protect the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was formed. It was comprised of experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird as well as government officials. The group formed a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to create an intensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their native environment in northeast Brazil.

AWWP has acquired and is restoring 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and raises birds to be released into the wild. This will provide 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 usually nest in tree holes or hollows and hunt for fruits seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They may spend up to one third of their day in the nest.

A local community was recruited as part of the field team to assist track Spix's Macaws. Members of the community were provided watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was detected and thereby allowing them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their daily movements in the wild. This approach has been 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 after the last wild parrot vanished in 2000, and no more birds were found in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction project is currently in progress to bring back the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in Caatinga.

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

Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released into 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 on food sources, nesting and places to roost.

The reintroduction program has already collected vital biological data about the behavior of the bird, including information about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It has also provided an insight into the natural history of the Spix's harlequin 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 a myriad 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). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.

Spix's Macaws as with all parrots as well as other birds are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are very vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a short, repetitive grating sound like a flute note. When they are in a breeding mode, they are known to fly high and fast.

Breeding

Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another with a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, mimic human speech. They also have a rigid daily routine, ranging from the flight path to bathing habits, and they can recognize members of their family. They are popular as pets and are often targeted by illegal bird trade because of this.

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 foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then the Spix's macaws have been captive-bred mostly in Brazil.

The few Spix's macaws in captivity are made up of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, making them susceptible to illness and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are in the breeding center in Germany however, this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed, casting doubt over future plans to repatriate the birds and then reintroduce them into the wild.

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

As a result of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce again, although not at a great rate. Reintroducing them to the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the correct birds before releasing them. The macaws need to be at a reproductive age, and they should be paired with a sibling or a close relatives.

Reintroducing the Spix's macaw parrot cost to the wild may prove difficult, but it is crucial to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that aims to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight recently released Spix's macaws are going to be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These intelligent birds will aid the macaws become more used to the region and provide security in large numbers.