After a long period of uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists have succeeded in reintroducing a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also filled with resentment and jealousy.
The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds for the exchange. The macaws were monogamous so it was important to ensure that the pairs were well-matched.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the task of saving the critically threatened Spix's Macaw. The bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small population of the birds that are in captive, and they hope to release them into the wild close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and compare their experience with the story of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They say he was a true survivor, who lost his family but kept his faith in the region. They feel a strong bond to him and see their lives as like his.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw provided a valuable opportunity for researchers to investigate its behavior in wild and gain a better understanding of how this species was able to survive for so long. This also helped them make a more precise estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to collect important data about the bird's daily movement patterns and seasonal adaptation to drought, and its feeding habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce with a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was an important step in the recovery for this species.
It was a remarkable feat that this bird managed to endure and thrive in the wild despite a limited gene pool, and it has helped scientists to understand how these birds could be returned to the wild. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act to save other parrots and threatened species. This has also encouraged zoos to create their own captive breeding program for these exotic bird species.
This working group is a great illustration of how conservation groups as well as other organizations and individuals can collaborate in order to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists, with a common goal to save this unique bird.
The group has accomplished a great deal of work, including developing a plan for reintroducing the bird into the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds to support field research and community outreach as well as captive-breed birds for the reintroduction program. The group has also established a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
Threatened by habitat destruction and poaching The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to do their best to save this iconic bird back from the brink extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is known to millions around the world thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. This is just 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 raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga an arid area of savannah scrubland that is flat, interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819, and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, a few captive birds, and a handful of museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was established which brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining birds and government officials. This group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to establish a program to reintroduce Spix's Macaws to their natural environment.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released in the wild. This will give the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees, and are seldom seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes, and hunt in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They can spend up to 1/3 of their time in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local group was invited to join the field team. The community was given watches that would turn on when a Spix's Macaw is identified. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily actions. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species in the genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last known wild parrot disappeared in the year 2000. subsequent surveys failed to find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction program is in the process of trying to return this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a part of northeast Brazil which covers around 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently underway. 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 in the area by a group Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information about food sources, nesting and places to roost.
The reintroduction program has collected vital biological data about the behavior of this rare bird, including details on the patterns of movement throughout the day and seasonal adjustments to drought. It also provides a window into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw and helped to better discover the reasons behind its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) as well as the Joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). They may also consume the fruit of palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They have vocalizations and often mimic other sounds and words. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief continuous grating sound like a flute note. They are well-known for flying fast and high when they are in the mood to breed.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots, they are able to mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine that includes routines for bathing and flight. They also can recognize other members of their family. They are adored as pets and are often targeted by the illegal trade in birds due to this.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, with all of them being poached. A plan to pair the male and female foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time, all Spix's macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws in captivity are a mix of individuals who are the descendants of only two individuals, which makes them vulnerable to disease and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are housed at the breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed, casting doubt over future plans to repatriate the birds and return them back into the wild.
Despite their low numbers the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws from the collector.
As a result of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, though not at a great rate. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. Selecting the right birds to release is equally important. Macaws must be reproductively mature and be paired with an older sibling or close relatives.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could be difficult, but it's essential to try. To help, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which is designed to safeguard the species' last remaining habitats. The eight 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 macaws to become used to the region, and they will provide security in large numbers.