After a long time of anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with backbiting and jealousy.
The first hurdle was obtaining enough birds to exchange. The macaws were monogamous, therefore it was crucial to match the pairs well.Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically endangered Spix's macaw. The bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small population of the birds in captive, and they hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and compare their lives to the journey 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 kept his faith in the region. 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 macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to investigate its behavior in wild and gain a better understanding of why this species was able to survive for so long. It also allowed them to form a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to collect important information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was an important step towards the recovery of this species.
It was a marvellous achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a limited gene pool. This has helped scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The bird's survival has encouraged people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos have also been enticed to develop their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds.
This group serves as a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to save endangered wildlife and endangered animals. It brings Brazilian officials from the government, zoo representatives, international holders of this rare bird, and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the reintroduction of the Spix's macaw.
The group has achieved a lot of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. They have also formed a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was endangered through the destruction of habitats and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to work hard to save this iconic bird back from the brink extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions of people all over the globe thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. However, 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 born in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region of flat savannah scrubland interspersed with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, with a few birds in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.
To save the declining population, an international committee was created that brought together aviculturists that held the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. The group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to create an intensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat in the northeast of Brazil.
AWWP has acquired and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in the Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, which will provide an incredibly pure genetic source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws reside in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search for fruits, seeds, nuts, and other species. They can spend as much as one third of the time in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team to help track Spix's Macaws. The community was provided with watches that would activate if Spix's Macaws are identified. This allowed them to monitor the birds in the wild as well as their daily activities. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (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 1, 2019. This was after the last wild parrot vanished in 2000 and no additional birds were discovered in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction plan is in the process of trying to bring back this critically endangered bird back to its natural home in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil comprises about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to establish a natural population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are expected to follow in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws that have been reintroduced to the same area and will assist to share information about food sources, nesting and roosting locations.
The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including details about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It has also provided a window into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw which helps to discover the reasons behind its extinction in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, seeds and nuts of numerous plants that are 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 as well as other birds are social birds and develop close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic speech and other sounds. They make a mating call called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief continuous grating sound like a flute note. They are often seen flying high and fast when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another by making a variety of squawking and screeching sounds, and like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also adhere to a strict routine for their day, from flight paths to bathing habits and are able to recognize the members of their flock. This is what makes them such popular pets and a target for illegal trade in birds.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, all of them poached. A plan to pair the male and female foiled in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred, mostly in Brazil.
The Spix's Macaws that are in captivity are a mix of birds, and are the descendant of only two individuals. This leaves them vulnerable to illnesses and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are kept in the breeding center in Germany, but 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 shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws show signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws for the collector.
In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce again, although not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is crucial to select the right birds before release. Macaws should be in a reproductive stage, and they should be paired with an older sibling or close relatives.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it is essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which will help to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and share areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will help macaws become accustomed to their new environment and will also offer protection by the sheer numbers.
