Overview
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Founded Date April 12, 1962
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16 Must-Follow Instagram Pages For Melody Blue Spix Macaw-Related Businesses
Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with jealousies and backbiting.
The first challenge was finding enough birds to participate in the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so it was crucial to match the pairs well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission to save the critically threatened Spix’s Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by United Nations in 2000 because of decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small amount of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them near Curaca. They refer to the birds as little blue friends, and compare their lives to the journey of Presley the only known Spix’s Macaw found in the wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family and remained loyal to his area. They see their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his, and feel a strong connection to him.
The discovery of the last Spix’s macaw provided an excellent opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain an understanding of why this species survived so long. This also helped them create a more accurate estimate of the historic population numbers of this unique bird. Researchers were able to gather important information about the bird’s daily movement patterns and seasonal adaptation to drought, and food habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple, which was a crucial step towards the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird managed to survive and thrive in the wild with such the smallest gene pool and it has also helped researchers understand how these birds could be reintroduced to the wild. The bird’s survival has encouraged people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. Zoos and other groups to set up up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This working group is a great illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together to save endangered wildlife and animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international owners of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of this unique bird.
The group has already achieved a lot of work. This includes developing a plan to reintroduce the bird in the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was threatened due to the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to save this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
The Spix’s Macaw is known to millions of people all over the world thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long journey of bringing these birds back. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix’s Macaws that were raised in captivity back into the wild.
The Spix’s Macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga an arid area of flat savannah scrubland scattered with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic appearances in the wild, with a few birds that are kept in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population, Buy-Macaw.Com an international committee was created that gathered aviculturists who had the last remaining birds as well as officials from the government. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to develop a comprehensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix’s into their natural habitat in northeast Brazil.
AWWP has purchased and is restoring 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released into the wild. This will provide a genetically-pure source of animals for the future generations.
In the wild, Spix’s macaws will live in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes and search for fruits, seeds, nuts, and other species. They can spend up to one third of their day in the nest.
To aid in tracking the Spix’s macaws as well as their movements, a local group was recruited to join the field team. The members of the community were given watches that could be activated in the event the Spix’s Macaw was detected, allowing them to keep track of the birds and their daily activities in the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix’s Macaw is the only species belonging to the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction program is in the process of trying to bring back the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
The northeast region of Brazil comprises about 10% of the entire country. Spix’s Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently in progress. Eight birds that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June and 12 more are scheduled to follow in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws that were reintroduced into the same area and will help to share knowledge about food sources and nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has obtained valuable biological data on the behavior of the bird, including details about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also provided a glimpse into the evolution of the Macaws of Spix, which can help to understand the causes that led to their decline.
Spix’s Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many plants that are native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are highly social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry known as “whichaka,” described as an incredibly short and repetitive sound similar to a flutist note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly high and fast.
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, can mimic human speech. They have a strict routine that includes flight patterns and bathing habits. They can also recognize other members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are frequently 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. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds as part of the hope of pairing them. Since since then, all Spix’s Macaws known have been bred in captivity – mostly in Brazil.
The Spix’s Macaws in captivity are a mix, which is the descendant of just two individuals. This makes them susceptible to diseases and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix’s macaws that are in captivity reside in an breeding center in Germany. However, this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and the Brazilian government ran out which leaves the future plans for repatriation and the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.
Despite their precarious number, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from a collector three Spix’s macaws which weren’t part of the breeding program.
In part because of this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, though not at a speedy pace. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require that they stay healthy and produce. The selection of the right birds to release is also critical. Macaws should be of reproductive age and be paired with close relatives or siblings.
It’s not easy to bring the Spix’s macaw back to the wild, but it’s important to try. ABC and its partners have developed a reserve system to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. 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 the Spix’s macaws. These birds will help the macaws adapt to their new environment and will also provide safety by the sheer numbers.