20 Things You Should Ask About Melody Blue Spix Macaw Before Purchasing It
Melody Blue Spix MacawAfter a long period uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring, but also filled with resentment and jealousy.
The first obstacle was getting 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 mission of saving the critically endangered Spix's Macaw. This 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 in captivity, and hope to release them in the wild near Curaca. They refer to them as little blue companions, and compare their lives to that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They say he was as a true survivor, who lost his family, but remained loyal to the area. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his, and feel a strong connection to him.
Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and to better understand how this species has survived for so long. It also allowed them to form a more accurate estimate of the historic numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple which was an important step in the recovery for this species.
It was a remarkable achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has helped scientists understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the natural world. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act to save other species of endangered parrots. Zoos and other groups to set their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group serves as a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian governmental officials, zoo representatives as well as international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has accomplished a lot of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird in the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds to support field research, community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction project. It has also established an ongoing committee to oversee the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was endangered by habitat destruction and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.
The Spix's Macaw is known to millions of people around the world thanks to a cult animated film and two sequels. This is just the beginning on the long road of returning these birds. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species that is found in a small area of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This desert region has flat savannah scrubland, scattered with galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was first described in 1819 and is among of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, despite only occasional sightings in the wild as well as a few captive birds and a few museum specimens.
To protect the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was created. It brought together experts in aviculture who had the last remaining bird and government officials. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.
AWWP has purchased and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, providing a genetically pure source of the animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's Macaws will live in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruits seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They can spend up to one third of the time in the nest.
A local community was enlisted as part of the field team to help track Spix's Macaws. The community was provided with watches that would activate if the Spix's Macaw was identified. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild and their daily activities. This method has proven successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and no more birds were found in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction program is in progress to try to restore this critically threatened bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a part of northeast Brazil that covers about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction plan is currently in progress to restore a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight birds raised in captivity were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are scheduled to exotic bird purchase arrive in 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group of Blue-winged Macaws which have been reintroduced. They will share information about food sources, nesting sites and roosting locations.
The reintroduction program has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this unique bird, which includes details about daily movements patterns as well as adjustments to drought during the season. It also provides a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw which helps to understand what led to its disappearance in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brasil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other birds are social birds and develop close bonds with their parents. They are very vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive sound that resembles an acoustic note. They are known to fly high and fast when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate by screeching, squawking, and other sounds. Like many parrots they can mimic human speech. They have a strict routine, which includes routines for bathing and flight. They also can recognize other members of their flock. This is why they are so popular pets and a target for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, and all of them poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are the descendants of only two individuals, making them vulnerable to disease and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws in captivity reside in a breeding centre in Germany. However this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was canceled and the future plans for repatriation and their reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder was able to beat out a sheikh in 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, the captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce, but not at a high rate. Keeping them healthy and producing will be important to reintroducing these birds to the wild. Choosing the right birds for release is also critical. Macaws must be reproductive and be paired up with siblings or close relatives.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could be difficult, but it is crucial to try. ABC and its partners have established reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These birds will help macaws adapt to their new surroundings. They will also provide safety by numbers.