10 Facts About Melody Blue Spix Macaw That Can Instantly Put You In An Optimistic Mood
10 Facts About Melody Blue Spix Macaw That Can Instantly Put You In An Optimistic Mood
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Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long time filled with worry and speculation, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also rife with jealousy and backbiting.
The first challenge was to get enough birds for the trade. The macaws are monogamous therefore the pairs had to be matched well.
Range
A South African couple has taken on the mission of saving the critically threatened Spix's Macaw. This bird was declared extinct by the United Nations in 2000 due to decades of habitat destruction and poaching. They have a small number of the birds that are in captivity and hope to release them near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They say he was as a true survivor, who lost his family but remained loyal to the area. They see their lives in the Caatinga as akin to his and feel a deep connection with him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how this species survived this long. This enabled researchers to estimate the historical population of this rare bird more precisely. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and eating habits. They also monitored attempts to reproduce using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaw pair which was a significant step in the rehabilitation 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 understand how these birds can be restored to nature. The survival of the last bird also inspired people to take action in order to save other parrots as well as threatened species. It has also prompted zoos and other organizations to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.
This group serves as an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to protect endangered wildlife and endangered animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists with one goal in common to save this unique bird.
The working group has already accomplished a lot of work, including the creation of a plan for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds for field research, community outreach and captive-breeding birds to support the reintroduction project. It has also established an ongoing committee to oversee the rehabilitation of the bird.
Habitat
Endangered by habitat destruction and poaching, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to tirelessly work to save this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw famous to millions of people worldwide, but this is just the beginning of the iceberg in the long journey to save these birds from the brink. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity back into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga, an arid region of flat savannah scrubland scattered with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first documented in 1819 and is among the least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, with a few birds in captivity and a handful of museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was formed that brought together aviculturists that 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 in their native habitat.
AWWP has acquired and is restoring 2,380 hectares in the Caatinga near Curaca (Brazil) of the most pristine habitat. AWWP also breeds and raises birds that will be released into the wild. This will create a genetically-pure source of animals for future generations.
Spix's Macaws can be found in trees, and rarely seen on the ground. They typically nest in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruits as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They may spend up to one third of the time in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team to assist identify Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would activate if the Spix's Macaw was recognized. This allowed them to track the birds in the wild and their daily movements. This approach has proven very successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found in the genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was after the last wild parrot vanished in 2000. No additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction programme is in the process of attempting to bring 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 were a nesting species in the hollows of old caraibeiras and were recognized for their dietary habits of eating nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws, which have been released back into the same area, and will help to share knowledge of food sources, nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including information about daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought. It also provides a window into the natural history of the Spix's Macaw which helps to determine the causes that 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 Brazil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. They may also consume the fruit of acai palms (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum).
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots as well as other birds are social birds and form 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 well-known for flying fast and high when they are in an ecstatic mood.
Breeding
Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate with each other through a range of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, mimic human speech. They have a strict routine that includes flight patterns and bathing habits. They are also able to recognize other members of their flock. They are adored as pets and are frequently targeted by the illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in here the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws kept in captivity are made up of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, leaving them at risk of disease and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are in a breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed which raises doubt about the future plans to repatriate the birds and return them into the wild.
Despite their precarious number the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat the sheikh of Qatar to purchase three Spix's Macaws from the collector.
In part because of this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, though not at a speedy pace. Reintroducing them to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. The selection of the right birds for release is also crucial. Macaws must be of reproductive age and paired with siblings or close relatives.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it is crucial to try. To help, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that will help to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws that were released recently will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga, and they live in areas where the Spix's macaws are also. These smart birds will help the macaws get familiar with the area and provide safety in numbers.