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Blog entry by Ralph Pflaum

20 Trailblazers Lead The Way In Melody Blue Spix Macaw

20 Trailblazers Lead The Way In Melody Blue Spix Macaw

image-removebg-preview-2-150x150.pngMelody Blue Spix Macaw

After a long time filled with speculation and worry Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully reintroduce a couple of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring but also rife with jealousy and backbiting.

b.jpegThe first obstacle was to find enough birds for the trade. The macaws were monogamous so it was essential to match the pairs well.

Range

A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's Macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 after years of poaching and habitat loss. They have a small population of the birds kept in captivity and are hoping to release them in the wild 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 in the wild. They say he was as a true survivor, who lost his family, but was loyal to the region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his and feel a strong affinity with him.

The discovery of the last Spix's chestnut fronted macaw for sale offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how this species has survived for this long. This also helped them create a more accurate estimation of the historical population numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's hyacinth macaw cost couple which was an important step in the recovery of this species.

It was a remarkable feat that this bird was able to endure and thrive in the wild despite a limited gene pool, and has helped researchers understand how these birds could be reintroduced to the wild. The last bird's survival also encouraged people to take action to save other species of parrots that are endangered. It has also prompted zoos and other organizations to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds.

This group is an illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can collaborate to protect endangered wildlife and animals. The group is comprised of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international holders of the Spix’s macaw and ornithologists with an aim in common to save this unique bird.

The group has completed a lot of work, including preparing an idea for reintroducing this bird to the wild. The group has also been working to raise funds for field research as well as community outreach and captive-breeding birds for the reintroduction program. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.

Habitat

Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was endangered through the destruction of habitats and illegal poaching. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic hyacinth bird price back from the brink extinction.

The Spix's Macaw is recognizable to millions around the world due to a well-known animated film and two sequels. But this is only the tip of the iceberg on the long journey of returning these birds. An international team has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were 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 dry region has flat savannah scrubland, which is surrounded by seasonal streams and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, despite only occasional sightings in the wild and a few birds that are kept in captivity and some museum specimens.

To preserve the declining population, an international group was formed. It brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining bird as well as government officials. The group forged a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.

AWWP has bought and is recovering 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, providing the genetically pure source of animals for future generations.

In the wild, Spix's macaws reside in trees and are rarely seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes, and hunt to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They can spend as much as 1/3 of their time in the nest.

A local community was enlisted as part of the field team to help identify Spix's Macaws. The community was given watches that would turn on when a Spix's Macaw is identified. This enabled them to monitor the birds in the wild and their daily movements. This method has proven successful.

Diet

The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species found in the genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. However, a reintroduction project is currently in progress to restore this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.

The northeast region of Brazil comprises about 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.

A reintroduction programme is 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 by 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that have been released back into the same area, and will help to share information about food sources, nesting and roosting areas.

The reintroduction program has obtained valuable biological data on the behavior of the bird, buying A Macaw including information about the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It has also provided an insight 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 seeds, nuts, and fruits of a myriad of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia), along with 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).

Spix's Macaws, like all parrots and other bird species are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as an incredibly short and repetitive noise similar to the note of a flutist. When they are in breeding mode they can fly high and fast.

Breeding

Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and highly social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking and other sounds. Like many parrots they can mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine that includes flight patterns and bathing habits. They also can recognize other members of their flock. They are very popular as pets and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds because of this.

In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds as part of a plan to pair them. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.

The few Spix's macaws that are in captivity are made up of individuals who are the descendants of just two individuals, which makes them vulnerable to disease and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds in captivity are kept in an breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed and causing doubt about future plans to repatriate the birds and reintroduce them back into the wild.

Despite their petty numbers, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to buy scarlet macaw (Read the Full Content) three Spix's Macaws from the collector.

In part due to this and other efforts the captive-bred bird population is beginning to increase, though not at a rapid rate. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it is crucial to reintroduce the birds into the wild. Choosing the right birds to release is also crucial. Macaws should be of reproductive age and paired with close relatives or siblings.

It's not easy to get the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, but it is vital to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws are going to be joined by blue-winged macaws which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and share areas with the Spix's macaws. These birds will help macaws adjust to their new environment and will also ensure safety through large numbers.

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