Blog entry by Simone Hopwood
After a long period of 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 for the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so the pairs needed to be matched well.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw purchase which was declared extinct in 2000 after decades of poaching and habitat loss. They have a small number of the birds in captivity and hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to them as little Melody blue spix macaw companions, and compare their journey to that of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They describe him as an authentic survivor who lost his family but kept his faith in his region. They believe that their lives in Caatinga as similar to his and feel a deep connection with him.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw wild, and better understand the reasons why are the glaceous macaw and hyancith macaw so alike this species has lasted so long. This also helped them form a more accurate estimate of the historic numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able to gather crucial information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. They even monitored reproduction attempts using the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's glaucous macaw pair which was a significant step in the recovery of this species.
It was a marvellous achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has helped scientists to better understand how these birds can be restored to the natural world. The survival of the bird that was killed motivated people to act to save other parrots as well as threatened species. Zoos are also encouraged 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 collaborate to save endangered species of wildlife and animals. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, representatives from zoos, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists with one goal in common that is the recovery of this unique bird.
The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including developing a plan for reintroducing the bird to the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to fund field research, community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction plan. It has also established a permanent committee for the recovery of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was endangered by the destruction of habitats and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird from the brink extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made the Spix's macaw famous to millions of people around the world, but this is just the beginning of the iceberg in the long-distance journey to bring these birds back 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 an indigenous species that is found in a small area of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This dry region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland, which is surrounded by galleries and seasonal streams. It was first documented in 1819 and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, few birds in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.
To protect the declining population In order to save the declining population, an international group was established. It was comprised of Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird and officials from the government. The group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organisation Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's macaws to their natural habitat in northeast Brazil.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares in Caatinga near 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 animals for future generations.
Spix's Macaws are typically found in trees and seldom seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes, and hunt in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and various other plants. They can spend up to 1/3 of their time in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team to help identify Spix's Macaws. The members of the community were provided watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's macaw was observed, allowing them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their daily activities in the wild. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species belonging to the Genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared it extinct in the wild on April 1st, 2019. This was after the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and no more birds were found in subsequent surveys. A reintroduction programme is in progress to try to bring back this critically endangered bird to its native home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a part of northeast Brazil which covers around 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
A reintroduction programme is underway to re-establish a wild 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 a group Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information about food sources, nesting and areas to roost.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this rare bird, including details on daily movements patterns as well as seasonal adjustments to drought. It also provided a glimpse into the evolution of the Macaws of Spix, which aids in understanding the causes that led to their decline.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of numerous species native to the Caatinga biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) and 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).
Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They make a mating call known as the "whichaka," which is described as a brief repeated grating sound that is like a flute note. They are often seen flying high and fast when they are in the mood to breed.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking and other sounds. As with many parrots they can mimic human speech. They have a strict routine that includes routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their family. This is what makes them so popular pets and a target for illegal trade in birds.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, and all of them poached. A plan to pair the male and female 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 few Spix's macaws that are in captivity are made up of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, leaving them susceptible to illness and other environmental issues. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are in a breeding center in Germany, but this year an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government was not renewed, casting doubt over future plans to repatriate the birds and reintroduce them back into the wild.
Despite their shaky numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder managed to beat a sheikh from Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws which were not part of the breeding program.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce again, although not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing them to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be of reproductive age and paired with close relatives or siblings.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it is important to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight recently released Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and share areas with Spix's macaws. These intelligent birds will aid macaws to become familiar with the area, and they will provide safety in numbers.