great green macaw
After a long period filled with uncertainty and fear, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational however, it is also filled with jealousies and backbiting.
The first challenge was obtaining enough birds to be traded. Macaws are monogamous, therefore the pairs had to be matched 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 tiny population of the birds in captive, and are hoping to release them in the wild near Curaca. They call the birds little blue friends, and compare their experience with the story of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They describe him as a true survivor who lost his family, but kept his faith in his region. They see their lives in the Caatinga as akin 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 was able to survive for this long. This enabled researchers to estimate the population of this unique bird more accurately. Researchers were able gather important details about the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adjustment to drought, as well as its eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce with an Illiger's and a Spix's hybrid macaw couple, which was a crucial step in the recovery for this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird was able to survive and thrive in the wild despite a limited gene pool, and it has helped researchers understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the bird that was killed encouraged people to take action in order to save other parrots as well as threatened species. This has also encouraged zoos to create their own captive breeding programs for these exotic bird species.
This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can collaborate in order to conserve endangered species of wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian governmental officials Zoo representatives, international holders of this unique bird and ornithologists together with one common goal: the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has already achieved a lot of work. This includes preparing a plan to reintroduce the bird back to 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 an ongoing committee to help recover the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was threatened through the destruction of habitats and illegal poaching. Aviculturists and ornithologists as well as other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird from the brink of extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's Macaw known to millions of people worldwide however this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long road to save these birds from the edge. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species to a small region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This desert region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland, scattered with galleries and streams that flow through the season. It was first described in 1819 and is among of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with sporadic sightings from the wild as well as a few captive birds and some museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was created that gathered aviculturists who had 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 an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws to their natural habitat.
AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 acres of prime habitat in the Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds to be released into the wild, which will provide an incredibly pure genetic source of the animals for the next generation of.
Spix's Macaws are typically found in trees and rarely seen on the ground. They typically nest in hollows or tree holes and hunt for fruits seeds, nuts, seeds and other plants. They may spend up to one third of their day in the nest.
A local community was recruited as part of the field team to assist to track Spix's macaws. The members of the community were provided watches which could be activated if the Spix's Macaw was detected, allowing them to keep an eye on the birds and their daily movements in the wild. This approach has been 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 following the disappearance of the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000. subsequent surveys did not find any additional birds. A reintroduction plan is in the process of attempting to bring back this critically endangered bird to its natural habitat in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is a region of northeast Brazil, covering approximately 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction program is now in progress to restore 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 in the area by a group Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information about food sources, nesting sites and areas to roost.
The reintroduction program has collected valuable biological data about the behavior of the bird, including information about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also opened a window on the evolution of the Spix's Macaws. This can help to understand the causes that led to their extinction.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of numerous plants that are native to the Caatinga biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and linhas Brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) as well as the joazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro) and facheiro Cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Spix's Macaws, like all parrots as well as other birds are social birds that form close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic other sounds and words. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as an extremely short and repetitive sound similar to a flutist note. They are well-known for flying fast and high when they are in the mood to breed.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another with a variety of squawking and screeching sounds. Like many other parrots, mimic human speech. They also have a rigid daily routine, ranging from flights to bathing routines, and they can recognize members of their flock. This is what makes them so popular pets, and also a target for illegal trade in birds.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's Macaws were left in the wild, all of them poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws kept in captivity are a mix of individuals who are the descendants of just two individuals, which makes them susceptible to illness and other environmental threats. The majority of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are kept in a breeding centre in Germany. However this year, an agreement between the German conservation center and Brazilian government was canceled, leaving the future plans for repatriation and the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.
Despite their petty numbers, 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 the collector three Spix's macaws that weren't part of the breeding program.
In part due to this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is starting to increase, though not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. Selecting the right birds to release is equally important. Macaws should be reproductively mature and should be in a relationship with an older sibling or close relatives.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it is essential to try. ABC and its partners have created reserves to safeguard the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws that were released recently will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more common in Caatinga, and they live in areas where the Spix's macaws are also. These birds will help the macaws become accustomed to their new surroundings. They will also offer protection by numbers.