10 Facts About Melody Blue Spix Macaw That Can Instantly Put You In The Best Mood
10 Facts About Melody Blue Spix Macaw That Can Instantly Put You In The Best Mood
Blog Article
Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period uncertainty and worry, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce a group of couples into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with jealousies and backbiting.
The first obstacle was getting enough birds for the exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so it was important to ensure that the pairs were well-matched.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000 following years of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a few of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them near Curaca. They refer to the birds as their blue-eyed friends and compare their experience with the journey of Presley, the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They say he was as a true survivor who lost his family but kept his faith in the region. They feel a strong kinship to him and perceive their lives as being like his.
Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in wild, and better understand how this species has survived so long. This allowed researchers to determine the historical population of this rare bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to gather important data about the bird's daily movement patterns and seasonal adaptation to drought, and food habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce with the hybrid Illiger's and Spix's macaw couple which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.
It was a remarkable achievement that this bird survived and thrived in the wild despite having a very small gene pool. This has enabled scientists to understand how these birds can be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the last bird inspired people to take action to save other endangered parrots and species. Zoos are also encouraged to create their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.
This working group is an example of how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to conserve endangered animals and wildlife. It brings Brazilian officials from government as well as representatives from zoos, international holders of this rare bird and ornithologists to work together towards a common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has accomplished a lot of work, including developing an idea for reintroducing this bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. They have also formed a permanent committee to recover the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was considered extinct. It was threatened by the destruction of habitat and poaching that was illegal. Aviculturists, ornithologists, and other experts continue to fight to save this iconic bird back from the brink extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made Spix's macaw famous to millions of people worldwide, but this is just the beginning in the long road to save these birds from the edge. For decades, an international team has been trying to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws raised in a captive environment back into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is a native species that is found in a small area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This arid region is characterized by flat savannah scrubland that is which is surrounded by seasonal streams and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with occasional sightings in the wild, a few captive birds and some museum specimens.
To preserve the dwindling population, an international committee was formed that gathered aviculturists who held the last remaining birds and government officials. The group formed a collaboration with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to create an intensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their native environment in northeast Brazil.
AWWP has bought and is recovering 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, providing an incredibly pure genetic source of the animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws reside in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They typically nest in hollows or tree holes and hunt for fruit, seeds, nuts and other plants. They can spend as much as one third of the time in the nest.
A local community was selected as part of the field team to assist to track Spix's macaws. The members of the community were given watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was detected and thereby allowing them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their daily activities in the wild. This approach has been extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the genus Cyanopsitta. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last wild parrot disappeared in the year 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. A reintroduction programme is currently underway to try to bring back this critically endangered bird back to its home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is located in the region of northeast Brazil which covers around 10% of the country. Spix's Macaws nested in the hollows of the old caraibeira trees and were known to eat nuts and seeds.
A reintroduction plan is currently underway to re-establish a wild population of the Spix's Macaw. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more are expected to be released by 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws, which were reintroduced into the same area, and will help to share knowledge about food sources, nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this unique bird, which includes details about the patterns of movement throughout the day and adjustments to drought during the season. It also provides a window into the nature of the Spix's Macaw, helping to determine the causes that led to its disappearance in the wild.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of many plants that are native to the Caatinga Biome. This includes the pinhao-bravo (Jatropha mollissima) and the linhas brasil (Senegalia tenuifolia) and the Joazeiro (Ziziphus Joazeiro) and facheiro Cactus (Pilosocereus pachycladus). The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are social birds that have a strong bond with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the "whichaka," which is described as a brief continuous grating sound like a flute note. When they are in breeding mode they can fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are highly intelligent and social birds. They communicate using screeching, squawking, and other sounds. Like many parrots they can mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine that includes routines for bathing and flight. They can also recognize other members of their flock. This is why they are so popular pets, and also a target for illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s only three Spix’s macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the male and female unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since then, all Spix's Macaws known have been bred in captivity - mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws in captivity are a mix of individuals who are the descendants of only two individuals, leaving them vulnerable to disease and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are kept in an breeding center in Germany. However this year an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government ran out and the future plans for repatriation and reintroduction into the wild in doubt.
Despite their petty numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss here breeder beat out a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from a 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 grow, though not at a rapid pace. Reintroducing the birds to the wild will require them to remain healthy and produce. It is essential to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be reproductively mature, and they should be in a relationship with one of their siblings or a close relatives.
Bringing the Spix's macaw back to the wild could be difficult, but it's important to try. To help, ABC and partners have created a reserve system which aims to protect the last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will be joined by blue-winged macaws that are more common in the Caatinga and live in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These birds will help the macaws adjust to their new surroundings and will also offer protection by the sheer numbers.