The 10 Most Dismal Melody Blue Spix Macaw Fails Of All Time Could Have Been Prevented
The 10 Most Dismal Melody Blue Spix Macaw Fails Of All Time Could Have Been Prevented
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Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period filled with worry and speculation Brazilians and German conservationists were able to successfully bring a group of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspiring however, it is also filled with backbiting and jealousies.
The first obstacle was obtaining enough birds to be traded. Macaws are monogamous, so it was essential to match pairs well.
Range
A South African couple is working to save the critically endangered Spix's macaw, which was declared extinct in 2000, following decades of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a small number of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They call them 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 kept his faith in the region. They feel a strong kinship to him and perceive their lives as being similar to his.
Researchers were able to research the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and better understand the reasons why this species has lasted so long. Researchers were able to estimate the historical population of this unique bird with greater accuracy. Researchers were able to collect important details about the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and its eating habits. They even monitored attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix's and Illiger's macaws which was a crucial step in the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing feat that this bird was able to endure and thrive in the wild with such the smallest gene pool and it has helped scientists to understand how these birds could be reintroduced to the wild. The survival of the last bird motivated people to act to save other parrots and endangered species. Zoos have also been enticed to create their own captive breeding program for these exotic bird species.
This group is a great illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together to save endangered animals and wildlife. This group brings together Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists with an aim in common: the recovery of this rare bird.
The group has completed a lot of work, including developing a plan for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group has also worked to raise funds to support field research, community outreach and captive-breed birds for the reintroduction project. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was threatened by habitat destruction and illegal poaching. Today, ornithologists and aviculturists continue to fight tirelessly 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 across the globe However, this is only the tip of the iceberg in the long-distance journey to save these birds from the brink. For decades, an international team has been trying to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws that have been raised in captivity into the wild.
The Spix's macaw is native to a tiny area of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. The first time it was described was in 1819, and is one of the smallest known Neotropical parrots, with only occasional sightings in the wild as well as a few captive birds and some museum specimens.
To save the declining population In order to protect the declining population, an international committee was created which brought together aviculturists who were the last to hold the birds, as well as government officials. The group forged a partnership 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 back to their natural environment.
AWWP has acquired and is restoring 2,380 acres of prime habitat in Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, thereby providing an incredibly pure genetic source of animals for future generations.
Spix's Macaws are usually found in trees, and are rarely seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or tree holes and hunt for fruits as well as seeds, nuts, and other plants. They may spend up to one third of their day in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local group was invited to join the field team. The members of the community were provided watches that could be activated in the event the Spix's macaw was detected and thereby allowing them to keep an eye on the birds and their movements throughout the wild. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of the Genus Cyanopsitta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature declared that it was extinct in the wild on April 1, 2019. This was following the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000. No additional birds were observed in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction program is currently in progress to bring back this critically endangered bird back to its natural home in the Caatinga.
This region in northeast 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.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently in progress. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released into the wild in June. Twelve more birds are scheduled 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 information about food sources and nesting and roosting areas.
The reintroduction program has obtained valuable biological data on the behavior of this bird, including details about the patterns of movement and adaptations to drought. It also has opened a window on the evolution of the Macaws of Spix, which aids in understanding the causes that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of many plants that are native to the here 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). 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 develop close bonds with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating sound that resembles a flutist note. When they are in breeding mode, they are known to fly fast and high.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, they can mimic human speech. They also adhere to a rigid daily routine, ranging from flight paths to bathing habits and are able to recognize the members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds because of this.
By the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild, with all of them being poached. In 1995, poachers killed the male and female birds as part of a plan to pair them. Since then all known Spix's macaws are captive-bred mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are the descendants of just two individuals, leaving them vulnerable to disease and other environmental issues. The majority of Spix's macaws captivity are kept in a breeding center in Germany. However, this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and Brazilian government was canceled which leaves the possibility of repatriation or the reintroduction of wild animals in doubt.
Despite their precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's Macaws are showing signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder was able to beat a sheikh in Qatar to purchase from the collector three Spix's macaws which were not 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 rate. Maintaining their health and generating is crucial to reintroduce the birds into the wild. It is important to choose the correct birds before releasing them. Macaws should be at a reproductive age and should be joined by a sibling or a close relative.
It's not easy to bring the Spix's Macaw back into the wild, but it is vital to try. ABC and its partners have established reserves to protect the last remaining habitats of this species. The eight Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws, that are more common in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These birds will assist the macaws adapt to their new surroundings and will also offer protection by large numbers.