11 Ways To Completely Sabotage Your Melody Blue Spix Macaw
11 Ways To Completely Sabotage Your Melody Blue Spix Macaw
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Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period of worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also rife with jealousy and backbiting.
The first challenge was finding enough birds to exchange. Macaws are monogamous, so it was important 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 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 close to Curaca. They refer to them as little blue friends, and compare their experience with the story of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in the wild. They call him as a true survivor who lost his family but was loyal to the region. They see their lives in the Caatinga as being similar to his and feel a strong connection to him.
Researchers were able to study the behavior of the Spix's Macaw in the wild, and to better understand the reasons why this species has lasted so long. Researchers were able to estimate the historical population of this rare bird more accurately. Researchers were able to collect important data on the bird's daily movements, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. Researchers also monitored attempts to reproduce with a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was an important step in the recovery of this species.
It was an amazing achievement that this bird lived and thrived in the wild despite having a small gene pool. This has allowed scientists to understand how these birds can be restored to the wild. The survival of the last bird encouraged 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 group of experts is a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can work together to save endangered wildlife and endangered animals. It brings Brazilian officials from government as well as representatives from zoos, international holders of this unique bird and ornithologists together with one common goal - the reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw.
The working group has already accomplished a great deal of work, including the creation of a plan for reintroducing the bird back into the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach and field research as well as captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also established a permanent committee to save the bird.
Habitat
At risk due to poaching and habitat destruction The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was believed to be extinct in the wild 10 years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to tirelessly work to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
A popular animated movie and two sequels have made Spix's macaw famous to millions of people around the world, but this is just the beginning in the long road to save these birds from the brink. For decades, an international team has been working to breed and bring back captive-raised Spix's macaws into the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is native to a small portion of northeast Brazil which is known as the Caatinga an arid area consisting of savannah scrubland flat scattered with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was described in 1819, and is one of least-known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic glimpses of the wild, a few birds in captivity, and a handful of museum specimens.
To protect the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was formed. It was comprised of aviculturists who held the last remaining bird as well as officials from the government. The group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to establish a rigorous program to reintroduce captive-bred Macaws Spix's into their natural habitat in northeast Brazil.
AWWP has purchased and is restoring 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in the Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also raising and breeding birds to be released into the wild, providing a genetically pure source of animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws reside in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and forage to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They will typically spend up to one third of the day in the nest.
A local community was enlisted as part of the field team in order to help identify Spix's Macaws. Members of the community were given watches which could be activated if the Spix's macaw was observed which allowed them to keep track of the birds and their movements throughout the wild. This method has proven to be successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw is the only species of the Genus Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in the year 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature after the last wild parrot disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. However, a reintroduction project currently underway is trying to restore this critically endangered bird back to its natural habitat in Caatinga.
This region in northeast Brazil comprises about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws nestled in the hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix's Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight birds that were raised in captivity were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are expected to arrive in 2022. They will be joined in the area by a group Blue-winged Macaws who were reintroduced. They will share information on food sources, nesting and areas to roost.
The reintroduction program has already collected valuable data from biology on the behavior of this unique bird, including information on daily movement patterns and adjustments to drought during the season. It also has opened a window on the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which helps to understand the factors that led to their disappearance.
Spix's Macaws consume the fruits, nuts and seeds of a myriad of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Like all parrots Like all parrots, Spix's Macaws are highly social birds, and they have a close bond with their parents. They are vocal and frequently mimic other sounds and words. They have a mating call called "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating 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 extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another through a range of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, can mimic human speech. They have a very strict routine, including routines for bathing and flight. They are also able to recognize other members of their flock. They are popular as pets and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds due to this.
In the early 1980s, only three Spix's macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was unsuccessful in 1995 when poachers killed both birds. Since the time, all Spix's macaws known have been captive-bred – mostly in Brazil.
The few Spix's macaws that are in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are descendants of only two individuals, which makes them vulnerable to disease and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are kept in a 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 return the birds and then reintroduce them into the wild.
Despite their low numbers the captive-bred Spix's macaws exhibit some signs of improvement. This was evident when the Swiss breeder beat out the sheikh of Qatar to buy three Spix's Macaws for the collector.
In the wake of this and other efforts, the captive-bred birds are beginning reproduce, though not at a high rate. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it is crucial to reintroduce the birds into the wild. It is essential to choose the right birds before release. Macaws must be reproductive and paired with close relatives or siblings.
The return get more info of the Spix's Macaw to the wild could prove difficult, but it is essential to try. ABC and its partners have developed 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 live in overlapping areas with Spix's macaws. These smart birds will help macaws to become accustomed to the region and provide security in large numbers.