16 Must-Follow Facebook Pages To Melody Blue Spix Macaw Marketers
16 Must-Follow Facebook Pages To Melody Blue Spix Macaw Marketers
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Melody Blue Spix Macaw
After a long period anxiety and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists were able to reintroduce two couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational but also rife with backbiting and jealousies.
The first hurdle was to get enough birds to be traded. The macaws are monogamous so the pairs needed to be matched properly.
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 habitat loss. They have a few of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They refer to the birds as their little blue companions and compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They describe him as an authentic survivor who lost his family and kept his faith in his region. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his, and they feel a deep connection with him.
The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to examine its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of how this species survived such a long time. Researchers were able to estimate the historical population of this rare bird more precisely. Researchers were able to gather crucial information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, as well as its eating habits. Researchers even monitored attempts to reproduce using 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 an insufficient gene pool and has helped scientists to understand how these birds could be reintroduced back to the wild. The last bird's survival also motivated people to act to save other endangered parrots and species. Zoos have also been enticed to create their own captive breeding program for these exotic species of birds.
This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups and other organizations as well as individuals can work together in order to conserve endangered wildlife and animals. It brings Brazilian officials from government Zoo representatives as well as international owners of this rare bird and ornithologists together with one common goal - the recovery of the Spix's macaw.
The group has completed a great deal of work. This includes preparing an approach to reintroduce this bird back to the wild. The group also raised funds to support community outreach as well as field research and captive-bred birds for the project. It has also established an ongoing committee to oversee the recovery of the bird.
Habitat
Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was believed to be extinct. It was threatened by the destruction of habitats and poaching that was illegal. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to tirelessly work to save this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.
A cult animated film and two sequels have made the Spix's Macaw known to millions of people across the globe However, this is only the beginning of the iceberg in the long-distance journey to save these birds from the edge. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws that were raised in captivity to the wild.
The Spix's Macaw is an indigenous species to a small region of northeast Brazil called the Caatinga. This dry area is home to flat savannah scrubland, which is surrounded by galleries and streams that flow through the season. The first time it was described was in 1819 and is one of the lesser-known Neotropical parrots, with few glimpses of 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 formed which brought together aviculturists who held the last remaining birds, as well as government officials. The group forged a partnership with the renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to develop an initiative to reintroduce the Spix's Macaws back to their natural environment.
AWWP has purchased and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in Caatinga area, close to Curaca, Brazil. AWWP is also breeding and rearing birds that will be released into the wild, providing a genetically pure source of the animals for future generations.
In the wild, Spix's macaws will live in trees and are seldom seen on the ground. They typically build nests in hollows or holes in trees and hunt for fruit, seeds, nuts and other plants. They can spend up to one third of their day in the nest.
To assist in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements local communities were recruited to become part of the field team. The community was given watches that would be activated if Spix's Macaws are identified. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily activities. This method has proven to be extremely successful.
Diet
The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of 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 additional birds were found in subsequent surveys. However, a reintroduction plan is in the process of trying to restore this critically endangered bird back to its natural home in the Caatinga.
This dry forest is located in the region of northeast Brazil that covers about 10 percent of the country. Spix's Macaws were amidst the hollows of old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat seeds and nuts.
Reintroduction of the Spix’s Macaw into the wild is currently underway. Eight captive-raised Spix's macaws were released in the wild in June. Twelve more birds are expected to be released in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws, which were reintroduced into the same area and will assist to share knowledge of food sources, nesting and roosting sites.
The reintroduction programme has already obtained valuable biological data on the behavior of this bird, including information about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also has opened a window on the nature of the Spix's Macaws. This aids in understanding the causes that led to their extinction.
Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, nuts, and fruits of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga Biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brazil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all part of this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible.
Spix's Macaws as with all parrots as well as other birds are social birds and have close relationships with their parents. They are very vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry known as "whichaka," described as a short and repetitive grating noise similar to a flutist note. They are often seen flying high and fast when they are in the affordable macaw mood to breed.
Breeding
Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with each other by making a variety of screeching and squawking sounds. Like many other parrots, mimic human speech. They follow a strict routine, including flight patterns and bathing habits. They can also recognize other members of their flock. This is what makes them such popular pets and targets for the illegal bird trade.
In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, with all of them poached. A plan to pair the male and female defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since the time the Spix's macaws have been bred in captivity, mostly in Brazil.
The handful of Spix's macaws in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are descendants of just two individuals, leaving them vulnerable to disease and other environmental threats. The majority of the birds in captivity are in a breeding center in Germany however, in the year 2003 an agreement between the German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired without renewal, casting doubt over future plans to return the birds and return them back into the wild.
Despite their petty numbers of captive-bred Spix's macaws, captive-bred species show 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.
As a result of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are starting to reproduce, though not at a high rate. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it will be important to reintroducing the birds into the wild. It is important to choose the right birds prior to releasing them. Macaws must be reproductively mature, and they should be paired with an older sibling or close relatives.
The return of the Spix's Macaw to the wild may prove difficult, but it's essential to try. To aid, ABC and partners have started a reserve system that is designed to safeguard the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's Macaws that were released recently will be joined by the blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are common in Caatinga and live in areas where the Spix’s macaws also reside. These savvy birds will help macaws to become accustomed to the region and will offer security in large numbers.