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Melody Blue Spix Macaw After a long period of worry and speculation, Brazilian and German conservationists succeeded in reinserting couple couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with backbiting and jealousy. The first challenge was to find 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 after years of poaching and loss of habitat. They have a few of the birds in captivity and they hope to release them close to Curaca. They call the birds little blue friends, and compare their experience with the journey of Presley the only known Spix's Macaw in wild. They describe him as a true survivor, who lost his family but remained loyal to the area. They consider their lives in the Caatinga as similar to his, and they feel a strong connection to him. The discovery of the last Spix's Macaw offered a valuable opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain a better understanding of how the species has survived for so long. This enabled researchers to determine the historical population of this unique bird more precisely. Researchers were able to collect important information about the bird's daily movements, seasonal adjustment to drought, and food habits. Researchers also observed attempts to reproduce using a hybrid Spix’s and Illiger’s macaw couple which was an important step in the recovery for this species. It was an amazing feat that this bird was able to endure and thrive in the wild with such an insufficient gene pool and has helped scientists understand how these birds could be returned 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 develop their own captive breeding programs for these exotic species of birds. This group serves as a model for how conservation groups and other organizations can collaborate to protect endangered wildlife and endangered animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps, international owners of the Spix's macaw and ornithologists with a common goal: the recovery of this rare bird. The group has achieved a lot of work. This includes preparing plans to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group also raised funds to fund community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also set up an ongoing committee to oversee the rehabilitation of the bird. Habitat At risk due to poaching and habitat destruction, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) was thought to be extinct in the wild ten years ago. Today, aviculturists and ornithologists continue to fight tirelessly to bring this iconic bird back from the danger of extinction. A popular animated movie and two sequels have made Spix's macaw famous to millions of people around the world however this is only the tip of the iceberg in the long journey to bring these birds back from the edge. A team of international experts has worked for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's macaws born in captivity to the wild. The Spix's Macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region consisting of savannah scrubland flat that is dotted with creeks that flow through the seasons and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819 and is among the smallest known Neotropical Parrots. There are only sporadic sightings in the wild, with a few birds in captivity and a handful of museum specimens. To save the declining population To help save the declining population, a global group was created. It brought together Aviculturists who owned the last remaining bird as well as officials from the government. This group formed a collaboration with the world-renowned non profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation of Qatar to create an initiative to restore the population of Spix's Macaws in their native habitat. AWWP has purchased and is recovering 2,380 hectares of Caatinga close to Curaca (Brazil) of prime habitat. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released into the wild. This will create a genetically-pure source of animals for the future generations. Spix's Macaws can be found in trees, and are rarely seen on the ground. They build nests in hollows or holes and search to find seeds, fruits, nuts, and other species. They can spend up to a third of the day in the nest. A local community was enlisted as part of the field team to help to track Spix's macaws. Members of the community were provided watches that could be activated if the Spix's macaw was detected and thereby allowing them to keep on top of the birds' movements and their movements throughout the wild. This method has proven to be extremely successful. Diet The Spix's Macaw is the only species in 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 to be identified disappeared in the year 2000. subsequent surveys failed to locate any additional birds. However, a reintroduction project currently underway is trying to return the critically endangered bird to its natural habitat 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 found in hollows old caraibeiras, and were also known to eat nuts and seeds. 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 scheduled to arrive in 2022. They will be joined by Blue-winged Macaws, which were reintroduced into the same area and will help to share information about food sources, nesting and roosting sites. The reintroduction programme has already gathered valuable biological data on the behavior of this rare bird, including details on daily movement patterns and the seasonal changes to drought. It also has opened a window on the natural history of Spix's Macaws, which can help to understand the causes that led to their extinction. Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits and nuts of a variety of plants native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo and linhas Brasil, as well as facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. They also eat the fruit of the palms of acai (Acaia oliva) or mofumbo (Combretum leprosum). Spix's Macaws like all parrots as well as other birds, are social birds that develop close bonds with their parents. They are vocal and often mimic human speech and other sounds. They have a mating cry called “whichaka,” described as a short and repetitive grating sound that resembles a flutist note. They are often seen flying fast and high when they are in a breeding mood. Breeding Spix's macaws are incredibly intelligent and social birds. They communicate through screeching, squawking and other sounds. As with many parrots they can mimic human speech. They also follow a very rigid daily routine, ranging from flights to bathing routines, and they can recognize members of their family. They are adored as pets, and are frequently targeted by illegal trade in birds because of this. In the early 1980s only three Spix's macaws survived in the wild, with all of them being poached. A plan to pair the last male and female was defeated in 1995, when poachers killed both birds. Since since then, all Spix's Macaws are captive-bred, mostly in Brazil. The handful of Spix's macaws that are in captivity are made up of individuals that are the descendants of just two individuals, making them vulnerable to disease and other environmental challenges. The majority of the birds that are in captivity are in a breeding center in Germany, but this year 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 precarious numbers, captive-bred Spix's macaws are showing some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat a sheikh from Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws which weren't part of the breeding program. In part, due to this and other efforts, the captive-bred bird population is beginning to grow, but not at a rapid rate. In order to keep them healthy and producing, it will be important to reintroducing the birds back into the wild. It is important to choose the right birds before release. Macaws should be reproductive and be paired with siblings or close relatives. It may be difficult to get the Spix's Macaw back to the wild, but it's important to try. To help, ABC and partners have established a reserve system that aims to protect the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's Macaws who were released recently will be joined by blue-winged Macaws. These macaws are more prevalent in Caatinga and are found in areas where the Spix’s macaws are also. Blondie scarlet macaw bird will help the macaws get familiar with the area and provide the security of a large number.