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Melody Blue Spix Macaw After a long time filled with worry and speculation, Brazilians and German conservationists managed to successfully reintroduce a grouping of couples back into their natural habitat. Their story is inspirational, but also filled with resentment and jealousy. The first obstacle was getting enough birds for the exchange. These macaws are monogamous, so the pairs had 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 loss of habitat. They have a few of the birds that are in captivity and they hope to release them near Curaca. They call them their blue-eyed friends and have compared their journey to the story of Presley, the last known Spix's macaw from the wild. They describe Presley as a true survivor, who lost his family and was loyal to his home. They see their lives in the Caatinga as akin to his, and feel a strong affinity with him. The discovery of the last Spix's macaw offered an excellent opportunity for researchers to study its behavior in the wild and gain a deeper understanding of why this species was able to survive for this long. It also helped them form a more accurate estimate of the historic numbers of this rare bird. Researchers were able gather important information on the bird's daily movement, its seasonal adaptation to drought, and eating habits. They also monitored attempts to reproduce using an Illiger's and Spix's hybrid macaw pair, which was an important step towards the recovery of this species. It was an amazing feat that this bird managed to survive and thrive in the wild with such a limited gene pool, and it has helped researchers understand how these birds could be reintroduced back to the wild. The survival of the bird that was killed motivated people to act in order to save other parrots as well as endangered species. It also inspired zoos and other groups to set up their own captive breeding programs for these exotic birds. This working group is an illustration of how conservation groups, other organizations and individuals can work together to save endangered wildlife and animals. This group consists of Brazilian government officials, zoo reps international holders of the Spix’s macaw, and ornithologists to achieve one goal in common: the recovery of this endangered bird. The group has accomplished a lot of work. This includes developing a plan to reintroduce the bird to the wild. The group also raised funds for community outreach, field research and captive-bred birds for the project. The group has also set up a permanent committee for the rehabilitation of the bird. Habitat Ten years ago, the Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) was thought to be extinct. It was threatened by habitat destruction and illegal poaching. Aviculturists, ornithologists and other experts continue to do their best to bring this iconic bird back from the brink of extinction. The Spix's Macaw is well-known to millions of people around the globe thanks to a well-known animated film and two sequels. This is just the beginning on the long-distance road to returning these birds. A multi-national team has been working for decades to breed and reintroduce Spix's Macaws raised in captivity into the wild. The Spix's macaw is native to a small area of northeast Brazil, called the Caatinga which is an arid region of savannah scrubland that is flat, interspersed with seasonal creeks and gallery forests. It was first described in 1819, and is one of the smallest 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 brought together aviculturists that were the last to hold the birds as well as officials from the government. The group formed a partnership with the world-renowned non-profit organization Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) of Qatar to create an intensive program to reintroduce captive-bred Spix's Macaws into their natural habitat in the northeast of Brazil. AWWP has acquired and is renovating 2,380 hectares of prime habitat in Caatinga, near Curaca, Brazil. AWWP also breeds and rears birds that will be released into the wild. This will create an animal that is genetically pure for future generations. Spix's Macaws can be found in trees, and are rarely seen on the ground. They nest in tree hollows or holes, and hunt in search of seeds, fruits, nuts, and other plants. They can spend up to three-quarters of the time in the nest. To aid in tracking the Spix's macaws and their movements, a local group was recruited to join the field team. The community was provided with watches that would activate if a Spix's Macaw is identified. This enabled them to track the birds in the wild as well as their daily activities. This approach has been very successful. Diet The Spix's Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is the only species of the family Cyanopsitta. It was listed as extinct in the wild in 2019 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature following the disappearance of the last wild parrot to be identified disappeared in 2000, and subsequent surveys failed to find any additional birds. However, a reintroduction program is currently in progress to return the critically endangered bird to its natural home in the Caatinga. The northeast region of Brazil is home to about 10% of the entire country. Spix's Macaws were found in 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 raised in captivity were released into the wild in June, and 12 more are expected to follow in 2022. They will be joined by a group of Blue-winged Macaws that were reintroduced into the same area, and will help to share information about food sources and nesting and roosting areas. The reintroduction programme has already collected valuable biological data about the behavior of this bird, including details about daily movements and adjustments to drought. It also has provided a glimpse into the natural history of the Macaws of Spix, which can help to understand the causes that led to their extinction. Spix's Macaws consume the seeds, fruits, and nuts of many species native to the Caatinga biome. Pinhao-bravo, linhas Brasil and facheiro (Pilosocereus Pachycladus) are all included in this diet. The acai palm (Acaia olive) and mofumbo (Combretum léprosum) fruits are also edible. Like all parrots like all parrots Macaws are highly social birds that bond closely with their parents. They are extremely vocal and often imitate human speech and other sounds. They have a mating sound called the “whichaka,” which is described as a brief repeated grating sound that is similar to a flute. When they are in breeding mode they are known to fly high and fast. Breeding Spix's Macaws are extremely intelligent and social birds. They communicate with one another by making a variety of squawking and screeching sounds. They, like other parrots, mimic human speech. They have a strict routine that includes the way they fly and their bathing habits. They can also recognize other members of their flock. This is why they are such popular pets and targets for illegal bird trade. In the early 1980s only three Spix’s macaws remained in the wild. They were all poached. In 1995, poachers massacred the male and female birds as part of an attempt to pair them. Since then, all known Spix's macaws have been captive-bred mostly in Brazil. The handful of Spix's macaws kept in captivity are a mixture of individuals who are the descendants of just two individuals, which makes them vulnerable to disease and other environmental challenges. The majority of Spix's macaws in captivity are kept in a breeding center in Germany. However this year, an agreement between a German conservation center and the Brazilian government expired, leaving the possibility of repatriation or reintroduction into the wild in doubt. Despite their precarious number, captive-bred Spix’s macaws show some signs of improvement. This was evident when a Swiss breeder beat a sheikh in Qatar to buy from a collector three Spix's macaws which were not part of the breeding program. In the wake of this and other efforts, captive-bred birds are beginning to reproduce, though not at a rapid rate. Reintroducing the birds into the wild will require that they remain healthy and produce. Selecting the right birds to release is equally important. The macaws should be reproductive and be paired up with siblings or close relatives. Reintroducing the Spix's macaw to the wild could be difficult, but it is important to try. To help, great green macaw buymacaw and partners have created a reserve system which is designed to safeguard the species' last remaining habitats. The eight Spix's macaws will soon be joined by blue-winged macaws, which are more prevalent in the Caatinga and are found in overlapping areas with the Spix's macaws. These intelligent birds will aid the macaws get used to the region and will offer security in large numbers.