How many blue macaws are left?

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Every year, scientists announce the disappearance of one or another representative of the fauna on Earth. Alas, this statistic was recently supplemented by the Blue Macaw parrot, a separate species of its genus. Private nurseries have managed to preserve a small number of birds of this species. Happy owners of Blue Macaws note that more attractive, friendly, and intelligent birds cannot be found, and if people fail to preserve them, at least in captivity, this will be a great loss for humanity.

Description of the bird

The first descriptions of the Blue Macaw were made in the 19th century by the German zoologist I. Spix, in whose honor the parrot received its other name, Spix’s Macaw.

What does a Blue Macaw look like?

Juvenile blue macaws are cute in appearance, with iridescent pale blue feathers neatly arranged throughout their body. As they age, these cuties lose a little of their attractiveness and begin to look less neat. The plumage becomes loose, protrudes on the sides, and its color becomes more of a dirty gray.

There are no specific differences between females and males, except for some physiological features:

• Body weight: Females are about 50 grams lighter.

• Beak and head: males have larger ones.

• Plumage: females look more well-groomed.

Credit: PetsExotic

Character and lifestyle in the wild

Very little is known about the lifestyle of wild Spix\’s macaws. Based on descriptions from the beginning of the 20th century, ornithologists believe that Blue Macaws lived in pairs, periodically gathering in small groups. Physical activity in the birds was observed in the morning and evening. In the hot afternoon heat, they preferred to hide in the dense foliage of trees. In order to search for food, birds flew long distances, and their voice was heard several kilometers away.

What does it eat?

The main diet of wild individuals included seeds, fruits, nuts, insects, and larvae. Among their preferences were cactus berries and Brazil nuts, the peel of which they easily opened with the help of their strong beak.

Habitat

Populations of blue macaws lived between the Brazilian Paraiba and São Francisco rivers. There were amazing birds in palm tree plantations, forests, and on river banks.

How long does the Blue Macaw live?

There is no data on what the maximum life expectancy of wild parrots was, but how long birds live in captivity is known for sure. With proper care and proper nutrition, a parrot lives for about 30 years.

How Blue Macaws reproduce

Experts were able to observe the mating season between birds only in captivity.

The breeding season runs from April to August. Birds make their nests in tree hollows.

After “courtship,” the female lays 2-3 eggs, which she incubates for the next 4 weeks. The male guards the hollow all the time and brings food to his beloved.”. After the birth of naked and blind chicks, care for the offspring is distributed equally between the feathered parents. Parental care continues until the chicks are fully fledged (approximately 18 weeks) and begin to find their own food (closer to 3 years).

Blue macaw in the Red Book

In 2000, the last wild blue macaw died. At that time, there were less than a hundred bluebirds in private nurseries. All of them received the protection status of the Red Book as a species that has become extinct in its natural range but has not yet completely disappeared from the face of the earth. None of the attempts at reintroduction (introducing endangered pets into their natural range) have yet been successful.

Main causes of extinction

Among the main reasons for the extinction of blue parrots are the following:

• Poaching for the black market, where they fetched 50 thousand euros for one parrot.

• Importation of wild African bees into Brazil, which completely occupied the bird’s hollows.

• Deforestation of large forested areas (namely Tabebuia caraiba trees, where parrots lived).

• Climate change on Earth.

Current population situation

Despite the disappearance of wild individuals, as of 2010, 105 blue parrots remained in captivity and are taking part in a program to recreate the species.

Thanks to the efforts of ornithologists, tame Blue Macaws have even begun to multiply. According to unofficial estimates, from 2000 to 2015, their number increased to almost half a thousand.

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What measures were taken to protect

1995: A blue female was released from captivity and given to a lone wild blue parrot. Scientists had high hopes for this experiment, as the couple quickly reunited. But alas, within a year, the remains of the female were discovered under a power line. The bachelor male died after 5 years.

2004: Workers at the Loro Parque Zoo (Tenerife) officially announced that they were able to obtain offspring that successfully reached puberty. Work on population reproduction continues.

Since 2010, Brazil has created a fund that supports the work of the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Loro Parque. The main goal is to recreate the population of blue macaws and reintroduce the birds into their natural habitat.

Where do the last remaining parrots on the planet live today?

According to official data, approximately 70 parrots live in private collections, and somewhere around 400 are maintained by large zoological parks and nurseries. All of them together make up about 90% of the genetic material of this species, which gives scientists hope for a complete restoration of the population in the future.

Interesting fact

In 2016, during an excursion through the forest near the Brazilian town of Curaça, one of the tourists managed to shoot a video of an interesting bird. Later, ornithologists, after a deep analysis of the filmed material, came to the conclusion that the Blue Macaw of Spix got into the lens. And this is despite the fact that scientists had previously declared these birds to be extinct in the wild. All subsequent attempts to meet the noble bird again were unsuccessful. Therefore, the question of the encountered specimen still remains open. Some ornithologists believe that it could be a parrot that escaped from a private nursery, but some scientists still hope that somewhere in the Amazon jungle there is a wild population of bluebirds, and the bird in the video is one of its representatives.

Features of keeping at home

It is almost impossible to find a blue macaw as a pet. Nowadays, endangered birds are kept only in specialized nurseries or in the private collections of famous ornithologists who are engaged in restoring the population. A very small number of individuals in the world, an exorbitant price (more than 50 thousand dollars), and extremely high requirements for the future owner make the blue bird practically inaccessible to the average breeder. But according to experts, there is always a demand for birds.

In everyday life, blue macaws are a quiet and friendly species of bird. But in order for them to remain that way, you need to adhere to certain recommendations:

• Pair keeping (blue parrots do not like to live alone) and a calm environment (lack of regular rest, noise, and din cause aggression in the bird).

• The air temperature should be from +10 to +20 °C, and the humidity should be 60–80%.

• The cage material is durable metal.

• The presence of toys (ladders, mirrors, poles, bells, and bags) is a must.

• The cage must be cleaned every day, washed once every 7 days, and disinfected once a month.

• Availability of clean drinking water in the drinking bowl with daily renewal.

• Providing your pet with balanced and fresh nutrition:1) Grain (millet, oatmeal, millet, hemp, corn); 2) Nuts;3) Vegetables (beets, carrots, and cucumbers);4) Fruits (apples, bananas, pears);5) Berries (rose hips, raspberries);6) Vitamin supplements (shell rock, pebbles, chalk).

In addition to providing physiological needs, the parrot requires daily communication! You need to spend at least 2–3 hours a day with the bird.

Today, scientists have differing opinions regarding the reintroduction of blue birds into the wild. Some of them claim that domesticated birds are losing their natural skills every year and are unlikely to be able to survive in the wild. But most believe that parrots will recover their genetic memory over time and adapt to life without human help. Despite various statements and the slow increase in population, let’s hope that Blue Macaws will return to their natural environment and take their rightful place in the biocenosis of the planet.

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