Cyanopsitta spixii

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	Psittaciformes	Psittacidae

Scientific Name:

Cyanopsitta spixii

Species Authority:

(Wagler, 1832)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Spix's Macaw, Little Blue Macaw
Spanish	–	Guacamayito Azul, Guacamayo De Spix

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered D ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2009

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S., Symes, A.(BirdLife International)

Justification:
Although this species exists in several captive populations, the last known individual in the wild disappeared at the end of 2000, and no others may remain, primarily as a result of trapping for trade plus habitat loss. However, it cannot yet be presumed to be Extinct in the Wild until all areas of potential habitat have been thoroughly surveyed. Any remaining population is likely to be tiny, and for these reasons it is treated as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct in the Wild).

History:

2008	–	Critically Endangered
2004	–	Critically Endangered
2002	–	Critically Endangered
2000	–	Critically Endangered
1994	–	Critically Endangered
1988	–	Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Cyanopsitta spixii was known for over 150 years, from small numbers of traded birds and a hunted bird taken by von Spix, until it was traced in 1985-1986 to near the rio São Francisco in north Bahia, Brazil. Only three birds remained and these were captured for trade in 1987 and 1988. However, a single male, paired with a female Blue-winged Macaw Propyrrhura maracana, was discovered at the site in July 1990. A female C. spixii was released from captivity in 1995 and initially paired with the male. Unfortunately, the female disappeared from the release site after seven weeks and is suspected to have collided with a power-line². The wild bird was still paired with the female P. maracana in January 2000¹ but neither bird has been seen since the end of that year. In 2000, the total number of publicly declared birds in captivity was 60, but 54 of these were captive-bred⁴. In 2008 the known captive population was 78 individuals, having increased at c.11% per annum since the mid 1980s⁶. There are occasional local reports, including from Serra da Capivara National Park, which provide some hope the species may be extant⁷.
Countries:	Possibly extinct: Brazil
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Any remaining population is assumed to be tiny, based on the disappearance of the last known individual.

Population:

Any remaining population is assumed to be tiny, based on the disappearance of the last known individual.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It apparently requires gallery woodland dominated by caraiba Tabebuia caraiba trees for nesting, but feeds mainly on two regionally characteristic Euphorbiacae plant species. Breeding occurs during the austral summer. Two or three eggs are laid in the wild (up to five in captivity). The wild bird and the P. maracana have apparently produced infertile eggs¹.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The decline of Spix's Macaw has generally been attributed to two principal factors. First, long-term destruction of the specific gallery woodland habitat on which the species apparently depended, the result of the colonisation and exploitation of the region along the Rio São Francisco corridor during more than three centuries. Secondly, trapping for the illegal live bird trade in recent decades pushed the species towards extinction. In addition, the colonisation of the distributional range by introduced aggressive African bees, and the building of the Sobradinho hydroelectric dam above Juazeiro may have contributed, perhaps significantly, to the species's decline in the 1970s and 1980s. Direct hunting is considered a factor of minor importance in the overall decline, even though several reports of shooting are on record.

Major Threat(s):

The decline of Spix's Macaw has generally been attributed to two principal factors. First, long-term destruction of the specific gallery woodland habitat on which the species apparently depended, the result of the colonisation and exploitation of the region along the Rio São Francisco corridor during more than three centuries. Secondly, trapping for the illegal live bird trade in recent decades pushed the species towards extinction. In addition, the colonisation of the distributional range by introduced aggressive African bees, and the building of the Sobradinho hydroelectric dam above Juazeiro may have contributed, perhaps significantly, to the species's decline in the 1970s and 1980s. Direct hunting is considered a factor of minor importance in the overall decline, even though several reports of shooting are on record.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation actions underway: CITES Appendix I and II and is protected under Brazilian law. There are a variety of community conservation programmes, that will pave the way for future reintroductions^1,2. The establishment of the Brazilian government's Permanent Committee for the Recovery of Spix's Macaw and cooperation between holders of birds resulted in annual increases in the captive population but has subsequently been dissolved after disputes between the body and private breeders⁵. Subsequently, IBAMA have established a Working Group for the Recovery of Spix's Macaw⁶. This group is responsible for coordinating the captive breeding programme and there will be on-site reintroduction facilities later followed by on-site breeding facilities. Important captive populations totalling 78 individuals are currently held by Al-Wabra Wildlife Preservation and Martin Guth⁶, with up to 120 individuals thought to exist in captivity worldwide. Successful breeding has occurred within these facilities and in some zoos, including two chicks reared by Loro Parque in Tenerife in 2004⁸, where a new breeding centre opened in 2007⁹. A captive management and species recovery handbook is in preparation for this species. In February 2009 Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) announced the purchase of the 2,200 ha Concordia Farm in Bahia state, Brazil, site of one of the last recorded sightings of wild Spix's Macaw, in October 2000¹⁰. Concordia Farm was also the base of the Spix's Macaw field project, which operated throughout the 1990s until completion in 2002, and release site for the only captive Spix's Macaw yet to be released back into the wild, in 1995. It is planned to allow Concordia Farm to return to a more natural state by removing domestic livestock, with the long term goal of the site proving to be a valuable habitat resource for future reestablishment of a wild population. Conservation actions proposed: Identify a suitable release site for the potential annual release of captive-bred birds starting between 2013 and 2030 depending on the success of captive breeding efforts⁶. Protect and improve habitat at the identified release site⁶. Establish a well-resourced on site re-introduction facility at Praia do Forte under IBAMA ownership⁶. Introduce captive-bred fledglings and ensure protection from trappers. Continue cooperation between holders of captive birds. Continue ecological studies to assess the need for habitat management³.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation actions underway:

CITES Appendix I and II and is protected under Brazilian law. There are a variety of community conservation programmes, that will pave the way for future reintroductions^1,2. The establishment of the Brazilian government's Permanent Committee for the Recovery of Spix's Macaw and cooperation between holders of birds resulted in annual increases in the captive population but has subsequently been dissolved after disputes between the body and private breeders⁵. Subsequently, IBAMA have established a Working Group for the Recovery of Spix's Macaw⁶. This group is responsible for coordinating the captive breeding programme and there will be on-site reintroduction facilities later followed by on-site breeding facilities. Important captive populations totalling 78 individuals are currently held by Al-Wabra Wildlife Preservation and Martin Guth⁶, with up to 120 individuals thought to exist in captivity worldwide. Successful breeding has occurred within these facilities and in some zoos, including two chicks reared by Loro Parque in Tenerife in 2004⁸, where a new breeding centre opened in 2007⁹. A captive management and species recovery handbook is in preparation for this species. In February 2009 Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) announced the purchase of the 2,200 ha Concordia Farm in Bahia state, Brazil, site of one of the last recorded sightings of wild Spix's Macaw, in October 2000¹⁰. Concordia Farm was also the base of the Spix's Macaw field project, which operated throughout the 1990s until completion in 2002, and release site for the only captive Spix's Macaw yet to be released back into the wild, in 1995. It is planned to allow Concordia Farm to return to a more natural state by removing domestic livestock, with the long term goal of the site proving to be a valuable habitat resource for future reestablishment of a wild population.

Conservation actions proposed:

Identify a suitable release site for the potential annual release of captive-bred birds starting between 2013 and 2030 depending on the success of captive breeding efforts⁶. Protect and improve habitat at the identified release site⁶. Establish a well-resourced on site re-introduction facility at Praia do Forte under IBAMA ownership⁶. Introduce captive-bred fledglings and ensure protection from trappers. Continue cooperation between holders of captive birds. Continue ecological studies to assess the need for habitat management³.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Cyanopsitta spixii. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 November 2009.
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