Spix’s Little Blue Macaws Fly Free Again After Decades In Cages

Ifyou’re like me, you’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of captive-bred Spix’s little blue macaws, Cyanopsitta spixii, back into their ancestral home in Brazil. These parrots are amongst the very rarest birds in the world, with a captive population that hovers around 250 or so. Although this species has been formally listed as Extinct-in-the-Wild for the past 22 years, there now are eight captive-bred Spix’s little blue macaws flying around in the wild. These eight individuals were recently released on 11 June 2022 into the caatinga (more <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2022/06/15/spixs-little-blue-macaws-are-returning-to-the-wild-in-brazil/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and another 12 are scheduled to be released in December. Since then, everyone has been asking me: how are they doing? Are they all still alive? I finally got an update from the team in Brazil and I have great news for you: yes, they are all alive! The parrots are flocking together, flying strongly, and evading flying predators with breathtaking aerial maneuvers. They return daily to the large aviary at the <a href="https://spixsmacaw.org/index.php/release/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Spix’s Macaw Release Center</a> where they stayed for many months whilst being prepared for their entry into the wild. These macaws also regularly visit the breeding center to check on their captive siblings and flockmates to see how they are doing. <a href="https://medium.com/discourse/spixs-little-blue-macaws-fly-free-again-after-decades-in-cages-83fe191f71d3">Website</a>