Are Spix Macaws Extinct? (Threats, Numbers + FAQs)

Spix’s Macaw (blue parrot) is a long-tailed cockatoo of the family Psittacidae. It is the only member of the genus, but is similar in appearance to other parakeet macaws, such as the hyacinth macaw, the world’s largest flying parrot.

Spix’s macaws have recently appeared in two popular animated films (Rio de Janeiro and Rio 2), though their plight has long been well known to bird lovers. The story of these little blue macaws is sad to read, but are they really extinct? Is there any hope?

The Spix’s Macaw is extinct in the wild. The last wild individual disappeared in 2000. However, more than 200 birds are still kept in captivity, mostly in Europe and Asia. Excitingly, this year (2022) 8 adult birds have been released in their natural habitat with plans to release 12 more.

The Spix’s Macaw comes from the state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil. The last remaining natural habitat for the birds is the riparian woodlands along the seasonal waterways of the Caatinga in the semi-arid region. Tragically, trapping in the international pet trade and loss of habit have decimated their numbers before scientists even knew where to look for them.

Despite reintroduction, Spix’s macaws still face many challenges. Their natural habitat is extremely limited, the threat of further habitat destruction, poaching and climate change looms, and the gene pool of the world’s last remaining birds is very limited.

There’s still a lot to learn about the state of Spix’s Macaws. Read on as we unpack their past, present, and possible future.

The Spix’s Macaw was completely extinct in the wild, disappearing in 2000

Why did the Spix’s macaw go extinct?

The Spix’s macaw has become extinct due to trapping for the exotic bird trade and loss of habit due to livestock farming and logging.

However, Spix’s macaws may have been in trouble before collections for the international pet trade started taking their toll. The birds were named after early European explorer Johann Baptist von Spix. They were already very rare in 1819, he said.

With the development of modern transportation systems, it has become more efficient to transport exotic animals around the world, allowing traders to export more Spix’s macaws to the distant homes of collectors and parrot admirers. Despite the logistics, these birds were popular with parrot lovers well before the turn of the 20th century.

Although long kept in captivity, ornithologists didn’t track these wild birds until the 1980s. At that point, the wild population totaled just three, and it is thought that two of them were quickly captured by hunters. The last remaining bird disappeared in 2000. It was paired with macaws from different species.

The Spix’s Macaw has become extinct due to trapping for the exotic bird trade and loss of habit due to livestock farming and logging

When did the Spix’s Macaw become extinct?

Birdlife International declared the Spix’s macaw extinct in the wild in 2019. However, these birds remain in captivity and have only recently been reintroduced into the wild. The last known wild individual, a male, was discovered in 1986 and disappeared around the turn of the century.

What are the threats to Spix’s macaws?

The nail in the coffin of the Spix’s macaw is a trap for the pet trade. Bird lovers from far-flung parts of the world fueled their collections and contributed to their extinction. However, a lack of suitable habitat explains why the birds occur in such small numbers and are the most vulnerable to extinction.

Wild Spix’s macaws have specialized dietary and nesting site requirements that make them especially vulnerable. Scientists believe they breed in a specific type of vegetation known as the Caraiba gallery woodland.

These woodlands are corridors of tall vegetation that grow along seasonal waterways, attracting livestock on pastures. The birds lay their eggs in the cavity of the Caraiba tree (Tabebuia caraiba) and feed mainly on the seeds and fruit of other plants in the area.

Studies of the habitat in the early 1990s showed that livestock farming prevented the trees from regrowth. Even where seedlings grow, they are heavily browsed and considered unlikely to survive to maturity.

Although not documented, Spix’s macaws have predators and diseases, and are also hunted by locals for food.

A pair of Spix’s Macaws in captivity

How did humans affect Spix’s macaws?

Humans have affected Spix’s macaws by altering their natural habitats and by trapping and removing remaining birds. Overgrazing by cattle and goats destroys their specialized habitats, and the trees they depend on are unsustainably harvested for timber.

However, we have a chance to undo some of the damage. The work of dedicated conservationists and private organizations is bringing Spix’s macaws back to life and protecting their habitats today, with the hope of a permanent outcome.

What is the biggest threat to the Spix’s macaw?

It’s hard to name the biggest threat to the extinction of the wild Spix’s macaw. Trapping is the most serious immediate threat, but habitat loss is likely to have severely harmed the species.

Close up Spix macaw feeding on food

How can we help Spix’s macaws?

You can help the Spix’s macaw by supporting conservation agencies that seek to restore the bird and its natural habitat in Brazil. Captive keeping of these birds is the leading cause of their mortality, and law enforcement is critical to ensuring their long-term safety.

Spix’s macaws need healthy, natural habitats in order to recover, and we must protect specific habitats for these birds if they are to live in wild, viable populations.

Farmer education and protected area management are equally important to rebuilding suitable habitats and saving species.

How many Spix’s macaws are left in the wild?

According to the IUCN, the Spix’s macaw is officially extinct in the wild. However, this is not entirely true. So how many of these birds are free-flying in Caatinga, Brazil?

As of June 2022, there are 8 Spix’s macaws in the wild as part of a reintroduction program. Another 12 specimens will be released in December of the same year. There are no known wild birds, and scientists believe the chances of finding any are slim.

As of June 2022, there are eight Spix macaws in the wild as part of a reintroduction program

How rare is it to see a Spix’s Macaw?

Few bird watchers have ever been lucky enough to view a Spix’s macaw in the wild in its natural habitat. With just eight free-flying birds in a tightly managed reintroduction program, birders are unlikely to spot the birds anytime soon.

However, we can only hope that the reintroduction program is successful. Returning may see birdwatchers flocking to see the resurrected birds return to their native lands. Currently, you can still see the Spix’s macaw at the Pairi Daiza Zoo in Belgium.

Which country has the most Spix’s Macaws?

Most of the Spix’s Macaws in the world live far from where they belong. In 2010, nearly 80 percent of the known Spix’s macaws lived in Qatar’s Al Wabra Wildlife Sanctuary. A privately run German organization then took over their care.

Far from the dry savannah of Brazil, most of the world’s Spix’s macaws live in captivity with the ACTP (Association for the Protection of Threatened Parrots). Their factory in Germany employs about 110 people, although they shipped 52 to Brazil in 2020.

The birds’ first eggs hatched in 2021 on native soil, although still in captivity. Hopefully Brazil’s Caatinga region will once again become the world’s home base for these beautiful birds.

Hopefully the Spix macaw will one day regain its footing in the wild with the help of the reintroduction program

Is it illegal to kill a Spix’s macaw?

It is illegal to kill a Spix’s Macaw. These incredible birds are in such a precarious situation that the loss of any wild individual could severely impact the success of their reintroduction.