Three Spix macaws, one of the world’s rarest birds, hatched in captivity

Successful hatching of three Spix's macaws

June 2009. Three critically endangered Spix's macaws have hatched at the Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation Centre (AWWP), located in the Arabian Gulf State of Qatar.

What makes this breeding success so important is that it came from AWWP's genetically most important pairing, including the genetically most important female in the international studbook managed population.

The first two chicks hatched in late February and the third on the 2nd of March. All three hatched without complications in AWWP's new bird nursery, which has three rooms exclusively for Spix's macaws; one for incubation, another for hand-rearing and an extra large room for fledglings.

Spix’s Chicks at 3 weeks. Credit AWWP

66 Spix macaws in captivity - Extinct in the wild

AWWP is currently home to 50 of the 66 Spix's macaws in the Brazilian Government's international studbook managed breeding program. The Spix's macaw is almost certainly extinct in the wild where it has not been observed since the last known wild bird was last seen in October 2000.

Spix’s Chicks at 7-8 weeks. Credit AWWP

Habitat recreation
The goal of the captive breeding program is to establish a genetically and demographically sustainable population from which carefully selected individuals can be re-established back to their place of wild origin; the semi-arid "Caatinga" biome of Northern Bahia State, Brazil. Efforts to provide suitable habitat for the birds have already started, with two key properties having been purchased from parties involved in Spix's macaw conservation including the recent purchase of the 2200 hectare Concordia Farm by AWWP's owner and founder HE. Sheikh Saoud Bin Mohd. Bin Ali Al-Thani late last year.

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