There is more good news from Brazil about the re-introduced Spix’s macaws. A statement from ACTP has revealed that a pair of Spix’s macaws, a male released in June of this year and a female from the December 2022 release, have hatched two chicks in their chosen nest in a nestbox high in a Caraibeira tree. The initial clutch of eggs proved infertile. The second clutch contained two fertile eggs, resulting in the hatching of two healthy chicks.  These are young first-time parents and the fact that they incubated and hatched the chicks on their first attempt is really great news. Then the instinct to feed the chicks kicked in and this was another milestone that they overcame. 

This is a critically sensitive and dangerous time for the chicks and everyone is awaiting their fledging with bated breath, but the fact that they have overcome the initial challenges is very promising for the species’ future. 

The statement states that this achievement stands as a testament to the power of collaborative conservation efforts and the resilience of a species on the brink of extinction. It serves as a reminder of the critical role of captive breeding programmes in saving endangered wildlife. This historic breeding event provides hope and inspiration for the conservation of endangered species worldwide.