The Little Blue Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is a medium-sized parrot with grayish-blue plumage. Its historical wild range was limited to riverine woodland in northeastern Brazil.
It is a medium-sized parrot with grayish-blue plumage. The sexes look alike.
In 2022, researchers released 20 captive-reared Spix’s Macaws in two groups in Brazil’s Caatinga, within the species’ historical range. Fifteen Blue-winged Macaws from the same region joined the release flocks, and researchers monitored the birds after release.
Estimated survival during the first year was 58.3%. Sixty-five percent established a stable activity area within 5 km of the release site, excluding temporary long-distance trips. About 85% of released birds kept flocking together, and three females laid and incubated eggs. In 2023, two chicks hatched in an artificial nest cavity; one died before fledging, and the other fledged on 8 November but died on 17 November. Released birds also interacted with wild Blue-winged Macaws.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The project also used participatory monitoring with local residents to follow the released birds, creating a way to continue observing their behaviour after release.