Spix's macaw, also known as the little blue macaw, or just blue macaw, is a macaw species that was endemic to Brazil. It is a member of tribe Arini in the subfamily Arinae, part of the family Psittacidae. It was first described by German naturalist Georg Marcgrave, when he was working in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil in 1638 and it is named for German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix, who collected a specimen in 1819 on the bank of the Rio São Francisco in northeast Bahia in Brazil. This bird has been completely extirpated from its natural range, and following a several-year survey, the IUCN officially declared it extinct in the wild in 2019. However, after over 20 years of conservation efforts, 200 macaws have been bred from just two parent birds, and 52 individual birds have since been reintroduced into their natural environment in June 2022.
Region
Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil
Typical Environment
Historically confined to riparian gallery forests and adjacent thorn-scrub within the semi-arid Caatinga biome of northeastern Brazil. It favored stretches of seasonal rivers lined with mature caraibeira and other hardwoods that provide cavities and reliable food. Present wild populations now come from reintroduction sites centered near Curaçá, Bahia, with movements along riverine corridors. Habitat restoration focuses on increasing cavity trees, controlling predators, and reconnecting fragments of riparian woodland.
Altitude Range
200–600 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the little blue macaw, Spix’s macaw is one of the rarest parrots and was declared extinct in the wild in 2019 after decades of decline. Intensive captive breeding and habitat restoration led to reintroductions in Bahia, Brazil, beginning in 2022. It is closely associated with riparian woodland in the Caatinga, especially caraibeira (Tabebuia aurea) trees for nesting. The species forms strong pair bonds and is a flagship for global conservation.
Taxidermied adult, Naturkundemuseum Berlin
A juvenile in captivity. Note white stripe along top of beak and pale-grey bare facial skin.
An 1878 painting of an adult by Joseph Smit
Plate from Spix's 1824 description. It has the bill of a juvenile
Two individuals of Spix's macaw in captivity at Jurong Bird Park in Singapore
Illustration of glaucous macaw (foreground) with Spix's macaw in Hamburg, 1895
Temperament
alert but generally calm; forms tight pair bonds
Flight Pattern
strong flier with direct, rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups, maintaining close contact calls during foraging and travel. Pairs are monogamous and nest in natural cavities, particularly in mature caraibeira trees. Clutches are small and both parents attend the young; roosting may be communal near reliable water and food sources.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are clear, nasal and slightly metallic, less raucous than larger macaws. Contact notes are repeated, ringing ‘kra-aak’ or ‘kreee’ phrases, with softer chattering at close range.
Plumage
Uniform powder-blue to turquoise with slightly paler underparts and a faint grayish-blue wash on the head and neck; long, tapered tail.
Diet
Feeds on seeds, nuts, and fruits of Caatinga trees and shrubs, including caraibeira, cacti, and other seasonally available plants. Uses its powerful bill to crack hard seeds and husk pods efficiently. Also takes flowers and occasionally leaf buds, shifting diet with seasonal resource pulses along riverine corridors.
Preferred Environment
Forages mainly in the canopy and upper midstory of riparian woodland and adjacent thorn-scrub. Frequently visits fruiting trees near water and will descend to the ground for fallen seeds. Reintroduced birds concentrate near restoration plots with native food trees.
