The Spix macaw, a bird that had once vanished in the wild, is now thriving in its South American homeland after a successful breeding programme

Robin McKie

Sun 10 Jul 2022 05.00 EDT

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/10/extinct-parrots-make-a-flying-comeback-in-brazil

Twenty years ago, the future of theSpix’s macawcould not have looked bleaker. The last member of this distinctive parrot species disappeared from the wild, leaving only a few dozen birds in collectors’ cages across the globe. The prospects forCyanopsittaspixiiwere grim, to say the least.

But thanks to a remarkable international rescue project, Spix’s macaws – with their grey heads and vivid blue plumage – have made a stunning comeback. A flock now soars freely over its old homeland inBrazilafter being released there a month…