FaunaHub
CRCritically EndangeredPartial review

Spix's Macaw

Cyanopsitta spixii

At a glance

IUCN category
CR · Critically Endangered
Animal group
Birds
Population trend
Trend unknown
Last verified

Conservation overview

Spix's macaw is a small blue parrot from Brazil, made famous as the inspiration for the film 'Rio'. It is assessed as Critically Endangered and was for years considered Extinct in the Wild.

It survives thanks to captive breeding, with reintroductions returning birds to their native range.

Range & habitat

Native to a small area of north-eastern Brazil; reintroduction from captive-bred birds is under way.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Past trapping for the cage-bird trade
  • Loss of its specialised dry-forest habitat
  • Tiny founder population

Why it matters

Spix's macaw is a defining case of a species saved from total loss by captive breeding — and of how hard it is to rebuild a wild population once it disappears.

Considered Critically Endangered (long regarded as extinct in the wild); subject of an ongoing reintroduction effort in Brazil.

Sources

Sources for Spix's Macaw

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Spix's macaw extinct?
It was considered Extinct in the Wild for years, surviving only in captivity. Captive breeding and reintroduction efforts have since returned birds to Brazil, but the species remains Critically Endangered.
Why did Spix's macaw disappear from the wild?
Published assessments cite trapping for the cage-bird trade and the loss of its specialised dry-forest habitat. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.

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