The Spix's Macaw, no sightings of this macaw have been made in the wild since 2000, but part of the range has not been surveyed, so it cannot be presumed to be extinct in the wild. The species is conserved through several breeding programs. It was found in Brazil, in parts of the Brazilian state of Bahia. It has a very restricted natural habitat due to its dependence on the Caraibeira tree for nesting.Spix's Macaw is 21.5–23.5 in long. It is various shades of blue, including a pale blue head, pale blue underparts, and vivid blue upperparts, wings and tail. The underside of the wings and tail are black. They have a bare area of grey/black facial skin which sometimes fades to white when they are juveniles. Beak is entirely black except in juveniles which have a neat white stripe down the centre of the beak. The white beak stripe and facial skin of juveniles disappears after 1–2 years. Feet are light grey as juveniles before finishing up dark grey, almost black when adults. The eyes are dark as juveniles but fade to white as the birds mature.The species probably became extinct in the wild around 2000, when the last known wild bird died.[2] No sightings of this macaw have been made in the wild since 2000, but part of the range has not been surveyed, so it can not be presumed to be extinct in the wild.[1]Currently there are approximately 120 Spix’s Macaws in captivity. 78 of these are participating in an international breeding program managed by the Institute Chico Mendes of Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), the Natural Heritage Branch of the Brazilian Government. 50 of these are managed at Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP), State of Qatar, which took over the population of Birds International and where a captive breeding program is guiding the Spix’s Macaw a step closer to re-establishment back to its natural habitat in Brazil.
