Spix's Macaw

The Spix's Macaw, Cyanopsitta spixii, is a Brazilian parrot which may now be extinct in the wild. There is a small captive population which may be suffering from inbreeding.

This is a delicate, blue-grey macaw with long tail and wings. It has a pale ashy-blue head, distinctively square shaped, and pale blue underparts. Its upperparts, wings and long tail are a more vivid blue.

This bird was formerly resident in north Bahia, Brazil. The three remaining birds were captured for trade in 1987 and 1988. A single male, paired with a female Blue-winged Macaw, was discovered at the site in 1990. A female Spix's Macaw released from captivity at the site in 1995 disappeared after seven weeks. The male bird almost certainly died in 2000.

This bird is named for the German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix.