Book Review: Spix's Macaw. The Race to Save the World's Rarest Bird

by Tony Juniper

 

HarperCollins, Publishers. 2002

ISBN: 0-7434-7550-X

 

I read this book, very simply , because it was a gift from my friend, Michele, a fellow parrot lover and caregiver. Never having owned a Macaw and knowing little about them, I probably would have passed by this book without even a second look. However, having read it, I know it to be "an environmental parable for our time" that will haunt me for a very long time.

 

Tony Juniper is the author, narrator and main character of Spix's Macaw. By 1990 many believed that the wild Spix's Macaw had disappeared entirely. Tony Juniper, a noted environmentalist was invited to join an expedition formed to determine its status. That expedition seems to have started his commitment to this particular species, a commitment that remains constant throughout the book. Other characters in this book include Johann von Spix for whom the Spix's Macaw was named, and others who are important for the role each played in the demise of the Spix's. Trappers were doggedly persistent in their pursuit of these rare and highly sought after birds. The European and Brazilian collectors who paid fortunes for their smuggled Spix's, preferred to endanger the species than chance losing their birds for its recovery. Some members of the Recovery committee (The Permanent  Committee for the Recovery of Spix's Macaw) established to oversee the recovery plans and process, stalled efforts out of jealousy, spite, greed and/or pride.

 

This non-fiction book set mainly in Brazil traces the Spix's Macaw from its discovery in 1817 to the present day. It could stand as a natural history of parrots or a documentary on mankind's stewardship of the planet. Although it is factual, it reads like a novel with the attendant suspense and drama; I had difficulty putting the book down.

 

In my opinion, Spix's Macaw is a "must read for all aviculturists, from breeders and collectors to rescuers and hobbyists. Recently I heard someone say, "Everyone wants to change the world until they are asked to change a habit". Spix's Macaw is a sad commentary on the truth of that statement.

 

June 2007