The Spix Macaw is about 56 cm in length. The general adult plumage is blue, darker on the back, wings and upper side of the tail. The forehead and ear coverts are gray tinged with blue. The remainder of the head and neck are grayish blue. The breast and abdomen have a slight green tinge and the underside of the tail is dark gray. The bill is dark gray, the iris is yellow and the legs are dark gray.
    The Spix Macaw has a very small range as indicated in red on the background map in the Curaca region of the interior of North-Eastern Brazil. There is considered to be only 1 free ranging Spix in the wild today. Although there is the possibility of another population, none have been reported in recent years. The Spix Macaw is in imminent danger of extinction. The single bird in the wild has been genetically sexed from the DNA of a molted feather to be a male. It's caraiba woodland habitat has suffered long term destruction and has always been a small and scarce niche within the caatinga woodlands in north-east Brazil. The trapping of adult birds was the largest contributor to the decline of the Spix Macaw. In the 1980's trappers took every bird that they could locate.
    In 1988 there were only 17 birds reported in captivity. In 1998 there were 42 listed in the Spix Macaw stud book, more than 75% captive bred. The increase in numbers in captivity is an encouraging event and revitalizes the possibilities of reestablishing a wild population. There is a permanent international committee the CPRAA of which oversees and manages the recovery of the Spix Macaw.
 

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