The two main bird characters in the animated film Rio are Blu and Jewel. Blu is a male Spix’s macaw who was smuggled from the jungle as a chick and grew up living as a domesticated pet in Minnesota. Jewel is a female Spix’s macaw who grew up in the wild rainforests of Brazil. The two birds meet when Blu travels to Rio de Janeiro and their adventure begins as they try to escape from smugglers and return to the wilderness.
What kind of birds are Blu and Jewel?
Blu and Jewel are both Spix’s macaws. The Spix’s macaw is a now critically endangered species of macaw that is native to Brazil. They are medium sized parrots known for their striking bright blue feathers. Spix’s macaws used to be more common in the forests along the Rio São Francisco river in northeastern Brazil, but due to habitat loss and capture for the pet trade, there are now estimated to be less than 100 left in the wild.
What are some key facts about Blu’s backstory?
Here are some key facts about Blu’s backstory:
- Blu was smuggled from the jungle as a chick and found alone in a cage
- He was adopted by a young girl named Linda and taken to live in Moose Lake, Minnesota
- He grew up domesticated, living in a bookstore with Linda
- He had no experience flying and was afraid of heights
- He was socially awkward and shy compared to other birds
- He enjoyed human comforts like hot chocolate and TV
- He didn’t know how to act like a wild bird
So in summary, Blu was an unusual Spix’s macaw who was removed from his natural habitat in Brazil at a very young age and grew up very different from other members of his species in the relatively alien environment of small-town Minnesota.
What details do we know about Jewel’s past?
Less is revealed in the movie about Jewel’s backstory, but here are some key details:
- She was smuggled out of the jungle illegally as a baby, separating her from her family
- She was kept alone in a cage in Rio de Janeiro
- She grew up in captivity but had some experience flying
- Unlike Blu, she knew how to act like a wild macaw
- She was aggressive and hostile towards humans
- She longed to escape captivity and return to the wild
So Jewel, like Blu, was taken from the jungle as a chick. But unlike him she did not have the chance to live in a human home. She grew up in a cage, maintaining more of her natural wild macaw behaviors and instincts, but not experiencing freedom.
How did Blu and Jewel meet?
Blu and Jewel were brought together in Rio de Janeiro when Linda, Blu’s human owner, was informed that a male Spix’s macaw had been found to mate with Jewel. Jewel’s owner, an ornithologist named Tulio, wanted to mate the two rare macaws to help preserve the endangered species. So Linda flew with Blu to Rio to meet Jewel.
Their first encounter did not go well. Jewel was hostile towards Blu and attacked him when they were put in the same cage. She saw him as being a “pet” and not a real bird. But eventually after escaping together from smugglers, they grew closer while chained together and began to learn from each other’s strengths.
How do Blu and Jewel’s personalities complement each other?
Blu and Jewel are in many ways opposites who complement each other:
Blu’s Personality | Jewel’s Personality |
---|---|
Gentle, shy, socially awkward | Fierce, aggressive, outgoing |
Comfortable around humans | Mistrustful of humans |
No experience in wild | More wild instincts |
Can’t fly well | Good at flying |
Innocent, naive | Tougher, street smart |
Logical thinker | Acts on impulses |
Over the course of their adventure, Blu and Jewel learn from each other. Blu helps Jewel to see that not all humans are bad, while Jewel helps Blu get in touch with his natural wild bird abilities. They complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
How do Blu and Jewel’s abilities grow over the film?
At the start of the film, Blu is unable to fly well or act like a wild bird, while Jewel lacks trust in humans. But their experiences together help them grow.
For Blu, spending time with Jewel allows him to get in touch with his natural macaw instincts. He learns how to:
- Crack open brazil nuts with his beak
- Roost and perch like a real macaw
- Forage for wild food
- Improve his flying ability
- Communicate and connect with other birds
For Jewel, spending time with Blu and Linda helps her to see that not all humans are threats. She learns to:
- Accept some human help from Linda
- Tolerate being near humans
- See that LINDA rescues her and blu
- Overcome her distrust of people
By the end of the film, the experience has changed both birds. Blu has gained more wild bird skills, while still retaining some of his gentle human personality. And Jewel has opened up to letting certain humans into her world.
Conclusion
In summary, Blu and Jewel are opposite Spix’s macaws who start out very differently due to their pasts but are brought together in Rio. Blu was raised by humans and is unable to fly or act like a wild bird initially. Jewel grew up in captivity and distrusts humans. But over the course of their adventure, Blu taps into his natural macaw abilities with Jewel’s help, while Jewel learns from Blu that good humans exist. Their complementary differences help each bird grow in important ways, while their blossoming romance brings them together.