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The best place to see macaws

We returned from Costa Rica last week and we saw a few macaws. Not enough to fully appreciate their beauty. I would like to see and photograph more of them and in a very isolated place with an acess to a nice lodge with a full service. Do you know about place like that somewhere in Central or Soth Americas?

Where did you see them? I think the best place in Costa Rica is the Osa area. We stayed at a little place called Rancho Almendros in Cabo Matapalo and the macaws were everywhere!

The Macal River Valley in Belize. Not sure if they were impacted by Hurricane Iris in October. But go see them as they won't be around for long if they build the Challilo dam...

Hi Yolanda, There is hardly a better place to see Blue-and-gold, Red-and-green, and Scarlet macaws than in Peru. For Hyacinth Macaws go to Brazil. Peru has several well established remote lodges that offer opportunities to see macaws on river cliffs called clay licks, where birds come to eat clay at specific places. The most famous clay lick is Blanquillo lick, in the Manu wilderness (plane ride from Cusco). Here is the Manu Wildlife Center. Not far from there is a new lick called the BioStation Lick (a reserch biostation is nearby with rustic accommodations). A place that has 3 of the most exciting clay licks (one that attracts all 3 species of large macaws) is the Machiguenga Center, 100% owned by the local Indian community (north of Cusco). Transportation to this area requires at least a 8-10 day trip. And, a place I just visited last month, that has a spectacular clay lick is the Sonene Community of Esa Eja Indians that live on the Heath River (the Heath is the border of Peru and Bolivia). This is part of the Tambopata region of Peru protected nature reserves. This place is not ready yet for the regular tourist, but probably by June 2002 will have comfortable accommodations at the Indians' lodge (30 minutes from the clay lick). Info on these places is at: http://naturelodges.com or email to me and I will be glad to pass on more info to you. Happy Trails, dav [email protected]

We have a sub species of the scarlet macaw that nests and breeds in the Raspacul forest in Belize, but is more easily accessed and seen in April in Red Bank Village, when the macaws are drawn in large numbers to feed on the fruits and seeds. Small guest house in the village or stay in Placencia. Close the the jaguar Preservd, which is also a premier birding destination. Naturalists who have studied this species say that the dam will flood the area in which they breed and they do not expect that this species will move to another area for breeding. So I assume this means we'll loose this sub species altogether due to the dam. Katie Valk Belize

Katie Please tell us what people who appreciate our natural resources and love birds can do. Is there any movement to stop this dam from being buid. I would like to find out more

What wonderful advice...I've seen pictures of Manu and I would go there in a heartbeat to see these birds in their natural habitat and not in some hotel for display.

Thank you for some great suggestions. Katie, we are planning on visiting Belize next December/January and staying in Placencia in Kitty's Place. Do you think this is a good place for a day trips to see macawas or is there another place that you would rather recommend? Dav: These are fantastic places and something what we are looking for. I am not clear about the Machiguenga Center. Do you mean we would need 8-10 days to get there? Where is it and how do we get there? Or do you recommend these many days to stay there? We are planning on making this trip next year. When is the best time? Where can I find more information about this Center? If we want to choose two destinations from those on the website which would you recommend? One would be the Manu Wildlife Center? And the other? Ally, we stayed in Osa Peninsula in Lapa Rios and we saw a number of macaws but not so close that we could take great photographs. And we want to see more of them. Would be great if we could see others besides macaws. Thanks Kate for suggestion Parrot mom, why won't you just go? We will soon, means 2003.

Kittys is great, very laid back and friendly. Great stretch of beach. I'd email [email protected]. David Vernon is a well respected naturalist who lives in Placencia and probably offers the best guided tours to the area. How to stop the dam? Mmmm, we've got some wonderful people working on this. Perhaps the most vocal and informed person you can contact would be Sharon Matola at the Belize Zoo. [email protected] She can steer your offer for help in the right direction. Katie Valk Belize

Hi Yolanda, Macaw licks in Manu have been around for a number of years so a trip of 4-5 days is definitely possible to these locations (flying into Boca Manu from Cusco and returning by flight). Overland from Cusco through cloud forest and down into the manu lowlands is a great birding experience, one that takes 6-8 days (6 days if you fly back on your return, 8 if you return overland). When the Machiguenga Indians built their center they were trying to arrange flights that would come from Cusco to their community airstrip (then 20 minutes by boat to their center). So far that arrangement has not been made official by the Peruvian airline authority. You can go overland/by river from Cusco to the Machiguenga Center but this is a fairly arduous trip, most of the time over 8-10 days is getting to the next place, not enjoying the center’s activities. There is one alternative that does work. From Lima there is a Peruvian Air Force cargo plane that flies to the jungle town of Sepahua on Saturdays, returning to Lima on Sundays (they carry passengers!). It is a 6-hour river ride up the Urubamba River from Sepahua to the Machiguenga Center, meaning you could then be at the center Saturday evening and have the following week to see the three clay licks, visit the Pongo de Mainique (one of the most fantastic canyons in Peru for biodiversity). You then return to Sepahua on the following Saturday, overnight in the town (rustic hotel) for your Sunday flight back to Lima. The best time to visit the center is June-November, the dry season in Peru, and the time the clay licks are most active. There is a good story about this area in the birding magazine Original Flying Machine, Issue 9 Dec 2001, by Tad Foringer, story name is Terrific Timpia. So, answering your question, the Manu Wildlife Center is a definite for one experience with Macaws. The Machiguenga Center, especially if you are planning a June-Nov 2003 trip, would be more adventure than you can imagine. The naturelodges.com contact is Bob Todd. He works directly with the operations for Manu Wildlife Center and the Machiguenga Center and I am sure he can get to you up-to-the-minute info as 2003 approaches. Keep in touch on how your travels work out! The info people have given about Belize is great! Happy Trails, Dav [email protected]

Thank you Katie and Dav: You gave me great information. We will go to Belize in January. Before our trip I will e-mail David in Placencia. First we need to get our free tickets from AA and this could be a chalenge, I think. One more questions Katie, since you are so helpful. We would like to combine our trip to Belize with a short stay in Tikal in the Jungle Lodge, maybe 3 nigths and there is a resort on the lake on the way to Tikal where we would like to spend maybe two nights and relax. Do you have any suggestions how to make reservations for these two places? I can't find any websites for them or contact information Dav, e decided to go to Peru in 2003 maybe June or the begining of September. I will take your suggestions under consideration, Dav. They are exactly what I was looking for. Any other ideas please post them here. Yola