Parrot Clay Lick
Eco travel to the Peruvian Amazon is accompanied by incredible biodiversity. Night hikes through the jungle reveal a multitude of insects so exquisite and bizarre that their shapes and colors have to be seen to be believed. The calls of hidden treefrogs and bright poison-dart frogs can be heard as they vocalize from the dense vegetation. The variety of palms and massive, old growth trees puts every botanical garden to shame while troops of monkeys roaming through the treetops makes you realize that no zoo can compare with a trip to a wild rainforest.
However, despite its incredible biodiversity, it can surprisingly difficult to see rainforest wildlife on a family eco vacation. Most of the mammals prefer to come out at night and stay hidden during the day. It takes a huge amount of patience to see understory birds, and snakes are so adept at keeping out of sight that even the experienced guides at Rainforest Expeditions count themselves lucky if they encounter one on a night hike.
Fortunately, some rainforest animals require much less effort to see. Parrots in particular are pretty easy to watch at ecotourism family destinations in the Amazon jungle as long as the jungle lodge has a canopy tower and access to a clay lick. Guests of Refugio Amazonas get to experience both of these options and thus have an excellent chance at seeing dozens of parrots, parakeets, and spectacular macaws. At least 20 species of these exotic and beautiful birds occur in the forests of Tambopata and most are easy to see as they fly past and perch in treetops near the canopy tower. However, guests with a fear of heights donít need to worry about missing the rainforest parrot spectacle because many of these intelligent, beautiful birds can also be seen right at eye level from the ground when they visit a clay lick near Refugio Amazonas.
A short boat ride followed by an hour long hike through the rainforest takes guests to a clay lick frequented by 7 to 10 species of parrots and parakeets. While watching from a blind, guests can get very close looks at Dusky-headed and Cobalt-winged Parakeets, Chestnut-fronted Macaws, and Mealy, Yellow-crowned, Blue-headed, and Orange-cheeked Parrots. This is an exciting and easy activity for every family green travel itinerary!
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