This is not Little Blue, the last Spix’s macaw and star of the movie. “RIO..” It is a hyacinth macaw,  one of the largest macaws  with a vivid cobalt color.  Like  most macaws, this bird is quite raucous and goofy, and they appear to love harassing (gently) humans.  I got quite an eyeful and earful during my visit to Parque des Aves, or Bird Park inbetween my hikes through the Iguassu Falls areas in Argentina and Brazil.

The Parque das Aves is the only bird sanctuary in the world that focuses on the conservation of Atlantic Rainforest birds.   Its 40 acres of winding paths through  the Iguassu forest allows visitors to see many Atlantic Rainforest birds in their natural element.

 

Instead of having to peer through cages, people walk through gates of various enclosures  arriving alongside the birds themselves, except for the obvious exclusion of apex bird predators like eagles, etc.  Some birds either have special dispensation or have escaped their  enclosures to even walk along the paths, like this bare faced curassow:

and this black-front piping guan:

N.B.  I have seen reviews of the Parque das Aves that complained about the birds being in captivity.  While many of the birds cannot fly beyond their enclosures, their homes are quite large and ranging.  These are protections and not cages.  The birds are endangered  – efforts are being made to study and develop ways to keep the many species viable while the birds are kept safe from enemies including  brainless visitors who do not understand the concept of keeping a distance and not harassing the birds for a selfie.  My photos are taken with a zoom lens that lets me get closeups from a respectable distance.

The walk through the park is lovely and there is no time limit.  While it could be done qiuickly in a little over an hour, someone like myself is allowed to meander and take  time communing with the birds and taking photos – my “tour” would have taken a little less than 3 hours except for a WTDGAP moment – will explain in a bit.

For now, explore with me as I begin my walk – starting with some wading birds::

Hot pink ibys

Roseate spoonbill

Jabiru stork

Next are a few apex hunters.  These large birds are behind fences, but I have learned through experience how to adjust my focus so the wires don’t show much or are just blurred:

Harpy Eagle

Vulture

Next enclosure has a flock of beautifully colored long beaked toucans:

Tune in next week for the second half of my walk through this bird sanctuary – and discover my WTDGAP moment.

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