Macaws and Parrots at the Clay Lick
When we camped, we were near a clay lick where Macaws and Parrots congregate to eat chunks of clay for their minerals. We got up at 4:30 in the morning to beat the birds to the clay lick. Hundreds of birds wait in the trees above the clay wall. Slowly, they make their way lower and lower on the tree branches towards the clay. If anything spooks them, the birds erupt in a thunder of squawking and retreat to the trees above. Many times the birds creeped lower and lower on the branches only to fly off in an apparent panic, which is what this picture captures. I was beginning to wonder if they would ever fullfil their mission of entertaining two tourists and eat some damn clay! Finally, a few parrots land on the clay, then a few more, then some macaws, and more macaws! Soon enough, hundreds of birds covered the clay face in a sea of colors - and an awesome wave of relief washed over me. I could now go home and tell EVERYBODY that I saw birds eat clay.
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1... ... read more 
