Where Should you go on Vacation to See Wild Parrots?

wild parrots vacation

 

The country with the largest number of Parrots just has to be Australia. According to author Tim Low, New-South-Wales has more parrots than all of Asia and Africa combined.

Parrots may be found on all Tropical and Sub-Tropical continents. Thes will include Australia, Oceania, South Asia, South-East Asia, Central America, South America, and Africa. You will also find certain species on some Caribbean islands and pacific islands.

Although they are not indigenous to Europe you will find Parrots in virtually every Southern European country, made up of escaped pets

We found some places where a vacation to see parrots is particularly popular.

Honduras

Honduras is one of the top destinations in the world for birding holidays.. It is a biodiverse Central American destination that has excellent access to lots of bird species, including parrots, in the Lake Yojoa region, where the country’s largest freshwater lake is found, with lush tree-filled mountains surrounding it, there are many opportunities to view parrots.

Parrots that you may find at Lake Yojoa are

White-Fronted Amazon

A medium-sized parrot, the smallest of the species found in the Amazon. Typically they are very friendly and even in the wild they have no hesitation to come close. They may live in a pair or in a small flock of 20-30 birds.

White-Crowned Parrot

A small parrot is found in lowlands and foothills. They feed in flocks of between 30 and 50 birds, It has become a popular companion bird because of their size and temperament.

Barred Parakeet

These parakeets are found in forests that are higher in elevation and are often mistaken for budgies. They are mostly green with black or dark green stripes.

Olive Throated Parakeet

The call of the Olive Throated Parakeet is typically described as screechy. They fly in flocks of around 30 birds just above the treetops. This type of parakeet is described as threatened because of exploitation by the pet trade.

Brown Hooded Parrot

A medium-sized, chunky parrot, found in tropical lowlands In flight their armpits show bright red but otherwise, they can be overlooked when feeding in the canopy.

A great place to stay is at the Panacam Lodge, which is one of the best nature lodges you will find anywhere. The lodge comes complete with a well-maintained tower for watching birds.

Bolivia

Our chosen destination in Bolivia is Los Volcanes, about a three hours drive from Santa Cruz. During the journey, there will be several opportunities to see parrots of various types. The reason for suggesting Los Volcanes is to view the Bolivian sub-species of the Military Macaw. This parrot can be viewed in Bolivia and the very north of Argentina.

Los Volcanes is one of the most beautiful locations in Bolivia and our suggested accommodation is the Refuge Los Volcanes ecolodge. In the sanctuary, there are 270 species of birds registered and it is a favorite for bird watchers.

Bolivian sub-species of the Military Macaw

These Macaws are not so brilliantly colored as other species of Macaws, but they are a very impressive bird to view. The Bolivian sub-species is not the most common variety found in captivity. These birds have been popular since the 1500s when Europeans arrived in Bolivia.

You should also expect to see

Australia

Our next destination is the land of Parrots, Australia. In Australia, it is Spring from September to October and the best time to visit parrots. It is the breeding season and you will find them more static.

We suggest various locations to view certain species of parrots and these destinations include

Melbourne

Fly into Melbourne early and in the afternoon you can wander around Melbourne parks after checking into your hotel. There you should see Cockatoos flying over the city / In Melbourne you should get to see:

Musk Lorikeets

These birds specialize in feeding on nectar produced by the Eucalyptus. They collect the nectar with their brush-shaped tongues. They feed in large noisy flocks in the canopies of Eucalyptus.

Rainbow Lorikeets

A really colorful parrot that is widespread in eastern and northern Australia. They are also found in Perth where they are a problem as they evict Australian Ringnecks from nesting hollows, dropping the nestlings onto the floor before commandeering the nest,

Long-Billed Corellas

These are cockatoos native to Australia, very similar to the Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo. This species is mostly white with a pink face and a long pale-colored beak which it uses to dig for roots and seeds.

Galahs

This breed used to be confined to the inland plains, but as farming spread inland, so the species has been taking advantage of the new habitats and they have even been seen at the coast now.

Sulfur-crested Cockatoos

Flocks of hundreds of these while cockatoos can be seen, and heard, in many parts of northern and eastern Australia. White with yellow crests and when up close deafening calls.

Parrot Lovers Expedition Peru

If you prefer a more organized vacation to view parrots then the Tambopata Research Centre Parrot Lovers Program is going to be perfect. This seven-day trip is available from December through to March. The rainforests of Tambopata are an acknowledged hotspot for parrots. Here is a brief guide to the tour. For more details visit the website.

Tambopata Research Center

The Research Center is the only lodge that lies within the Tambopata National Reserve. It is one of the most remote lodges you will find in the whole of South America.n The lodge is surrounded by the Amazon jungle with no nearby population centers. Not only will you get the opportunity to see more parrots in one place than you will have ever seen before, but you will also see a wide range of other wildlife. Over 30% of guests even see a Jaguar in the wild. The lodge now has over 1000 feet of elevated walkways at the correct height between the canopy and the floor where most wildlife activity occurs. The lodge is famous for its Macaw Sightings and trails The lodge features rooms with one wall open to nature and many wild animals are often seen from rooms.

Day 1 Arrival

When you arrive on Day 1 you are met at the airport as you fly in from Lima or Cusco. They supply the transfer to the HQ at Puerto Maldonado. In the garden reception, you are asked to pack just what you need for the next few days and leave the rest in security boxes at the HQ, This keeps the boat light on the journey to Refugio Amazonas

Refugio Amazonas

On arrival, you are provided with navigation and security information before dinner followed by a night walk. You stay at Refugio Amazone overnight.

Day 2

On day 2 you travel to Chuncho Clay lick by boat (two hours followed by a five-minute walk) Here you will see dozens of large Macaws that feed on the sodium-rich clay by the riverbank. How long you stay there depends on the weather, if it is raining the Macaws will make themselves scarce.

Lunchtime and then on to a visit to Oxbow Lake where you will paddle around the lake on a canoe or catamaran to see birdlife on the short of the lake and macaws. Return by boat to Refugio Amazonas for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 3

In the morning you will walk 15 minutes to a 135-foot scaffolding tower, where, from the top, you will see the canopy, river, and surrounding forest, Watch Mealy and Yellow-crowned Amazons, Blue-headed Pionus, and White-bellied Caiques fly by at eye level as they head towards a lick.

Next, there is a four and half hour boat trip to the Tambopata Research Centre. as you enter the heart of the reserve away from habitation you will see capybara, caiman, geese, macaws, and other large species. Two hours into the journey you will stop at the Chunchio Clay Lick, where you will see more large macaws than any other clay lick in the world. After lunch on arrival, you will have a swift orientation and be given security and navigation tips.

Later you will have the opportunity to walk along the bamboo trail, for close-up looks at Scarlet, Blue-and-gold, and Green-winged Macaws and see their social behavior. before reaching another clay lick where you will see Cobalt-winged Parakeets and the rare Dusky-billed and Amazonian Parrotlets.

After Dinner, there will be some talks by scientists based at the research center and you will get some fascinating talks on the biology of the Macaws and their feeding habits. An overnight stay at the research center.

Day 4

At dawn, you will cross the river and visit the largest clay lick. Here you will see hundreds of parrots of various species arrive from all directions and perch in the tres. It is an amazing sight and sound. Then suddenly a few brave birds will swoop down onto the lick to be followed by hundreds of parrots descending. After an hour when they have had their share of the lick, the birds will ascend and there will be silence once more at which point you will return to the lodge for breakfast.

After breakfast, there is the Floodplain trail. A tropical rainforest where you will see a variety of wildlife, including spider monkeys. It is then time for lunch followed by a visit to the Macaw project to watch research workers in action.

After dinner, you have the opportunity for a night walk when more of the mammals are out and about. Another overnight stay at the research center.

Day 5

In the morning you will get to watch one of the most amazing scenes in the Amazon at a Clay Lick, watching the blue and golds grab chunks of mud to take up into the tree and the scarlets and greens squabble on the floor over the best pieces of mud. When the birds finish it is back to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon you will Palm Swamp Trail, through the remains of an oxbow lake the swamp provides food for both ground creatures and birds alike. These environments are threatened as people seek them out for growing rice.

Dinner and overnight at the Research Center.

Day 6

Breakfast then a three and half hour boat ride along the Amazon back to the Refugio Amazonas. On your return to Refugio Amazonas, you will have an excursion into the Brazil Nut Forest where you can see the camp where the seasonal workers will stay when they come to harvest the nuts. You get to see a demonstration of the whole process.

Farm Visit

Five minutes downriver is the farm of Don Manuel who will give you a tour of his farm.

Ethnobotanical Tour

A trail where you will see how every plant has its uses and you will learn about the uses of

  • Ajo-Sacha
  • Yuca de Venado
  • Uña de Gato
  • Charcot-Sacha
  • Para-Para
  • and more

After dinner, there are lectures on conversation and projects in the Tambopata National Reserve. Then your final nights stay at the Lodge

Day 7

After breakfast, you make your way by boat to the Tambopata River port and then to the Headquarters where you are transferred to the airport.

This is an amazing experience, a trip of a lifetime for anyone, and for Parrot enthusiasts, it is an experience you will never forget. Your trip down the Amazon into the heart of the reserve will show you more parrots than you have ever seen before in one place. . Check out the Parrot Lovers Expedition Peru

Final Thoughts

Whether you choose to make your own arrangements or go on an organized trip to view Parrots, I am sure you will have an experience that you will remember for a long time. Seeing large numbers of parrots and parrots sale, flocks of hundreds in some cases, is a truly stunning site and wealth worth traveling for.