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The Tambopata Macaw Project: A new era is coming

Founded and created the same year (1989)  by  Eduardo Nycander and Kurt Holle, the Tambopata Macaw Project, and Rainforest Expeditions were born together in Madre de Dios, PERU.

Under their direction, the project began with the goal of learning about the basic ecology, natural history of macaws, and methodologies for rescuing and rearing macaws in artificial nests so that this information could be used to help their conservation and so that those methodologies could be perfected and put into practice in other places where macaws have disappeared or decreased dramatically. In 1994, an extensive article on the project was published in the famous National Geographic magazine, including a cover that catapulted the fame of the project, Tambopata Research Center, and the macaw clay licks or collpas.

As the project was evolving from 2002 to 2020 a new director assumed the leadership of the project, Dr. Donald Brightsmith, who has contributed important advances in knowledge about wild macaws.

For many years, the project consisted of a long-term multidisciplinary study of the natural history, conservation, and management of macaws and parrots. The main topics of study included monitoring and observation of macaw nests, increasing the survival rates of chicks and juveniles, documenting patterns of clay lick use, and understanding the impact of tourism on the macaw clay lick.

Dr. Donald Brightsmith and his team focused the project on understanding the links between the clay lick, nesting, tree phenology (flowering and fruiting), and movements of parrots in and out of the area. Thousands of mornings of observation of the huge clay wall and literally hundreds of thousands of records may be the largest set of parrot data ever assembled.

Due to their large size and beauty, macaws are excellent flagship species like Harpy Eagles, jaguars, and river wolves, serving as charismatic focal points for ecosystem conservation. Unfortunately, in most tropical America, these umbrella species have suffered large population declines.

In recent years, Dr. Donald Brightsmith has been developing and evaluating techniques to increase the reproductive output of wild macaws, expanding the knowledge of macaw nesting behavior, increasing our understanding of the complexities of collpa use, tracking macaw movements through satellite telemetry, and evaluating tourism as a tool for macaw and forest protection.

Macaw Clay Lick by Carlos Gonzales

Chuncho clay lick by Carlos Gonzales

Some important discoveries developed by his team include:

  1. The climate influences the seasonal behavior of the Collpa Colorado, the number of parrots varies depending on whether it is rainy or sunny days
  2. Seasonal climatic changes generate fluctuations in the annual food supply for Parrots and Macaws (flowers, green fruits and ripe fruits). Food availability is apparently lowest at the end of the wet season and early dry season (March – July) and highest in the early wet season in mid-December and January.
  3.   This fluctuation in the food supply drives two things: the annual movements of Parrots to and from the area around TRC and the timing of breeding.
  4. When there is less food, the birds apparently leave the area around TRC as the number of birds in the forest decreases drastically from April to July.
  5. The timing of breeding is apparently driven by the food supply: the number of breeding Parrot species is closely related to the number of trees in fruit or flowers. However, not all species reproduce simultaneously. Smaller species apparently reproduce before larger ones.
  6.   Parrot movements out of the area during periods of low food abundance reduce the number of birds using the clay lick. When food supplies are high, birds apparently congregate in the vicinity of the clay lick.
  7. The timing of breeding also influences the number of birds in the clay lick, as for most Parrot species, the clay lick uses beaks during the breeding season, specifically when the birds have nestlings. Scarlet Macaws feed their chicks large amounts of clay, especially when the chicks are young. As they grow, the amount of clay they receive decreases and the total use of the Collpa decreases as well. 
  8. Evidence has also been found that the use of clay licks depends on the bird’s need for sodium. Using soil samples analyzed by researchers at Texas A&M University, it was found that birds apparently prefer soils with higher sodium content over soils that are better at neutralizing toxins.

Scarlet Macaws in Tambopata

Scarlett Macaws by Paul Bertner

We at Rainforest Expeditions believe that the key to protecting not only the clay licks and macaws but also the entire forest ecosystem and its umbrella species such as jaguars, otters, and harpy eagles by having more allies for conservation. By giving added value to the forest and producing greater benefits for local communities, these allies form a barrier that protects the forest from illegal activities such as logging, coca leaf cultivation, hunting, and mining.

Integrating the scientific community with visitors and promoting citizen science is also crucial for conservation. We launched Wired Amazon, a conservation program in 2018 that includes citizen science projects like AmazonCam, Aerobotany, and Discovering New Species. The latter project, in collaboration with the San Marcos Natural History Museum and the University of Guelph, has discovered 26 new species in just four years.

Donate to Wired Amazon Program

In 2020, Dr. Donald Brightsmith and his team left the Tambopata Research Center and formed the Macaw Society to continue their work in macaw conservation. 

Attention all fans of the Wired Amazon Program! Exciting news!

After 20 years, Eduardo Nycander returns to Tambopata, where the whole dream of saving the macaws began, where Rainforest Expeditions was born. This time together with the Museum of Natural History of the National University of San Marcos, they will add innovative technology for the conservation of macaws in the region and Latin America. The new goal will be to contribute to the reduction of threats to macaw conservation in the Madre de Dios Region through the use of the best available technology.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn more about the new season and be a part of the journey. Join us now and let’s save the future of the macaws together!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TAMBOPATA MACAW PROJECT HERE

  • What our guest say

    • Valuation Excellent
    • 5/5

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Such a wonderful experience deep in a part of the Amazon, Tambopata NP. They really involve you with what is happening at the research centre with evening lectures. The meals are outstanding and the rooms are comfortable and I had the best sleep. Dino our guide was outstanding. The river trip to see the Macaw claylicks was a beautiful outing. We saw Capybaras along the river and it was very scenic. The staff are friendly and very engaging. As a tour operator who sends clients to AFRICA for safari, I was hugely satisfied. Thank you, gracious. Food & drinks: Good was simply delicious Read all

An amazing experience in the Peruvian jungle. the information about the centre was very accurate so I knew what to expect but was blown away by the experience and competence of my guide for the four nights, Juan Carlos Yatto. JC was looking for birds for me from the moment he collected me at the airport, so we saw birds on the drive and on the boat ride as well as on the excursions themselves. I was in Peru three weeks and JC was my best guide by far. Don't miss the clay licks for sure, and the tower is also well worth the climb. Food and people are wonderful and the research very interesting. Read all

Das Tambopata Research Center ist eine wunderbare Lodge im Nationalpark Tambopata. Die charmanten, miteinander verbundenen Aufenthaltsräume und Zimmer befinden sich auf hölzernen Stelzen. Bei den offenen Gemeinschaftsräumen gibt es gemütliche Sitzecken, eine wunderbare Hängemattenrelaxzone und einen herrlichen Restaurantbereich, wo zu jeder Zeit Tee, Kaffee und Wasser zur Verfügung stehen. Die stilvollen Zimmer verfügen über bequeme Betten mit Moskitonetz und moderne, saubere Duschbereiche. Die Research Center Lodge mit den Forschungseinrichtungen liegt inmitten des Regenwaldes umgeben von der reinen Natur mit der fantastischen Flora und Fauna, welche dort auch weiterhin erforscht und geschützt wird. Jeden Abend gibt es dazu sehr interessante Vorträge. Die Mitarbeiter sind sehr freundlich, offen und zuvorkommend. Die Buffets waren sehr köstlich und reichhaltig mit Gerichten aus der Region. Es wird großer Wert auf ökologische und nachhaltig umweltschonende Bewirtschaftung gelegt. Von der Lodge aus ist es möglich, mit ausgebildeten Guides in Gruppen von maximal 6 Personen verschiedene Exkursionen zu machen. Speziell Timo war ausgesprochen freundlich, auf unsere Sicherheit bedacht, ging auf die individuellen Interessen der einzelnen Personen ein und vermittelte uns in seiner kompetenten Art umfangreiches Wissen über die Pflanzen- und Tierwelt. Er hatte dabei die wunderbare Fähigkeit, versteckte Wildtiere zu entdecken, und verschaffte uns wunderschöne Momente, auch durch das mitgetragene Teleskop, wodurch wir der Tierwelt näher sein konnten. So sahen wir u.a. Brüllaffen, Kapuzineraffen und Spideraffen mit ihren Kindern, viele Vögel insbesondere Papageien wie z.B. Scharlach- und Gelbbauch-Aras sowie Wasserschweine und verschiedene Insekten. Wir können diese wunderbare Lodge absolut weiterempfehlen. Die herrliche Tier- und Pflanzenwelt in dem wunderbar erhaltenen und geschützten Regenwald des Amazonas war auf unserer Peru-Reise ein wirklich fantastisches Erlebnis! Read all

Rainforest Expeditions is a wonderful company and the Posadas Amazonas lodge is a beautiful location to spend your time in the Amazon. The staff are all incredibly kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. The tours were very fun and we saw lots of animals including River otters, monkeys, birds, and capybaras. We loved our guide Luis and all the people we met. The food was delicious and locally grown and there was never a dull moment. Would highly recommend! Read all

I went to Posada as part of a wider group trip, so did not pay for it directly. The lodge feels very far from anywhere and yet it feels incredibly safe. The rooms are open to nature, but nothing was ever damaged (use the safe boxes as advised, especially for food - not that you'll need any - the catering is excellent, with plenty of vegetarian options, and snacks are also provided between meals). There are flushing toilets, incredible shower facilities and the beds are very comfortable with mosquito nets placed at night by the staff. Drinking water vats are strategicvally placed throughout the lodge but you may have a long-ish walk to the common areas through corridors. Some parts of the corridors are open to the elements, but umbrellas are provided everywhere in case of rain. There is obviously no air conditioning, but this helps you acclimatise. The lodge is run by a family and others from the Infierno community, which gives the place a homely feel, with resident tour guides and a local geologist for citizen science projects. Massage services are available and there is a local shop for souvenirs and essentials like bug spray, clothing and torches. Tons of activities can be arranged, but it's also nice to relax in the hammocks and common areas and listen to the sounds of nature. While this hotel is not going to be for everyone, I had the most incredible time! Read all

The place to go if you want to see Macaws in the Peruvian rainforest. We stayed at the Tambopata Reaearch Centre (TRC) for three days and had Juan Carlos Yatto as our guide for the duration of our stay. We loved the mission of the TRC ie Macaw conservation and the link between Macaw nest site availability and the overall health of the rainforest. Juan Carlos Yatto (there is another JC at the research centre) was a fantastic guide and really made a difference to our experience at the TRC. His knowledge of the different species of wildlife and plants was amazing, his ability to spot things in the day or at night was phenomenal and he really made things accessible for our group. His English is excellent (including great humour when appropriate) and is a super guy. I really do recommend the TRC abd Juan Carlos Yatto as a guide. We saw an abundance of wildlife of all descriptions thanks to him and learned a huge amount without being overloaded. Read all

Two planes, a bus and a boat…that’s how we made it to TRC, and every minute was worth it. Tambopata is a jewel, from the moment you are greeted by the guide assigned to you (Juan Carlos Gonzales for us) to the last boat ride back to civilization. Juan Carlos was amazing…on just one hike he found five of the seven species of monkeys in the area! He is truly an expert..can hear, see and even SMELL animals, birds and insects to point out to us. We upgraded to a deluxe suite and it was decadent! An elegant outdoor tub and shower on a private balcony was soo nice’ Although we went in the rainy season, it never rained while on a hike or excursion. It rained for a few minutes on our late afternoon cruise , but not enough to dampen our enthusiasm, or prevent us from seeing a capybara in the mid! (And despite the warning of a lot of mosquitoes, I have been bitten more in my own back yard!) The bar is great, there’s PLENTY of food…we are going home feeling so lucky to have had such a great connection to the beauty of the Amazon. Read all

We had a fantastic time for our 3N/4D stay at Tambopata Research Center. The whole experience was marvellous. Rooms and facilities were great and meals superb. The Staff, ably led by Tanya the manager, were all friendly and helpful. This is the only lodge actually inside the Tambopata National Park, and we enjoyed being so "remote". I like that you have one guide who coordinates and takes you on all your activities; Jair our guide was amazing. One morning our planned activity was rained out, and I liked that they have alternative "wet weather" activities planned. There are lectures each night by researchers, which were very interesting. Also citizen science projects that you can participate in. All up, it was a fantastic way to experience the Peruvian Amazon. Read all

Posada Amazonas by Rainforest Expeditions is an extraordinary place. From your arrival at the airport in Puerto Maldonado all the staff is always attentive to your needs. You travel by boat to the hotel Posada Amazonas and it is a unique experience. It really is a total disconnection and a recollection with Mother Nature 🌎 The buffet lunch is delicious (already included in the price). You have a guide who speaks Spanish and English at all times and accompanies you to explore the jungle, the river and other activities. The price is worth it. Outside my room I caught a glimpse of monkeys :) The night sky is starry and very spectacular ✨️ 5 star service. I will definitely come back. Read all

I stayed with my parents at Refugio Amazonas for 3 days. We really enjoyed our stay and had a wonderful time here. The staff were extremely kind and well informed. The lodge manager- Arturo in particular was very helpful. To highlight their culture: They prepared special vegetarian meals for my parents, always ensured we felt comfortable and all our needs were met. A stay here is a must do to get a real feel of the Amazon rainforest on your trip to Peru! Noteworthy details: There are a lot of activities for kids and families to do, but my personal favourites are: Macaw Claylick, OxBow river ride, sunset cruise and the canopy tower. Read all

An incredible and unparalleled experience I felt fortunate Read all

I can't express how amazing our guides were. Incredibly knowledgeable and able to spot birds, frogs, spiders, animals, etc. with an almost unbelievable ability. The research and contributions to the jungle they are making at the Center are to be commended. The facilities were nice and kept clean and the staff was great, but between the walls in the rooms being open to the jungle, the heat, the bugs, underpowered fans, having to completely cover up for hikes due to bugs and then getting overheated, etc. it made for a tough stay. The food was good but after a couple days became repetitive. I would recommend this for serious birders who are willing to endure a bit for an incredible adventure. Read all

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