- Macaw’s clay lick - PERU MYSTERIES
- AN EXCITING ADVENTURE
The word "collpa" (macaw clay lick) comes from the Quechua language and means salty ground. These are places where numerous animal species congregate to lick and consume various minerals (various birds and mammals), which are rich in these areas. The clay or soil of these places contains calcium, sodium, and mineral salts that supplement nutrition and reduce the toxic effects of the alkaloids present in the leaves, fruits, and seeds consumed by the animals. There are many places with these characteristics in the rainforest, especially on riverbanks and cliffs.
THE "BLANQUILLO" MACAW CLAY LICK
The Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick is a clay promontory located on the banks of the river in the buffer zone of Manu National Park, where hundreds of parakeets, parrots, and macaws gather to ingest clay as a supplement to their diet of fruits and seeds. There are two theories as to why parakeets, parrots, and macaws consume this clay:
The first, and most widely accepted, is that the clay contains salts and minerals that complement their daily diet of leaves, fruits, and seeds.
Another theory, holds that parakeets, parrots, and macaws consume green fruits and seeds containing tannins and use the salts from the clay lick as a natural antacid. Tannins are toxic substances produced by many plants as a natural defense against being eaten by certain animals. It is not known exactly how much tannin parrots can ingest, but the clay lick may reduce the toxic effects.
It is most likely that psittacines consume clay due to a combination of both theories.
THE HIDEAWAY
Thanks to the hides, strategically located in front of the Blanquillo clay lick, you can watch the activity with amazement. This strategically located hide allows you to observe these wonderful birds without disturbing their activity, and thanks to this hide, you increase your chances of enjoying this beautiful spectacle.
THE ACTIVITY
The first to arrive are the parakeets, followed by the parrots, and finally the macaws. These birds congregate in the treetops and begin to appear flying in pairs, trios, or quadruples (in the case of pairs with one or two chicks). The color of these spectacular birds becomes even more pronounced at dawn; the same is true for the clay lick, which suddenly takes on an intense ochre color.
The parakeets, parrots, and macaws perch individually on the tree branches; they are sociable birds that, when they meet, seem to converse with each other. Many scientists classify the intelligence of certain psittacines as being on par with that of dolphins or chimpanzees. The green plumage of the smaller species allows them to camouflage themselves with the vegetation growing there. Then, the large macaws begin to descend with greater confidence to eat clay.
Their behavior is fun to watch; they groom each other, make deafening sounds, hang their beaks by one leg, and peck each other, until at any moment the small Amazonian macaws begin to fly from one side of the clay lick to the other, until, after several attempts, they descend to the wall and begin to take up positions.
This multicolored spectacle they present is a whim of nature, both when the birds are flying and when they are at the clay lick. Often, between 40 and 50 large macaws can be seen feeding at the clay lick at the same time, not to mention at least 200 parakeets and parrots. Macaws spend most of their time in the trees near the clay lick; for this reason, they are exposed to attacks from predators such as larger birds of prey. Because of this, these birds are very alert and nervous, and at the slightest alarm call, they all fly off at once in a burst of incomparable color.
Activity at clay licks usually begins shortly before dawn, when the first parrots perch on the highest branches of nearby trees, usually in pairs, while singing and waiting for the rest of the birds to gather to protect themselves from predators in the area. Gradually, the trees fill with multicolored birds, and then they begin to circle in front of the clay lick or simply descend to an area of ??low vegetation. Once they are sure there are no predators, they congregate in groups on the clay to consume it.
But it's not only parrots, parakeets, and macaws that eat clay from the clay lick; Other bird species, such as guans and doves, among others, frequently do so.
The species of macaws that inhabit the area:
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