Imagine waking up to the sound of chirping crickets, the air thick with humidity, and the scent of damp earth all around you. That’s what it felt like in the Amazon Rainforest! My family and I traveled to Puerto Maldonado, deep in the jungle, to experience one of nature’s most amazing spectacles—the gathering of rainbow macaws at a clay lick along the Tambopata River.
Rainbow macaws, also called scarlet macaws, are some of the most striking birds in the rainforest. They have bright red feathers covering most of their bodies, with bold blue, yellow, and green feathers on their wings and tail. Their beaks are large and powerful, perfect for cracking nuts and seeds.
Seeing the macaws was absolutely breathtaking! At first, they perched high in the trees above the clay lick, squawking loudly to each other and always sticking close to their partners. Then, one by one, they swooped down, their brilliant red, blue, and yellow feathers flashing in the sunlight. Watching through a telescope from a distance, it felt like a living rainbow was coming to life before my eyes. If any of you have ever been to the Tiki Room at Disneyland, this was like stepping into a real-life version—only wilder and more magical!
