COSTA RICA’S SCARLET MACAWS AMAZING BEAUTIFUL AND ENDANGERED

It has been a thrill of my lifetime to see and photograph these stunning Scarlet Macaw beauties. Their incredible colours make my heart skip when I see them flash through the trees or across the sky. Their intelligence and humorous character delights as they almost always watch you, unless they are otherwise engaged in intensive cuddling and kissing. There is quite a lot of that to follow! From Enchanting-Blog Amazing travel News: “ When you do sight a Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), they are a breathtaking rainbow of colors -fire engine red bodies with sunshine yellow and royal blue wing feathers tinged with a bit of green, and a distinct stark white patch around both eyes…Between poaching and loss of habitat from deforestation Scarlet Macaws are now an endangered species.” Shannon Farley. The Cornell Lab Merlin Bird ID Help: Scarlet Macaws “Uncommon. Spectacular, huge, and long-tailed parrot wiped out from most areas by capture for the pet trade; attempts at reintroduction are taking place in some protected areas. Found very locally in lowland rainforest and adjacent semi-open areas with big trees; usually in pairs. Unmistakable, bright scarlet red overall with big yellow wing patches and mostly blue wings and rump. Calls are deep throaty roars that carry long distances”. Like so many beautiful birds on our precious planet, Scarlet Macaws are now endangered with estimates of only 1500 remaining. The different sources are unclear as some say this is the total for South & Central America. Others say there 1500 are in Costa Rica. Along the Pacific Coast I have seen several replantings of the precious Beach Almond tree. The Macaws love the seeds and this replanting must continue and expand. My original file has over 80 images I have tried halving them, but it is so hard as each one carries a memory of the encounters with these wonderful characters of nature. So I share about 40 beauties with you.

Figure 1 A stunning display of acrobatics and fantastically brilliant colour from the largest parrots in the world: The Scarlet Macaw! Jaco

Figure 2 This is incredible to see a flock of over twenty Scarlet Macaws in one tree. Herradura Beach. There were more not shown; to the right.

Figure 3 Dexterous use of his sharp claws makes it easy to eat the nuts. Herradura

Figure 4 Maybe it’s the season. Wonderful to see the romance. Jaco

Figure 5 A careful maneuver to kiss around that sharp beak. “Do not bite my tongue my love”. Jaco

Figure 6 Always inquisitive and alert. Today they were tender and playful. Jaco

Figure 7 Love the head gear. Uvita

Figure 8 Lovely pair Uvita beach in Almond Beach Tree.

Figure 9 Once you find a clear view they often sit still and check out the camera. The Almond Beach nuts are their favourite food. Herradura

Figure 10 So amazing to snap a close-up of the Scarlet Macaw in the wild. Herradura

Figure 11 Really enjoying his best food ever. You can

sometimes guess where you might find the Scarlet

Macaws by the freshly discarded Beach Almond nuts.

Herradura

Figure 12 Really close buddies. Always watching out for each other. Limonal

Figure 13 The tail feathers are incredibly long. A mature bird is about 81cm or 32 inches. About half is the tail. Jaco

Figure 14 Smooching time! Very cute. Jaco

Figure 15 Sparkling intelligent eyes. Herradura

Figure 16 An extremely high, long, shot but the bright morning sun helps the sharpness and beautiful, brilliant colours as she eats the flowers. Jaco near beach.

Figure 17 A beautiful scene. Couples can often be seen wings beating in unison. Jaco

Figure 18 Such a beautiful display of amazing, ravishing red feathers. Jaco

Figure 19 Shows the great wingspan of about 1 metre. Uvita 50m from Hotel

Figure 20 Wonderful to see close -up in flight. Jaco

Figure 21 Beautiful showing most of her colours while she enjoys flowers and nectar. Jaco

Figure 22 Stunning landing at Jaco. “My sweetheart good Almonds down here”.

Figure 23 Landing gear down. Watch out below! Jaco

Figure 24 The couples fly close and often beat together. Jaco

Figure 25 They never seem threatened and only fly off when they are ready for a new menu or hang-out at Uvita

Figure 26 I really love this display of spectacular colour and landing skills. Jaco

Figure 27 The right wing was truly a sign of affection. I really felt it was meant for me to see they were a great couple. Limonal

Figure 28 They usually fly fast making it exceedingly difficult to get an overhead photo. Beautiful pair happy, free, enjoy life with smiling faces. Jaco

Figure 29 Love is in the trees. Jaco across the street from Hotel

Figure 30 “So really love you today and for the rest of my life”. They mate for life. Jaco

Figure 31 Very rare to sight such a large flock together. Herradura

Figure 32 An incredible party and a lot of chatter… maybe rain on the way. Herradura

Figure 33 An exceedingly difficult shot inside the Uvita Beach jungle while

they were moving about so much in poor light, in a Cecropia tree, eating

nectar needed for their diet.

Figure 34 We are family. Beautiful mates: “My dear it’s been 50 years! What will we do for a party?”. Limonal

Figure 35 Magnificent four flying high over Jaco

Figure 36 Beautiful couple always together in unison flight. Jaco

Figure 37 Breakfast over I’m off for a drink. Jaco

Figure 38 This clearly shows the importance of the Beach Almond nuts. Herradura. Lucky to be sighted in a low tree for a close-up photo just 3m range.

Figure 39 Beautiful wings as she lands in Beach Almond. I like to think of this as a “Victory” sign for the Scarlet Macaws. We will survive! Jaco

Figure 40 Taken just after launch from the Beach Almond tree as she gets her wings sorted. Picasso Blue Period: take a bow. Jaco

I do hope you have enjoyed these wonderful Scarlet Macaws. They are said to mate for life and live from

50-70 years. The poaching, pet trade and destruction of habitat such as the Amazon Forest must stop.

International sanctions and huge fines on countries that allow bird and animal trade and smuggling must

be enforced. It must stop! The replanting and protection schemes like those in Costa Rica must be

supported and extended.

I often wake in Uvita to the sounds of many birds including the raucous squawks of the fantastically brilliant Scarlet Macaws in the high trees beside my cabin: What a wonderful world!

Terry

Uvita

July 26, 2020

Day 117

justbirding.com provided a few of the words above