Some birds of the Yungas
Encountering a wild animal and watching it move in its natural habitat is an incredible moment.
But it is not easy to time a meeting with the inhabitants of the Yungas: it is sometimes a matter of luck, though it mostly comes down to patience and the right attitude.
Surucuá
A distant relative of the quetzal, it feeds mainly on insects and fruit. Being very discreet, it is hard to spot despite its striking colours.
Toco Toucan
Its enormous bill serves to reach inaccessible fruits, regulate its body temperature and communicate with other toucans, whether for courtship or to defend its territory.
White-bellied Hummingbird
It is tiny: barely 9 centimetres long and weighing just a few grams. You hear its buzzing before seeing it dart at full speed from flower to flower, sipping nectar.
Dusky-legged Guan
This large forest bird usually moves in pairs or small groups through the treetops. Its loud, hoarse call rings out at dawn, marking the awakening of the jungle.
Yungas Pygmy Owl
This tiny owl (or caburé) is a nocturnal bird of prey no bigger than a fist, yet a formidable hunter of insects and rodents. You can tell it is nearby by the false eyes marked on the feathers at the back of its head.
Tucumán Amazon
Inseparable from alder forests, this green parrot with a grey forehead travels in very noisy flocks. It depends heavily on old trees to build its nests and find shelter.
Red-legged Seriema
It strides through the undergrowth on long legs and prefers running to flying. It spends its time hunting snakes, lizards and large insects on the ground. Its powerful call, which sounds like a wild laugh, can be heard for kilometres around.
