Today’s adventure was to visit the Macaw Mountain Bird Sanctuary.

Our trip begins with a wild and crazy moto taxi ride to the park…hills and cobblestones so hang on tight!

Many of the birds have been rescued from the illegal bird trade or donated by individuals concerned for their condition or unable to care for them long-term. When their owners come to understand how much attention these intelligent creatures need and just how long the relationship may last, we often have another donation. We are also entrusted regularly with the care for birds seized in confiscations.

As the park developed, the mission began to shift from simply caring for birds to educating the public and rescuing and releasing them.

The reality for the scarlet macaws is that only 30 to 40 percent of the rescued birds can fly; 10 to 20 percent can be paired for breeding, and the rest become part of the long-term care group.

The first group of macaws was released in April 2011 and complemented the 14 birds already residing in Copán. With the eleventh release in June 2024, there are now more than 100 scarlet macaws flying over the ruins and the valley below.

I have posted a video on my YouTube channel @rosemaryadamick217