MACAWS IN COSTA RICA
In 1993 my wife and myself visited Panama and Costa Rica in order, amongst other things, to see what bird life was to be seen, primary interest being macaws.
We had heard that the best place to see Macaws was the Corcovado reserve in the S.W. of Costa Rica so this was where we headed first. We had no other information but looking at the map the best approach seemed to be to first go to Puerto Jimenes (picture, 15K) on the Golfo Dulce. We therefore caught the bus first to Divisa and thence to Puerto Jimenes. This latter bus is not to be undertaken lightly as the road is ballasted but not metalled and is pretty atrocious. (We later discovered that one can get there by ferry across the gulf from Golfito-too late!) Puerto Jimenes has a fairly frontier town atmosphere, the roads are all unmade, however the inhabitants are hospitable and there is plenty of fairly basic accommodation available, in fact the beginnings of a tourist industry, the spit and sawdust bars are starting to tart up.
Starting in the bars we soon found plenty of volunteers to take us into the reserve at a startling variety of prices.We finally found a couple of American surveyors who agreed to pick us up the next day for a very reasonable sum and transport us to the reserve.
The transport turned out to be a large pickup of ancient design (picture, 18K) which also accommodated a half dozen locals as well as us. We set off, the driver exhibiting a degree of lunacy that had not been apparent at the bar last night, traversing roads that would have defeated a lesser vehicle, dropping off the locals at some miserable hovels. The landscape was spectacular to extreme. The road was an old logging track, the most desirable timber had long since gone leaving a mass of secondary growth.
On the flat areas farmsteads had been set up and even small hamlets, however the mountain slopes were far too steep for such activities, only the most desperate attempted it. The rugged volcanic slopes began abruptly, there was no level ground at all, most of the slopes were at about sixty degrees. The rough track which had been bulldozed through the terrain clung to the sides of sheer precipices, we bounced over deep ruts and plunged down into one valley after another. Dense forest closed in around us one moment, the next we climbed to the top of some crag and briefly glimpsed a seemingly endless panorama of yet more hills and forest.
After about two hours we emerged on a beach which was as far as they were going. There was a small shack there which was the local bar, picture, 17K) where the custom came from or indeed the stock was beyond me.
Having refreshed ourselves appropriately and inspected the bar's parrot (picture, 14K) we set off along the beach, which apparently was where the Macaws were. It was pretty hard going as the sand was light and volcanic even at the sea's edge where wet. The scenery however was superb, long Pacific rollers thundered in on our left, on our right, a dense mass of trees and shrubs. Palms leaned over a deserted and pristine beach picture, 13K) littered with strange sea shells and coconuts. The sky was a deep blue, towering cumulus clouds picture, 17K) sailed in on a stiff sea breeze. A brassy sun blazed down on our heads necessitating frequent stops to refresh ourselves. Long skeins of pelicans picture, 7K) soared on stiff wings along the back of the rolling surf. Suddenly a raucous and familiar cry was heard-Macaws, but where? Eventually we were able to see them gorging themselves on ripe figs high in the trees, bickering and squabbling amongst themselves, a pair of scarlets. After a few minutes we attempted to creep up on them. However as we were on the open beach there was no chance, they spotted us and were away, and a jolly fine sight they were too, an explosion of colour against a brilliant sky, screeching to one another even in flight.
Doggedly we continued along the beach for it was by now extremely hot. Sure enough we came across a group of them,at least five, again noisily feeding on the figs. This time we craftily crept up on them and were able to watch for a half hour. They seemed to have little regard for predators,scrambling about in the treetops, the racket was incredible. I attempted a few photographs with the long lens, but branches always intervened. I consoled myself with the thought that it was a good memory even if the photos were not much cop. We saw a few more pairs in the next hour (or were they the same ones following us about?) and then had to return.
The next day at Puerto Jimenes we saw more Macaws in large trees by the football field there. We also discovered that various people were able to attract them to bird tables in their gardens.
So what are their chances in the wild? The locals seem to be aware of their value as a tourist asset, as a non expert they would seem to me to be moderately hard to trap with the populace alert to this possibility. However the are very easy to find due to the extraordinary and incessant racket and therefore easy to shoot. Their normal habitat is in the lowlands which are the most densely populated areas of Costa Rica. We only saw them in this area although we were informed there is a population in the Carara Biological Reserve which we had not time to visit. I suspect there is not much time. If you want to see them flying free, go now tomorrow will be too late.
Also not to be missed in Costa Rica is the Monte Verde cloud forest biological reserve. NO macaws here but the humming birds are amazing and can be viewed up close at the feeders. Such tiny birds, so bold, aggressive and fearless!
This reserve is privately owned and does not appear on Tourist Board information. It makes a rather long days trip from San Jose. Once again plenty of local operators will take you.
