Are you a nature enthusiast looking for some unique wildlife experience in the Peruvian Amazon Jungles? If so, Manu National Park’s Macaw Clay Lick is a must-visit location for you!
The sight of hundreds of colourful parrots and macaws of the Western Amazon Basin will not only delight you but also astonish you with their odd behaviour of clay licking, since it is unheard in other parts of the world.
What is the Macaw Clay Lick in Manu National Park?
Macaws and other parrots flock into the riverbanks of the Western Amazon basin within Peru’s boundaries to make this Macaw Clay Lick in the cultural zone of Manu National Park. Every day this 50-meter-high steep bank of riverbank becomes a must-stop for more than 15 species of parrots and macaws, who come in search of the nutritious lick.
While the exact reason for this behaviour is unknown, many researchers believe that parrots and macaws come to this clay lick in Manu National Park to fulfil their sodium requirements! Some studies also have shown that this clay removes toxins through the process of adsorption from the animal bodies, such as the tannins synthesized in plants. It is said that clay binds those toxins before they are absorbed into the digestive tract and then is eliminated as necessary.
But you need a lot of patience to watch the birds here because the slightest disturbance can scare them away. So, make sure to be silent all the time when you are at the clay lick of Manu. You can also wear camouflaging clothes to blend in with nature.
Simply said, the Macaw Clay Lick in Manu National Park is heaven for bird lovers, because you get the opportunity to see and hear a lot of different birds in closer proximity. Don’t forget to look around carefully as you might get a very rare opportunity to see a jaguar or an ocelot preying on Macaws and other birds near the clay lick.
Anyone planning to visit the Macaw Clay Lick should at least spend 4-5 hours here to get the best experience in this place. However, you should also remember that weather conditions can drastically affect the gathering of parrots and macaws. So, if you by chance visit on a gloomy and rainy day, there will be no birds here. The best time to visit the Macaw Clay Lick would be when there are lots of fruits nearby, preferably between April to October.
A day trip or an overnight tour is the most practical way to get to the clay lick and experience the breathtaking sight of Macaws in action. But you can also combine this experience into a longer trip of two, three or four days in the Amazon Peruvian jungles. This will give you the chance to see macaw clay lick at Manu but also go on jungle hiking, take in the beautiful scenery of Palotoa River, see other wildlife and do tropical birdwatching too.
