Peru is a large country with many different regions. Ocean, desert, highlands, and an enormous extension of jungle surrounds the Amazon River and many of its tributaries. This large, green patch of forest is a biodiverse region with more than 1,500 species of birds. To this number, we must add mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. There is just so much here for the observer and nature lover.
Our destination today was the Pacaya River, one of the tributaries of the Ucayali River. Forests and swamps with floating vegetation are home to insects, frogs, and many birds, including horned screamers and egrets. Among the floating vegetations of the swamps, many trees host a number of birds, including parrots, nunbirds, and the most elusive of all, the pygmy owl! This little owl is not often seen as it is the smallest of the region. In addition to these sightings, we also spotted troops of squirrel monkeys and red howlers!
This flooded forest has several black water lagoons that are home to many river dolphins and plenty of freshwater fish. Where there are fish, there are also birds that are fish consumers.
In the afternoon, we headed to another destination on the shore of the Ucayali River. Here we boarded our fleet of skiffs and explored the Magdalena River and its surrounding forests. Immediately, we found river dolphins foraging at the very mouth of the river. This region offers so much to visitors, such as several species of toucans, large woodpeckers, and, if you are lucky, the plum-throated cotinga we found today!
