Trips

The Threat to the Amazon’s birds

June 16, 2012 by Renato 5 Comments

The latest news from IUCN Redlist regarding birds is not good. The risk of extinction for Amazonian birds has increased substantially:

07 June 2012
The risk of extinction has increased substantially for nearly 100 species of Amazonian birds, reveals the 2012 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ update for birds released today by BirdLife International. The new assessment is based on models projecting the extent and pattern of deforestation across the Amazon. You can find the article here.

This gloomy article made want to go birding in the Amazon before it is gone. The exuberance of the Amazon jungle is a compelling drive to get people to explore this disappearing eco-system, so I thought I would post some beautiful pictures of Amazonian birds.

A photo my wife took at Gareno Lodge, I call it mutual admiration:

A baby Spectacled Owl and a Homo sapiens that contributes to the destruction of the forest!

The destruction of the Amazon forest is due to the economic pressure that all of us exert as we participate in the consumption of resources needed to support life.

Here is a picture of many Cobalt-winged Parakeets and Orange-cheeked Parrots sharing some good mineral water without causing any harm to the environment:

Cobalt-winged Parakeet and Orange-cheeked Parrot

Here is another large group of Parrots and Parakeets flying without polluting the air:

Dusky-headed Parakeets – Mealy Amazon Parrots – Blue-capped Parrots

But wait, here is a barge full of oil drilling equipment floating next to me and of course they will cause lots of damage to the environment:

Barge-full of Oil Drilling Equipment

Here is a pair of harmless White-winged Swallows in Love:

White-winged Swallows

Here is pair of loving-polluting humans:

Humans Polluting in the Napo River

Here is a Hoatzin making-it in the jungle:


A beautiful Large-billed Tern flies by:

Large-billed Tern

A pair of Capped Herons resting near the Napo River while I rest in Manatee Amazon Explorer:

Capped Heron

A rare Moriche Oriole shows up at Sani Lodge:

Moriche Oriole

A beautiful Pale-vented Pigeon displays at Sani Lodge:

Pale-vented Pigeon

A White-necked Puffbird panting next to me at the Jatun Sacha Observation Tower:

White-necked Puffbird

A new sunrise at the Jatun Sacha Observation Tower:

Beautiful Sunrise at observation tower in Jatun Sacha Reserve near Tena. Only for the brave!

So what are you waiting for; come and visit the Amazon before we spoil it!

Oil extraction near Napo River

Written by Renato
Renato was born in Quito, Ecuador and quickly flew to the USA to learn all about engineering and climbing company ladders. After getting his engineering degree from the University of Minnesota he worked in the Standard-American-Rat-Race-Company for fifteen years. After climbing the ladder to where he could no longer see the ground, he decided to jump off the ladder and migrate south like all normal birds do. To his surprise home did not look like it did when he left as a young fledgling; the towns were bigger, most of his friends had nests of their own, and the countryside was changed. Shocked by all the change he searched for a new life and a new wife. He stumbled across a vivacious young chick who would accompany him inside a volcanic crater to set up a love nest. So, after eight years of nesting inside the crater a new love for nature and birds has sprung a career in environmental conservation and birding tours. Finally this bird has come home to roost!