The city of the guacamayas is in Venezuela

Of all the capitals of the world, Caracas is the city that hosts the largest number of psittacids, with 15 species. If someone wants to reconcile with life, and is saturated with urbanism, in our city you can find enough reasons to love nature

Knowing Venezuela is exciting and in this opportunity the macaws, which are part of the psittacines, are the protagonists of this land of grace. These birds, which are characterized by their colorful plumage and loud vocalization, make Caracas a unique destination in the world.

The conservationist David Ascanio, who has been a professional guide for bird watching for three decades, tells us of his interest in winged beings, which emerged when he was just an 11-year-old boy, since then he knew that this activity would determine the course of their life.

Among his vast experience, he counts his research as an associate of the Phelps Ornithological Collection, moderator of the AvesVenezuela.net program and co-author, along with his two sons, of the book Cantos de Aves (2008); besides preparing, at the moment, the Guide of the Birds of Venezuela

David, how do you define the macaws?

The macaws are a group of birds within a family called psittacids (Psittacidae), which includes macaws, parrots, parrots, parakeets and parrots. It is a group that has a high capacity to adapt to cities. Almost all the great capitals of the planet have one or two species of macaws.

It is a group of birds with a very strong vocalization and very colorful plumage, ranging from yellow, blue, red or green. Although there are scarlet macaws so small that they can look like a parrot, for example, in the case of Caracas there is a macaw called Maracaná (Ara severa), which is absolutely green and has a bare face.

Is it true that they are in pairs for life?

It is said of the macaws that are birds that make a couple for life, so sometimes we see them as a couple or in large groups, and this has to do with the reproductive period, which begins in the month of May.

What limits the number of individuals is the number of nests, that means that not all couples are going to reproduce. What makes Caracas a special place for the macaws is that we have more natural nests available than those that exist in a wild area.

How many species of Guacamayas live in our country?

In Venezuela there are the macaws: Bandera (Ara macao), Red (Ara chloroptera), Military or Green (Ara militaris), Dwarf or Red Shoulder (Diopsittaca nobilis), Barriga Roja (Orthopsittaca manilata), Maracaná (Ara severa) and , Blue and Yellow (Ara ararauna); We have seven species. In the city of Caracas we have the macaws: Red, Flag, Maracana and Blue and Yellow; four species.

What is your opinion about the campaign carried out by the Ministry of Popular Power for Tourism "Caracas, the city of the macaws"?

Of all the capitals of the countries of the planet, Caracas is the one that lodges greater amount of species of psitácidos: 15 species. There is even an introduced or exotic species, which is the Perico Acollarado, which breeds inside the Parque del Este (Parque Generalísimo Francisco de Miranda). We have seven species of parakeets and parakeets; four species of macaws; two species of parrots; and two species of parrots.

The importance that this has is for the concept of conservation, for reminding us that we are part of an environment; but also from the tourist point of view it is of great importance, because it turns out that there is no other place on the planet where one can go and in a visit of 2 or 3 hours to observe more than ten species of parrots. It is impressive that Caracas has this attraction that no other capital on the planet has.

What should we do, and what not, before encountering macaws?

The ability of all the birds of this family to adapt to urban areas makes citizens get used to their presence. One of the advantages is that they remind us of concepts such as freedom, joy and fidelity.

What to do? Simply let them live together, accept them as part of our environment and the life we have in the city. What we must avoid is to catch them and buy chicks. There are problems of looting, even taking place in the city of Caracas: looting macaw nests for the sale of pigeons. We must understand that the macaws are happiest free. If they are in Caracas, and they are flying, it is because they are happy.

Any curious data or anecdote that you have in relation to the macaws?

I had always been told about the little circle of the Military Circle as a spectacular place to go to see macaws. When I was a kid, this place was forbidden, because getting in was complicated. Then, the event of seeing so many macaws reaching a roost, as seen in the lake, is something I have not seen anywhere else in Venezuela. It is really impressive!

The only thing that can be likened to that moment is when the macaws arrive Flag to the mangoes in the llanero herds and one sees 15 or 20 that fly out suddenly. It is a multidimensional event, because it involves sound and color. If someone wants to reconcile with life, and is saturated with Caracas, then go to the little circle of the Military Circle and that will be enough.