My Top Three Birds in South America
by Michael Webster, author of The Condor’s Feather
For five years we followed and filmed birds the length of the continent. We started in Tierra del Fuego and blazed trails in our Toyota Hilux along the length of the Andes all the way to the Caribbean coast of Colombia. We survived dust storms in Patagonia, treacherous floods in the rainforests, slept in sub-zero temperatures with the aid of oxygen masks and finally were inches away from being swept out to sea. It was our love for birds and supporting those protecting them that kept us going. Out of a list of a thousand species seen here are the three species that resonate in my memories.
Number 3 The Lesser Rhea
The Lesser Rhea was discovered by Charles Darwin on his epic voyage. Wary of people they are not easy to see. I would more likely see their periscope like neck appearing above the leathery bushes of the Patagonian plain, then witness them rushing off with their bustle of waving feathers like an old washerwoman.
Number 2 The Andean Condor
The Andean Condor is revered by ancient peoples the length of South America. Many indigenous groups believe that only this bird can take their soul to heaven. One of the biggest birds on the planet they circle a mile high on the lookout for carrion beneath. The primary feathers are nearly a meter long, unbending scimitars of power.
Number 1 The Hooded Grebe
The Hooded Grebe has been seen by only a handful of people and remains one of the rarest species in South America. For me I’m not attracted by its rarity but instead by its life style. The bird lives in saucer shaped volcanic lagoons on the top hat plateaus in Argentina’s Andean foothills. Strikingly black and white with an amber tiara they have one of the most captivating and comical courtship dances in the animal kingdom.
The Condor’s Feather by Michael Webster is available now for £14.99