Dreaming at the top of the trees: Canopy Birds

Watching the world below me I feel like a bird that always belonged here, I feel so good, so peaceful I just need wings to feel the freedom of be alive. Here in the canopy of the Rainforest you can hear, smell, watch, touch and taste the life.

I have been working here for about two years and every day is something new, but now I am just going to talk about canopy birds. Here at the top of Earth`s lungs you can find awesome creatures and colourful birds. For example, you can see mixed flocks of Tanagers: Paradise Tanager (Tangara chilensis), Green and Gold Tanager (Tangara schrankii), Turquoise Tanager (Tangara mexicana), Opal-Crowned Tanager (Tangara callophrys), White-Shouldered Tanager (Tachyphonus luctuosus), Swallow Tanager (Tersina viridis) with Dacnis, Woodpeckers, Honeycreepers and sometimes even with mammals.

I can see the Toucans (Ramphastos sp.) eating fruits at the top of the trees and flocks of Aracaris (Pteroglossus sp) flying one after one from tree to tree, "talking" between them while they search for food. I feel part of this conversation, because they are around me, looking at this rare bird, without wings nor feathers, that is staring at them ... and I think ... as the song says: "what a wonderful World".

White-Throated Toucan

Lettered Aracari

But, then I realize that I am not the only one looking quietly around here. Just in front of me, on the next tree, there is a Roadside Hawk, searching for it´s next prey, very quiet, just moving the eyes and sometimes the head, just waiting for the correct time to make the move. Suddenly, he flies towards the ground, he saw something, but I can´t see what, he is going fast, the ground is close and finally he hits the prey with his talons. The prey is fast too, and by now it´s alive... good luck for the next time my friend, you are going to do it.

Roadside Hawk

It´s a totally new experience up here, a new perspective of the life of the Rainforest, another reason to preserve this paradise. There are a lot of new creatures that that born, live and die in this ecosistem and I am going to do whatever I can to keep this place healthy.

Yellow-Rumped Cacique

Rufous-Bellied Euphonia

Plumbeous Pigeon