If I Were Going...: Ecuador: Venturing down the Napo River

A village house

One of our outings in the jungle had us leaving the Sacha Lodge and venturing down the Napo River. Unlike our other outings, which were just five people plus a guide, we were joined by other Sacha Lodge guests for this activity.

It was a fairly large group

Wilson told us that we were headed to native village to learn about the lifestyle of the peoples native to the Amazon jungle.

So, we took the same steps we had taken to reach Sacha: canoeing across Lake Pilchicocha, hiking a mile through the jungle (yes, Scott and I walked this time and it was lovely), boarding a large motorized canoe to head to the village ...

Our boat (later in the day)

We started out early (before dawn) ...

Setting out on the Napo

... and sped down the river ...

The spray made the scenery look like an impressionist painting

We didn’t know how far we were traveling, so we didn’t realize that we had traveled much farther than the village until we saw several other boats stopped in the river in front of an exposed bank. Wilson had a surprise for us. And, it was a good one.

Parrot Lick

We were at Ecuador's most accessible Parrot lick, an exposed clay riverbank on the edge of Yasuní National Park where parrots of several different species gather in the early morning to feed on minerals that leech out of the soil.

The eroded bank attracts birds

This particular day, there was a huge flock of Mealy Parrots and a somewhat smaller group of Blue-headed Parrots.

The big ones are Mealy and the small ones are Blue-headed

Macaws, Parrots and Parakeets that visit the clay licks are thought to eat sodium-rich clay to supplement their sodium-deficient diet. Birds in coastal areas, such as Costa Rica where I had also seen Mealy Parrots, get adequate salt because a certain amount of the mineral is carried by fog and wind and deposited on the plants, fruits and seeds the birds eat.

Mealy Parrot in Costa Rica

But, here, on the other side of the tall, tall Andes, little salt can be carried by the wind. Birds need the salt for the proper development and maintenance of bones, muscles and the circulatory and nervous system. Salt also carries a variety of essential traces of minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium. Clay licks are also a source of cobalamin, otherwise known as vitamin B12.

Feeding on the mineral-rich clay

When we first arrived, I was concerned because our boat was pretty far from the shore – much farther than many of the other boats. We did jockey a bit for position and got a bit closer, but I was convinced my photos would be awful. I was pleasantly surprised with what I was able to get.

Not super sharp; But, not bad for pictures taken from a boat at a great distance

When we first arrived, the Parrots were all settled with just a few flying in and out ...

I should have recorded the sound they were making!

A couple of times, something spooked the flock and they all lifted up and flew away …

Off they went!

… only to come right back and settle back down …

Back they came!

There were also birds perched in nearby trees …

I saw only Mealy Parrots in the trees

… and occasionally, we’d see some flying off with big chunks of clay in their mouths.

Take-out

The Mealy Parrot (AKA Southern Mealy Amazon or Southern Mealy Parrot) is among the largest of Amazon Parrots at about 16 inches long.

Pretty colors (see the whitish tinge?)

Mainly green with a yellowish tail, the Mealy Parrot has a blue trailing wing edge and a bright red speculum, which is the patch on the secondary wing feathers where many birds have bright colors (think Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals).

The back and nape often have a whitish tinge, almost as if it had been covered in a thin layer of flour meal.

And, that's how they got their name.

The highly social Mealy Parrot live throughout tropical Central America and South America.

Mealy Parrots are commonly found in pairs or in large flocks and often interact with other Parrots, including Macaws (and, obviously, Blue-headed Parrots).

According to what I read, they are "usually quiet but can be loud at dusk and dawn." They are certainly very loud when they are at a Parrot Lick.

A popular pet, Mealy parrots are often poached

Because they are one of the gentlest and calmest of all Amazons, they are often bred in captivity and keep as pets.

The Blue-headed Parrot (AKA Blue-headed Pionus) is much smaller at only 10 inches long.

These guys are small

The body is mostly green, with a blue head and neck, and red undertail coverts (very hard to see). Younger birds have less blue, sometimes looking solid green. They make high-pitched squeaking calls.

They live in tropical and subtropical South America and southern Central America.

Blue-headed Parrots roost communally in palms and other trees, where large numbers can be seen at dawn and dusk.

Popular as pets, they are quieter than Amazons. They are affectionate, but not known for their talking ability.

Howlers

Just when we thought this was as cool as it was going to get, we noticed a small group of Red Howler Monkeys is some very tall trees near the Parrot lick.

They were far away and well hidden, so it took me awhile to even find them

I was surprised that my pictures turned out …

They looked a bit sad

… and even more surprised that I captured one howling because I didn’t recall hearing the howl.

This is how they got their name

Based on my experience in Costa Rica, these animals are loud. I wrote a lot about them after that trip. But, those Monkeys were jet black.

Mantled Howler Monkey in Costa Rica

These were red.

Red Howler Monkey

We didn’t see many Monkeys in Ecuador and we didn’t see them as close as the ones I saw in Costa Rica.

This was a good sighting

After this cool adventure, we turned back and headed upriver toward our stated destination: the Nueva Providencia Interpretation Center.

River Birds

When we had traveled down the Napo from Coca, I had seen very few birds. This trip was a bit more productive. I saw some Snowy Egrets …

This one has breeding plumage

Great Egrets with a Roseate Spoonbill …

A mixed group

And one Great Egret with a fish for lunch …

Lunch!

Plus, a Cocoi Heron ...

This was a Lifer for me

This beautiful bird is the largest of the South American Heron species, standing 37 to 51 inches tall.

A very tall bird

A carnivore, it hunts fish and crustaceans in shallow water, catching prey by striking its head into the water and thrusting its bill to stab downwards. It may also tilt its head downward above the water so that only its bill is immersed. During feeding, the head and neck move rapidly while the body remains immobile.

The origin of the Cocoi's name is unknown, but may be related to the bird’s common name in Chile, “Cuca,” which denotes the its call. It is more widely known in South America as Garza Mora or Black Heron.

Flying by

Cocoi Herons usually live about 10.5 years, with a maximum longevity of 24.4 years. Primarily non-migratory, they may move toward the equator during winter to seek warmer temperatures.

Native Village

Following that nature detour, we turned off the Napo onto a smaller river and paddled up to the Providencia community of Yasuní.

The "road" to the village

Major Ecuadorian Amazon tribes include Huaorani, Shuar, Achuar, Taromenane and Kichua. Each group has its own culture and language as well as a differing levels of exposure to modern life and some have not experienced it at all. Some groups cannot be visited, while others welcome tourists.

A way to earn money while maintaining a way of life

Huaorani man; Photo: NRDC

The remaining 3,000 Huaorani (also spelled Waorani) people still largely live as they have for centuries despite exposure to the outside world for more than 60 years. They hunt using blowpipes and spears. They live near the Napo.

About 40,000 Shuar people, who live in both the jungle and the mountains, are found in Ecuador and Peru. They have a reputation for being fierce warriors and are known for shrinking the heads of their slain rivals to capture the soul of the victims.

Achuar woman; Photo: Amazon Watch

The Achuar people also reside in both Ecuador and Peru. The approximately 15,000 Achuar in Ecuador have small communities, generally less than 15 households, which live close to each other but not together in a village. Traditionally, Achuar people were polygynous and partners may be related. Achuar women manage gardens, catch small game and prepare meals. Men of the Achuar tribe hunt, work in the forest and make tools.

Taromenane woman; Photo: Tracey Eaton

The Taromenane people are very remote, living in the "no contact" region of Yasuní National Park. Little is known about them, but there may be as few as only 150-300 in the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin. Even without official contact, their lifestyle is under threat from both the oil industry and illegal logging.

The Ecuadorian Amazon tribe with the largest population is the Kichua (Quichua in Spanish), who traditionally were farmers who hunted for additional food. They have vast knowledge of how to use local plants for medicinal purposes.

Many Kichuas have been exposed to regular Ecuadorian culture in recent years, leading to changes in lifestyle including adoption of the Spanish language mainly by men, wearing modern clothing and sending children to school. Many older people and women often mostly still speak Kichua. The village we visited was Kichua.

They took us into a large open-sided building with a thatched roof with seats around the walls. I understood that it was new; recently built to accommodate more guests.

The demonstration building

They gave us an overview of how the people live – a generally primitive lifestyle, but with great emphasis of providing education for the children.

A seed that is used as a light because the oil burns for a long time

A villager who became a guide

Lots of the men who work at the Sacha Lodge come from native villages, like the one we visited. They live a modern lifestyle, but often return to the village when they are not working. The people who leave the village generally miss the nature focus of home.

The program at the village started with a discussion of food. They always have a fire burning in the home where they cook the various vegetables they both cultivate and harvest from the jungle.

The hearth

Two of the women explained (in their native language, which was translated) their normal day, which includes harvesting with a machete, hauling produce in a large basket that is carried with a headband and squatting for all cooking activities. Most of the time, the women also have a baby on the hip.

Her daughter watched, but wasn't on her hip

They asked for volunteers to try carrying the head basket …

Jenny volunteered to carry the basket ...

… and to experience how they prepare yuca …

... and she tried out the pounding mallet

We tasted some brewed tea, which was fairly bland. I wondered if it was safe, since it was made with water and we weren’t supposed to drink the water. But, Wilson encouraged us to drink.

Drinks; Left: Jenny Owen; Right: Scott Stevens

I figured that, since Sacha Lodge arranges this visit, it must be safe. I mean, why would the Lodge want to constantly deal with guests with upset stomachs?

Then, they offered a fermented drink, which Wilson told us not to drink for fear of stomach upset.

Fine with me, I didn’t want to drink it anyway. The other (non-Gate 1) guests did. I wonder how they fared.

Then, we went outdoors for a blow dart demonstration. Many cultures use blowguns, almost exclusively for hunting small animals. The native Amazonians use blow darts, often tipped with poison from frogs, for hunting Monkeys, Agoutis and birds. They are very rarely used to attack people.

Several of our team members tried their hand (and lungs), discovering that it not that easy to use a blowgun.

Don (looking much like an explorer) took a turn

Some fell short, some dramatically overshot the small Monkey statuette used as a target and none did as well as the guide (of course, he learned to do this as a child).

No darts showing! Right photo: Scott Stevens

Wilson painted some of our faces, using the juice of an achiote fruit.

The tribes often paint their faces; Right photo: Scott Stevens

When we returned to the demonstration room, they had laid out a buffet that included plantains, yuca, grubs and other local specialties.

A big spread; Right photo: Scott Stevens

I tried some sugar cane, but was feeling a bit queasy from the heat and smoke in the room. Wilson said the people are generally healthy due to diet and exercise. But, I wonder what toll inside cooking spits exact.

Wilson and Don both ate live grubs. No, thank you!! I tried one (cooked) in Africa and that was bad enough.

Grubs! Left photo: Scott Stevens; Right photo: Jenny Owen

I am always a bit uncomfortable at these “learn about my life” events ...

But, most people love it; Photo: Jenny Owen

... because I am never of the opinion that they just love having us there. It is a way to make a living, so I don’t begrudge them the opportunity.

The male “hosts” were also guides at Sacha and seemed very happy to speak with us. The women seemed very uncomfortable, but perhaps they are just shy.