Bird Park Photo Tour
After a 26 hour journey, we arrived at the Iguassu Falls airport surprisingly awake and refreshed, fueled mostly by pure excitement for what we were about to experience. Our welcome to the Hotel das Cataratas in the National Park couldn’t have been more incredible. After a quick pop over to the actual falls to take it all in, we decided to spend our first afternoon at the Parque das Aves, the famous bird park right near the entrance to Iguazu Falls National Park. We’d read great things and knew that a visit was a must during our time here.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Would it be an open space where we could interact with birds or more of a zoo concept (I’m not a fan of zoos)? If you’re wondering the same, I can tell you it’s a bit of both, and its so incredibly well done it’s 100% worth a visit. It’s the largest bird park in Latin America and represents more of a conservation project than a typical zoo experience. The majority, if not all, of the birds are rescued from trafficking or abusive situations and brought to the park to live out their lives. We could tell during our journey that it was more than a simple tourist attraction to make a quick dollar. They were clearly investing in the space and taking great care of the animals that call the park home.
The tour starts in what seems to be more of a zoo-like format (birds in large cages with informational notes about each) and progresses into great open spaces where you get to walk through the flora and fauna in a more natural setting, with birds flying around you. Seeing toucans up close and personal was a brilliant experience for me, but I definitely developed a heightened appreciation for many of these birds in general. It’s awesome to see them in their ‘natural habitats’ (somewhat), interacting with one another. Check out some of the photos from the Parque das Aves below, and continue reading to find out more about the crown jewel of the park: the Macaw Aviary.
The Macaw Aviary
The Macaw Aviary at Parque das Aves was a hands down highlight for me. I have always been absolutely fascinated and enamored with Macaws (I think many people are). Their colors are out of this world, like they were dip dyed in the boldest rainbow that ever existed.
We approached the final stretch of the park and could hear the macaws from a distance. Approaching from a fair bit away, we could see their bold colors dotting the edge of the fencing, many of them gathered at either end of their space. I didn’t realize that we were going to be able to go inside the aviary.
So. Cool.
If these birds are spectacular from a distance, they’re insanely stunning up close. Watching them play, eat and interact was truly an awesome experience. We stood inside for 20+ minutes just observing, in awe that we had macaws flying past us over head in some sort of synchronized ceremony. You have to experience it to feel the magic in the space, but suffice it to say that a visit to Parque das Aves is 100% a must if you’re visiting Foz de Iguacu and have more than a single day in the area. Check out pics from the aviary below.
Not a bad first half day at Foz de Iguacu. Definitely the beginning of a beautiful journey.
Practical Information
Parque das Aves is open from 8AM – 5PM, which are hours that represent when you can enter the space. The park officially closes at 6PM when the last visitors are required to leave the park.
Have Brazilian Reals ready to use and expect to pay R$34 per person (about $11).
Allot about 2 hours to visit the park, though you may not need quite that much. Depending on which areas fascinate you, you may find yourself lingering for a while to observe.
Have you been to Parque das Aves? What did you think? What were the highlights for you?
xo from Brazil,
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