Melanosuchus niger The Black Caiman is the largest and most formidable of the Caiman species, capable of reaching 16ft in length. One must exercise caution when you find yourself in a narrow body of water with one of these large crocodilians, as we did on more than one occasion. Lake Anangu, Ecuador
Donacobius atricapilla A familiar bird of marshes and wetlands throughout much of the Amazon Basin. Despite it's relatively common occurrence in South America, it is an understudied and poorly understood bird. It is known to be a cooperative breeding species, however. Lake Anangu, Ecuador
Blue-headed Parrots (Pionus menstruus), Dusky-headed Parakeets (Aratinga weddellii), and Mealy Amazons (Amazona farinosa), all gather to consume clay along the banks of the Napo River. The ingestion of clay neutralizes the toxins in their stomach that results from a diet rich in raw nuts. Napo River, Ecuador
