Red-fronted Macaw Lodge
Bolivia

The Red-fronted Macaw Lodge is a nice little bird-watching accommodation located in the dry Andean valley habitats west of the city of Santa Cruz in Bolivia.

As suggested by the name, it is the place to see the Red-fronted Macaw, a rare bird that is thought to number only about a 1000 individuals in the wild. Here's a picture of some of them...

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The lodge has spectacular views being placed adjacent to cliffs. Included in the price is a local Spanish-speaking guide. They can take you around the tracks. If you want to hire an English-speaking guide, this is at extra cost and must be done in advance. 

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There are feeding tables scattered with seeds for the birds. Several arid habitat species pop by to feed on the seed, including:

There are also other species to be seen just around the lodge...

...and the 'Bolivian Cowbird', an endemic to not only the country of Bolivia, but the drier habitats of this region, (and making up it's own unique genus)...

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For seeing large flocks of the Macaws it is recommended to go in the breeding season over spring and summer. 

A trick your guide might do to get extra good looks: you will get behind a hide and they spread peanuts out near the cliffs that the parrots come to feed on.

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And it’s not just the Macaws. The second most obvious and common species of parrot around the lodge, and sharing the breeding cliff space with the Macaws, are the 'Cliff Parakeets'.

...and there are other parrots around, including...

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Keep an eye out near the cliffs for the 'Cliff Flycatcher', a South American flycatcher which is distinctive and easy to identify in look, habitat and habit.

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And don't forget to look up for the...

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Besides the natural history around the lodge, there are walks in the adjacent farmland, and also some cliffs with rock art, and archeological sites with pottery that the local guide can take you to...

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Getting anywhere on road takes a long time in Bolivia, even if the distances are short in theory. And this is no different. If you are coming from Santa Cruz, give yourself the better part of a day to get there. There are fantastic views all the way, so you will want to stop and photograph the landscapes. Also give time for the very low speed limit in Bolivia, getting stuck behind trucks, and waiting to get petrol. It is a good idea to break the journey up with a night in charming Samaipata, or a stay at the Refugio Los Volcanes. Just before you get to the lodge, if it is the dry season, you can drive across a river. Although the locals do it all the time (image below) it is a good idea to arrange to meet the guide at the highway turn-off, so they can lead you the right way across. If the river is flooding, you have to go the alternative way: this is long, but interesting. Either way, fill up on petrol before leaving the city!

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The author below exploring the Inter-Andean dry valley habitats around the lodge.

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