{"id":5550,"date":"2019-12-20T11:46:10","date_gmt":"2019-12-20T10:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/albicillaexplorer.com\/?p=5550"},"modified":"2023-05-05T17:52:46","modified_gmt":"2023-05-05T15:52:46","slug":"plenty-of-water-where-were-the-swifts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/albicillaexplorer.com\/en\/plenty-of-water-where-were-the-swifts\/","title":{"rendered":"There was plenty of water, but where were the Swifts?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
All photos and video \u00a9 Bente Steffensen & Uffe Damm Andersen<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The bird in the national park’s logo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

There was plenty of water, but where were the Swifts<\/em>? It was late May and we were at the famous Iguazu Falls in Iguazu National Park. The swifts we were looking for were the Great Dusky Swift<\/strong> – the bird in the national park’s logo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remarkable thing about the Great Dusky Swift is that they roost and breeds at waterfalls and the nests are placed adjacent to – or even behind – the rushing water of the waterfalls! That is clever because then the waterfalls act as a protective wall against predators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With its numerous waterfalls and the surrounding rainforest, the Iguazu Falls are a perfect area for the species, which also houses a large population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about the Great Dusky Swift and Iguaz\u00fa National Park in the fact box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Great Dusky Swift is in the National Park’s logo. Iguazu National Park, Misiones, Argentina.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sendero Macuco <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We had spent all morning in the national park watching birds on the Macuco trail. We were lucky and got to see a flock of Spot-winged Wood-Quail crossing the trail in front of us. Along the way, there were tanagers<\/em> and manakins<\/em>, among others Band-tailed Manakin<\/strong> just to name one of the birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were many birds and quiet and peaceful. On the Macuco trail, tourists do not come. Well, we only met a few local tourists. And that’s probably because that – besides a few small waterfalls – you can’t see the many impressive waterfalls, because you’re inside the rainforest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later in the day we would of course also see and experience the waterfalls and their most interesting residents – Great Dusky Swift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"En
A female Band-tailed Manakin (Pipra fasciicauda). Sendero Macuca,, Iguazu National Park, Misiones, Argentina. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An inferno of rushing water<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It was wet at the Devil’s Throat<\/em> – the largest and most impressive of the 275 waterfalls that make up the Iguazu Falls. It was an inferno of water and the noise of the rushing water was very loud. The water flow was huge and with a force that a mist of water droplets hung over the Devil’s Throat, which could be seen from a long distance. And not only that, some rain showers enhanced the experience of water and more water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there were no swifts to see – neither in the air nor on the cliffs, which we patiently scanned with our binoculars. It was not an easy task. Not only because of the fog but also because the space on the viewing platform was packed with people – tourists trying to get the perfect selfie in front of the Devil’s Throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n