El Parque Condor

We arrived in Otovalo for Clairy's birthday, a couple of days before the market. An added bonus of this was that it meant we had time to venture a little bit out of town to a fascinating place that had caught my eye. It was called a Parque Condor and was recently built dutch foundation that rehabilitates raptors, vultures and other birds of prey. It is located on a steep hillside about 5km from Otavalo.

We hailed a cabby and as usual he indicated a special rate would apply. Fortunately it was still only 5 dollars so that wasn't a problem. He also chatted away to us indicating a hefty steaming lunch on the passenger seat and seemed to be waiting for some kind of response. I thought he was asking if we were peckish at all, so said my usual 'Si', but sadly it turned out he was just checking if it was ok for him to drop it off somewhere before we headed on to our destination. Oh well.

The park was quite a way out along some seriously bumpy tracks. As he repeatedly thrashed it over the chunky pot-holes I didn't feel too bad about the fair as maybe it would go towards purchasing some new suspension. We arranged for him to return to pick us up in an hour, then headed on in. The entrance fee was a tiny 3 dollars each.

We followed the cobbled track round the site, the birds were all outside in their fairly big enclosures. I still felt rather sorry for them as they were all so enourmous and with the wind howling on the stunning hillside you knew they wanted to be miles up in the air soaring about. I consoled myself that most of them were being rehabilitated, and might hopefully be one day set free.

This gorgeous Black Hawk-Eagle was hopping around by himself and properly checked us out.


This pair of Black Chested Buzzard Eagles were standing on their perches leaning right into the wind.


The male would hop up and glide on the breeze.




The views from the park were stunning.




This King Vulture was colossal. He didn't fancy coming out of his byambyoo hut mind.


Here's the beautiful Harpy Eagle. He was really active and curious.


This pair of American Kestrels were quite content to chill where they were.


A Harris Hawk. Super sharp looking beak. He kept shifting from foot to foot like a very slow riverdance.


These Snowy Owls were so bright they looked like they were glowing. They were perfectly still apart from swivelling there heads to watch us. Beautiful things.


I have to say, maybe just because I've seen then before in Britain, but I think the Barn Owls were the most beautiful.


We noticed this lovely Stygian Owl peeking out of its little refuge at us before we got there. When we walked up he stared at us and blinked repeatedly. I had to take about 5 piccies to get one with his eyes open.


Then finally we got down to the vast enclosure containing a pair of stunning Andean Condors. I hadn't realised that they were part of the vulture family. They were just so big it is hard to describe. Clairy thought that their bodies were the size of Alsatians!


But like every other species the male was only interested in one thing (well, apart from food). He was endlessly pestering his mate. Chasing after and nipping her poor thing, his beak looked vicious. It made for an incredible sight though.




Like some other male vultures he had a weird gnarly appendage on top of his head.


I got right up next to him. He was so massive! I thought he was getting a bit interested in me...


But no. A lady was coming up with a big bucket of meaty bits. She seemed totally unafraid as she stomped round dragging some unpleasantly stringy things behind.


Mmmm....tasty. Love his fluffy white collar.


After this we headed down to the auditorium where one of the Dutch owners was training a beautiful little hawk. This was absolutely mesmerising as he repeatedly got it to fly off into the huge skies above and occasionally after much calling it would decided to come back to grab the meaty treats he swung around.


It was only a young-un however and after a little while we all noticed another wild bird approaching it. They had a quick mid-air battle and the little hawk swiftly headed back to the trainer and he called it a day not wanting it to get injured.

Rather quickly, it seemed, our hour was up, and our cheerful taxi driver was ready and waiting. On the way back down we had some lovely views and asked him to slow down so we could get a couple of pics. The landscape was jaw dropping. I loved the way the fields get smaller and smaller as they disappear up towards the top of the volcano. It must be back breaking work on those steep slopes.


Otovalo from above.