Volunteers

Volunteers come to Amigos from all parts of the world. During my stay, I worked with volunteers from Holland, Denmark, the US and Switzerland - myself representing Canada - and this during only 6 weeks. I stayed at a homestay with Margarita and Johnny de Campos, only ten minutes walk away. Margarita speaks fluent english and takes wonderful care of all her guests, cooking three amazing meals a day and taking care of laundry It's a great opportunity to meet new people.
A typical day for a volunteer at the Breeding Centre which begins at 7am. Guard dogs get fed, flights unlocked for feeding and cleaning, fruit is chopped and other maintenance, feeding and cleaning is done. This takes the better half of the morning, any extra time is easily filled as there is always something that needs doing. Lunch breaks from 12 - 2pm, affording the opportunity for a nap in the hammock, and then back to work 2-4pm. Afternoon jobs involve checking all the flights for food and any problems, an afternoon snack for the birds, toymaking and securing everything for the night. Work is 6 days a week, it is not hard but the hours make it difficult to go anywhere other than Alajuela after work. Any sightseeing is best saved for a day off or time set aside at the end of your stay for travelling.
I had the good fortune to spend five days working with soon to be reintroduced Macaws in Tiskita. I flew down in a small 5 seater plane with another volunteer and the six birds. A little under 25 birds have already been released on the 600 acre property of Tiskita Jungle Lodge. Our job for the short time I was there, was to feed and monitor the progress of the birds. In an absolutely gorgeous and remote setting on the pacific coast, Tiskita is luch and green and teaming with wildlife - hot and humid and right on the beach. It was fascinating to observe the birds - that I had only worked with in captivity. It gave me a much better understanding of what Amigos de las Aves has accomplished. They are a wonderful organisation, the volunteer program is easy, educational and a once in a lifetime opportunity. I would recommend it to anyone!

Volunteering in Tiskita with Jeff Wegner
Jaunary 2006

Volunteering for Amigos de las Aves was an incredibly rewarding experience. The determination and dedication of Richard and Margot, Marti and Dale, and all others involved is impressive. There is a lot of work involved into creating the magic of free flying scarlet macaws. And to witness their antics daily and begin to identify them as individuals and pairs was powerful.

I was afforded the luxury of a flight to Tiskita Jungle Lodge, and to record the daily habits, behavior, diet, and all observations of the released scarlet macaws. Tiskita provides a true rainforest experience, complete with heat and humidity, the scents and sounds and sights of countless species of orchids,birds, mammals, lizards and seemingly everything and lots of it. Tiskita provided the jungle trails up the ridge that I would take 2 or 3 times daily. These trails were steep and demanding, and after time became easier. They were always a joy to take - some sighting of a troop of white faced capuchins, or howlers, or the swiftly fleeing skinks and lizards, or tree climbing 4 foot iguanas were always occurring.

But it was always the scarlet macaws. As each day passed, I found myself becoming even more enchanted. A typical day began at 5 am with the promise of the first sighting of the day. Sometimes these began at the orchard, where there was a wide sweeping view and macaw sightings provided directions to pursue later. Sometimes these mornings began with a walk to the end of the road - Punto Banco, where many macaws roost at night. Other mornings were spent up the ridge to see which macaws still spent time in the release area.

After breakfast, a similar routine followed, always trying to position myself where the macaws would be. It was very rewarding when my daily observations put me at the beach almond trees near La Ponderosa and four macaws do arrive and begin going wild eating almonds, the fruit remains almost raining upon me. Or when I do see macaws Bird A and Bird B way upon the backside of the ridge, their beaks stained from the bark of a tree . Or to be looking across the valley of the orchard and to see a pair of macaws in flight, beginning a series of days watching a pair - Bird C and Bird D, intently as they explored the area. Sometimes, my guesses proved wrong, and I simply enjoyed the beauty of the rainforest and whatever wildlife presented itself.

After lunch provided another opportunity to see macaws, and where to go depended more on where you went and what you already did that day. Once, in Pavones I was able to spend over an hour and ten minutes watching a pair mating and all of that behavior. Once, I was able to see Bird E fly to a large balsa tree and eat the flower petals of three orchids, then fly even closer to eat a guava fruit. Or watch Bird F and Bird G share a guava fruit, or to watch them peel and eat the branches of the avocado tree.

And each afternoon ended with a supplemental feeding way upon the ridge. How many macaws and which ones will show up today? And after about an hour studying their behavior, watching pair bonds and struggling at proper identification, the sight is clean and the sky is darkening and it's time to get back for another fantastic Costa Rican sunset. A peace always set in then, as another day was spent simply following the macaws, getting to know and understand them, and being lucky enough to see them free in the wild.

I am confident that the macaws at Tiskita will produce baby chicks soon. They have acclimated quite nicely to this fantastic place. Many are coming into sexual maturity and are developing strong pair bonds, and all of the macaws are in good or excellent health, with a widening diversity of foods eaten. I will have to be patient but plan on returning to Amigos de las Aves and Tiskita again to see my friends there and all of the macaws again. You do get attached to them.

Report from Davina Hill
Volunteering for the second time!!!
Tiskita 2005

It was the beginning of 2004 when I first came to volunteer for Amigos de las Aves. I had just completed an MSc in Ecology and was looking for some field experience in behavioural ecology; something a bit different that would challenge me and allow me to develop some new skills.

After a breathtaking flight by light aircraft over the mountains of Costa Rica, I touched down in Tiskita with seven scarlet macaws that had been selected for release. These birds were to acclimatise to the new conditions in an aviary over the next few weeks. My job for the time being would be to monitor the eleven birds that had previously been introduced to determine how well they were adapting to a natural environment. I observed feeding, self-maintenance, courtship and nesting behaviour. I also monitored the movements of the birds by tracking them on foot and by collecting sightings from local people. Eventually, the new macaws were released into the wild and incorporated into the study.

My day as a field volunteer was certainly intensive. It would begin with dawn observations and end when the birds came to roost. In between I would track the birds over long distances in hot, humid conditions, or observe them for hours at a time.

Nevertheless the experience was immensely rewarding. Each day took me along winding jungle trails where I might encounter a troop of squirrel monkeys, a pig-like peccary, a sloth or even an armadillo; as if seeing the macaws soaring overhead were not reward enough. As well as experiencing nature firsthand, it was a great opportunity to learn Spanish and to gain a unique insight into Latin American culture. The four months passed so quickly, and I was determined to return again soon.

And so I did, following a six-month project on chameleon conservation in Greece. I was keen to see how the macaw project was progressing and to build upon the skills I had gained during my first trip. This time I had the chance to develop my own investigation: a study of the social dynamics within the flock. The biggest challenge was in learning to distinguish each individual macaw, since two more releases had occurred while I'd been away. It was great to be back, and I think I appreciated the experience more the second time round.

A month later, I am working with birds once more, but this time with zebra finches, investigating sexual conflict and division of labour in incubation effort at Glasgow University for my PhD.

Report by Paul Atkin
Senior Keeper at Zoological Society of London
October 2004 - February 2005
March 2005
Experiences in Tiskita

It's 5.30 in the morning, the alarm has just gone off and it's just starting to get light. It wasn't the alarm clock that woke me up, that dubious honour goes to a troop of howler monkeys, the thousands of cicadas and crickets and that one annoying mosquito that always manages to find a way through my mosquito net! Actually I've been awake for about an hour, too excited to sleep as I've just spent my first night in a tropical rainforest.

By trade I'm a zoo keeper, having spent the last 10 years of my life working at London Zoo looking after various animals from ants to Anteaters. My biggest passion is Insects.

I came to Costa Rica to visit a friend, Lindell Andrews, who was volunteering with Amigos del las Aves and to help out where I could myself. After spending 5 days in Alajuela, getting to know Margo and Richard and finding out a bit more about the charity, I flew down to Tiskita with Lindell and 10 Scarlet Macaws for release in the area.

The work I did here consisted mainly of feeding and cleaning out the birds (not a million miles from my day job, but different enough!) and doing behavioural observations on them. Other volunteers were making observations on the Macaws already released in the area.

I'd start the day at 5.30 when the sun rises and either watch the birds for a couple of hours or go of to collect fruit for them. Sitting watching the birds for 2 hours straight can get a little boring until a huge blue Morpho butterfly flies past or a hummingbird comes to say hello. Because I spent most of my time walking around in the rainforest this meant I got to see tons of other types of wildlife including 3 types of monkeys, Agoutis, Coatis, frogs, Lizards, Snakes,

Hummingbirds, Toucans, Vultures, Spiders, Butterflies…..The list could go on for….well a long time! With all these animals waiting find I was rarely seen without my camera and managed to take nearly 30 rolls of film! The living arrangements are basic but perfectly comfortable if you don't mind roughing it a bit. There are a couple of cabins on the beach front but I chose to share the tree house with Lindell near where the Macaws are kept in their pre-release aviary. This is a bit more basic than the cabins (it's a small room on stilts with no walls and a tin roof!) but it does have 2 comfortable beds, running water, a flushing toilet and a shower - sort of! But best of all in my opinion, you get the full effect of living in a rainforest. You only have to open your eyes and you're seeing something new! At this point I should warn anyone contemplating the tree house that to get to it you do need to climb a particularly steep hill. It does take a bit of getting used to if, like me, your not used to the temperature and humidity and you will definitely need a torch.

Although I got bitten, rained on, was permanently sweaty and completely exhausted at the end of each day I loved every minute. Next time I will definitely go for longer.

Volunteering in Tiskita for three months as part of an intern program from
Oregon State University.
September - December 2005
Macaws and Mud Puddles of Punta Banco
By Kate Faulkner

I came to intern at Amigos de las Aves as part of my Bachelor's degree program at Oregon State University. Never in all my life had I imagined myself working on a place like Punta Banco (black sand beaches and rainforest!) The wildlife in that area is amazing and it seems there is some new critter around each bend. But of course, the macaws are the real stars.

During the wet season no macaws are released, so much of the work at this time involves monitoring the macaws as they learn how to live in the wild. The days start before sunrise. My coworker, Craig, and I spent the mornings looking for and watching roosting sites, followed by intensive observations of individual macaws. In the afternoons, we fed the birds sunflower seeds and made sure we knew which birds were present and which were not. The sound of 20 begging macaws was deafening at times, but watching the intense food fights made it bearable in the end.

As I said, it was the "wet" season and the name does not lie. There were days when the rain did not stop. There were landslides that blocked the road, a road that was turned into a river itself. When it rained like this, the birds didn't do much (who wants to fly in that?), but this provided time to work on side projects, such as compiling a macaw food guide for future interns.

Once I got over the wetness factor, I found out how much fun it was to bike in the rain and go swimming fully clothed (you're already wet!). Another perk to the wet season is that the Pretoma turtle project is in Punta Banco (July-Dec). During free time, there were usually baby turtles to release on the beach and at night there were turtle walks. Plus, the turtle volunteers were just plain fun to hang out with! Just before I returned to San Jose, Pretoma held the annual Festival de las Tortugas in the town plaza and it was the most fun I've had in years! It's a small town with flavor, and I will always think of my time there working with the macaws fondly.

Volunteering with Katherine Herborn
from Imperial College, London
Tiskita
March - June 2005

Hiya, my name's Katherine, I worked at Tiskita for three months in 2005, and have been dreaming of going back ever since! Working with the birds was an amazing experience - they have the intelligence (and playground manners) of three year old children.

The first job is to learn to tell them apart: this squawking blur of primary colours - it seems impossible. Birds everywhere! But then the revelation comes - quite suddenly: every bird has its own wingspots, its own flight path, its own personality and favourite fruit.. Its really satisfying, watching your daily notes turn slowly into soap opera. My fellow volunteer - the wonderful Ilona and I were very lucky with our timing: we saw the release of 9 macaws, and followed their progress as they left the aviary and began picking up the wilder habits of the older birds. There are certain jobs that have to be done every day, and the work can be quite physical -hauling beach almonds up the side of the mountain in the swealtering heat.. (you will get calves of steel).
But otherwise there is a lot of lee-way to run around in the jungle, go to the beach.. For three months I was katelina, or the lapa girl: I learnt to speak spanish (un pocito..) and got to know the residents of Punta Banco; I ate fruit from the trees; I slept in the treehouse with monkeys on the roof.. Punta Banco is an amazingly beautiful place. I would highly recommend volunteering. I would also highly recommend "learning spanish with Michel Thomas".

Working with the macaws was invaluable field experience that has set me well on the way to a lifetime of working with birds, and I am now working on my MRes to that intention.

Volunteering at Tiskita
Leanne Bower 28th June - 5th September 2005

The journey from San Jose to Tiskita is the scariest thing in the world, going over bridges with only two planks of wood and forty foot drop, on the bumpiests old bus you could imangine, winding through the propical rain forest leaving civilisation and most technolgies behind but its definitely worth it.

When you arrive at Tiskita you find yourself in the most beautiful place. When you wake up in the morninings you can roll out of bed, on one side into the heart of the Costa Rican rian forest, with its fabulous deversity of plants and wildlife, or roll out of the other side of bed and onto a gorgeous sandy beach with palm trees and beautiful views. To meet the local people and share their lives for a few precious weeks, to eat with them and be accepted with such generosity is unique and heart warming.

After a long walk up that hill, when you get the first glimpse of the tree house and then behond to the release site everything comes together, you know all the hard work at the centre has paid off and you feel privileged to have such a rare opportunity to work with and see the macaws in their natural habitat.

There are definitely memories to be treasured and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to go on a life changing journey.

Volunteer at the Breeding Centre
Tammy Johnson, zookeeper
Seaworld, Gold Coast,
Western Australia.
September 2006

I had the opportunity to spend a month volunteering at Amigos de las Aves in Costa Rica. I found this project on the internet and was really inspired by their success to release their captive-bred macaws to the wild.

I come from Australia where I work at Seaworld caring for marine mammals, so travelling overseas to work amongst the beautiful macaws of Costa Rica was something very different and exciting for me to experience.

I really enjoyed being part of the team to care for the macaws that will ultimatly be flying free and also the daily care and play times with the many refuge birds. It is also a great opportunity to meet other like minded volunteers who come from all over the world to do the same thing.

Margaritas homestay really was the home away from home where she provided 3 great meals a day, laundry and very comfortable living.

I would recommend volunteering at Amigos de las Aves to anyone who has a passion for birds and wants to be part of a meaningful conservation project.

Chris Kozak
Biologist at Harvard University. USA.
Volunteering in Tiskita
June/July 2007

As a student of biology with no experience in the tropics, I felt tremendous excitement since the first time I glimpsed the green plains and forests of Costa Rica from the plane. The few days spent at Flor de Mayo before leaving for the field work at Tiskita were only a start of the steep learning curve: in fact, I don't think that any amount of theoretical study on birds and conservation could give me the same amount of appreciation and understanding of tropical nature that I gained during the two months of volunteering for Amigos de las Aves.

To me the work with macaws was a mixture of expectation, wonder and surprise. Collecting information on these magnificent birds was always full of surprises. Even though one may know their basic biology, behavior and habits of the birds observed at the release site, a lot remains unclear and uncertain. Many times the climb to the release site was rewarded with no more than a brief visit from a few birds. At other times, walking deeper in the woods one suddenly heard the familiar "rrrrooowka!" from the canopy just above. Nevertheless, the times when observations came at the expense of most efforts were the most exciting ones for me: it is a great feeling to finally see a bird after sitting under its favorite tree for five hours! In the same manner, there was a sense of joy when a bird unseen for the previous month eventually emerged from the forest at one of the feeding times.

Even though it was the macaws that took me to Punta Banco, the place proved to be full of other attractions for a beginning naturalist. Small and robust ecosystems of rock reefs a few meters away from the gate to Tiskita, a stunning variety of birds in the garden outside the volunteer house, enormous, wet forest-covered rocks heads on the way south, breathtaking views of dozens of vultures soaring overhead, turtle nests on the beach, richness of animals suddenly encountered at all times of day - I often found it hard to focus my attention on seeking and observing the macaws! It is definitely a great privilege not only to work with a spectacular species, but also in beautiful and diverse surroundings.

And then there are the people. The opportunity for conservation work makes Punta Banco a place for many great people concerned with the fate of different species, ranging from the macaws, through turtles to monkeys. Whether one wants to learn about the species seen around or hear the folk stories of adventures with animals, there are always ticos and gringos alike to ask. I personally really enjoyed working with other volunteers at Amigos and learning from Ilona's experiences with the birds. Other people made me even more aware of the local environment and of the importance of the macaws to the human community.

It would be hard to describe appropriately how enriching the field work for Amigos de las Aves is. Whether you are a macaw specialist, a birdwatcher or simply a nature lover, there is only one way to discover: experience it yourself!

Katie Holmes
Volunteering in Tiskita
August 2007

When I first thought about volunteering, I thought I would like to volunteer with animals, meet new people, and find a part of me that I had lost, my spirit. Being a photographer makes you look at places and things differently. I have never been good with words, but can express what is in my mind through photography.

I chose Amigos de la Aves for many reasons, but mostly because Macaws are so photogenic. What photographer would not want to photograph these amazing creatures so intensely colorful and almost-humanly expressive? But what I got was something so much more than what I expected.

I first arrived to Tiskita Jungle Lodge after a 13-hour bus ride from Daisy's house in Alajuela. I was with another volunteer, Marie-Aude. We could not stop smiling, even when we had to walk up the hill to the Lodge with 50 pounds each on our backs. The scenery was amazing and we felt nothing but special. How did a small-town girl from South Carolina get chosen to live in a place like this and get to work with the most amazing birds in the world? To say the least, I was happy, and a big step further in the world than I was before.

If you are going to Tiskita, the local people of Punta Banco have seen volunteers come and go for years. Respect them, and remember that you are in their territory. They really appreciate people who talk to them. Even if you don't know Spanish, or know it well, they will respect that you at least try. The climate is humid, and things grow mouldy and rust quickly. Toiletries and food are in Punta Banco. If you feel like you need more clothes, you can get on the bus at 5am and travel 3 hours to Paso Conaes. They have clothing that is super cheap and everything else in the world you could possible need. Just bear in mind that you are in a third-world country, and you really don't need much.

The local mini-super, which is owned and operated by Alicia and her husband Alfaro, has the basics. For eating a meal in Punta Banco, you have three options. The food is basic and repetitive, but you will get used to it and miss it when you return home. There is T.T. I guanas, more commonly know as "The Turtle House," Raquel's Cabinas, or "the bar", owned and operated by Nana and her husband. And thirdly, there is the mini-super. Let these wonderful people know what you would like to eat and ask what time would be sufficient for them. Everything is $4 or less. Three meals a day was hard for me to do, but it might work for you.

There is no phone in Punta Banco, but there is one in Pavones. When I left in August of 2007, they had just started an internet café in Pavones. It is about an hour and a half walk. Sometimes you can hitchhike, but is not guaranteed. It depends on whether there is anyone driving down the road. Hitchhiking is safe for the most part.

It is hot and humid. Bring clothing that you can throw away at the end of the trip after spending time with the birds.

My visit to Tiskita and Punta Banco - was one of the best adventures I ever had.

Jeff Wegner returning to Tiskita
with his wife Terry
Volunteering January 2008

Returning to observe the macaws of the Tiskita flock was another fantastic experience. It is a pleasure and very rewarding to see how this project is progressing and to see firsthand how it has been successful

The highlight of this trip was in observing two active macaw nests. After a few years in trying, we feel that at least one particular pair may be successful in raising baby scarlet macaws this year. I remember this pair in a different nest tree two years ago, but they abandoned it. This massive Mayo Blanco tree is much better suited and the pair has a bit more practice. This nest cavity is so important because it has a strong probability that it will be used for years to come and would produce and re introduce many macaws.

The second active nest we were watching was about 25 kilometers or more north of the release area. It was quite an adventure to get there and back again, and also shows great promise. Although these macaws were also from prior release groups, they have more recently adjusted their pair bonds and the female has been persistent in sitting on her eggs. Perhaps we will have success here as well.

Another great joy of this trip was in observing the newest macaws from the latest release and watching their behavior and getting to know them. These macaws were a much easier batch to identify and it was very much a pleasure to watch their daily antics and whereabouts. Already bonds and hierarchies are being established.As colorful as a box of flying crayolas, and with clownish curiosity and at times predictable bad behavior, these macaws were always so interesting to watch. And to see my old favorites from my last trip here was lots of fun as well.

It was rewarding to see and hear how the macaws have increased their range quite a bit. Sightings have been seen in the forests far north of Pavones and south past the Rio Coco into the Reserva Guaymi. We're so pleased to see this as it shows how each flock of macaws released further increases the Tiskita flock range and ensures this projects success. There is an abundance of fruits and foods for future flocks, and ample primary forest and secondary to provide suitable and sustainable nesting opportunities.

It is only a matter of time before sub flocks of macaws hatched to fly free will soar over this fantastic place.

Volunteer Profile
Lindell Andrews

Lindell Andrews is half Australian and half British and she has an impressive CV.

Born in London, Lindell began her education in Queensland, Australia and has continued collecting accolades ever since. She obtained a Bachelor of Science with Honors degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlfe Biology and Conservation both at James Cook University, Queensland. A Certificate in Zookeeping and Graduate Certificate in Captive Vertebrate Management quickly followed.

When Lindell started working she began by Tutoring at James Cook University, and then continued to Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service, research assistance at Mount Fox, Veterinary Assistant at Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, animal keeper at London Zoo, and then back to Healesville as Records and Transfers Officer, Animal keeper, and Project Officer of the Conservation Department.

Lindell's field experience is extensive and ranges from Nocturnal monitoring of reproductive behaviour in the Victorian brush tailed rock wallaby, trapping, banding and observation of the bush stone curlew, radio tracking of the Proserpine rock wallaby, and trapping of the Platypus for population study.

She is also Regional Studbook Keeper for the white naped honeyeater, the yellow bellied glider and the spot tailed quoll. Author of the regional husbandry manual for the bush stone curlew and published papers include: mating systems in shorebirds, 1999. And the use of acupuncture to releive pain in an Eastern quoll suffering arthritis. 2001.

Amid all this work, Lindell still finds time to travel, which is a favourite passtime, to enjoy her passion for photography and to volunteer for Amigos de las Aves, of which she was in charge of a release of Scarlet Macaws in Tiskita.

Want to join us? Please feel free to send us an email to richmar@racsa.co.cr

Amigos de las Aves and the official Release Programs of Amigos de las Aves in Costa Rica, www.amigosdelasavescostarica.org and www.hatchedtoflyfree.org are not affiliated or associated with any other company, organisation or association, by name or in any other country.