Macaw Mountain Bird Park
Over the years, the Macaw Mountain Bird Park has become a destination in itself. Traveling to Copan Ruinas just to visit the Macaw Mountain Bird Park is worth the trip. Of course, you would want to still visit the magnificent Copan Archaeological Park and the different Copan Museums too. But what I am trying to stress here is the fact that just the bird park makes your trip worth while.
Few nature parks attract family members of all ages. Usually, you will find that the senior citizens do not want to walk much. Many will argue they have seen it all. Believe me, Grandma and Grandpa will absolutely love visiting the Macaw Mountain Bird Park. Young kids have an absolute blast in the park. They love to run up and down the trails, stop and see the birds and even play they are pirates by putting a big macaw on their shoulders. As you walk through the huge aviaries between a dozen or so macaws, you will feel lucky. The only thing better that this would be to walk through a park and have free macaws flying over your head. But that is another story I will get to shortly.[themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Macaw Mountain Bird Park is a couple of kilometers outside of Copan Ruinas, on the road to a community called Sesesmil. This is coffee country at its best. The altitude is ideal for coffee, and many small, medium and large coffee farms coexist in the area. The park is nestled in a small canyon, at the bottom of which runs the Sesesmil Creek. This creek, by the way, provides drinking water to the town of Copan Ruinas. The bird park has aviaries on both sides of the creek and you can cross over the creek on a bridge that interconnects the trails.
If you feel upset that these birds are in aviaries, you should think twice. All birds in the park have been given another chance at life, as they are either unwanted pets or have been taken from illegal bird traffickers that stole them from the nest as babies. They would not survive in the wild. The good news is that they live a comfortable safe life and are well taken care of! The man responsible for this park is Lloyd Davidson, and I call him the Honduras Bird Man!
Even better is the fact that many have mated and their offspring are now free in the wild at several different locations in the Copan Valley. You will see the Scarlet Macaws flying freely in the Copan Archaeological Park. They are now even venturing out around town and the surrounding villages. Earlier this year, some were set free at Finca Santa Isabel. This is where the Welchez Family operates the Copan Coffee Tour. It is about 30 minutes east of Copan Ruinas.
What to see and do in Macaw Mountain Bird Park
But getting back to the Macaw Mountain bird park, you should plan on spending at least 3 hours at the park. Stroll through the trails, admire the birds, both inside and outside of the aviaries. Learn about the Maya fascination with birds, and macaws in particular. Interact with four different species of macaws, three of which are native to Honduras. Take plenty of pictures and enjoy the peace and quiet in the park.
The entrance fee to the park is $10 US per person. Yes I know, ten bucks is a lot of money, but you will get every penny worth of them! The park has a charming coffee casita where you can sit down and enjoy a cup of freshly brewed coffee. By the way, did I mention that there is a coffee plantation within the park? Here you can interact with the coffee bushes and even learn about how coffee is picked if you happen to visit during the coffee harvesting season in Honduras![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
If you find that you would like something more substantial to satisfy your hunger after all the hiking in the park, I am happy to let you know that there is a full service restaurant on premises. They serve the best burgers in Copan Ruinas, as well as a variety of other dishes. So you can sit down, relax next to the creek, listen to the sounds of nature and enjoy a good meal. It does not get much better that this!
Next time you visit Copan Ruinas, make sure you visit the Macaw Mountain Bird Park. If you have already visited Copan Ruinas, but did not visit the park, plan another trip to visit the park. As I mentioned beforehand, the bird park by itself merits a trip to Copan Ruinas. You will find a nice souvenir – gift shop at the entrance to the park. Keep in mind that the revenue from the gift shop helps maintain the park and keep the birds healthy![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Getting to Macaw Mountain
Getting to Macaw Mountain from Copan Ruinas is easy. Just hop on a “mototaxi” or “tuk tuk” and have them take you out there. The cost should be no more that $2 US dollars per person. The trip is short and it will be a memorable one. I would not recommend getting more than three persons on each “tuk tuk”. If you are a large group, get another one and split the group. If you are driving your own vehicle, take the road that is next to the soccer field leading north. Follow it for a couple of kilometers. You will drive past the Mayatan School which will be on your right. Shortly after you will see the entrance to Macaw Mountain Bird Park on the left. Drive in, park your car, pay the entrance fee and enjoy the park!
