1
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,360
It's a universal dream
to fly like a bird.


2
00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,560
To soar on wings into the heavens.


3
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,080
But it's nothing
compared to the reality.


4
00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,160
This is our planet
seen as never before.


5
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:30,840
A bird's-eye view.


6
00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,680
Theirs is a journey
that covers the world.


7
00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,120
Filled with astonishing
natural events.


8
00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,600
Extreme challenges.


9
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,880
And hard-won rewards.


10
00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:54,280
This is the world on the wing.


11
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Tierra del Fuego in Patagonia.


12
00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,000
The southernmost tip
of South America.


13
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The Andean condor reigns supreme
over this remote wilderness.


14
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It's a world dominated by glaciers
and icy lakes.


15
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A huge contrast
to the lush rainforest


16
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found in the continent's interior.


17
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Here, the deep ravines and crevasses


18
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sometimes trap the unwary,


19
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and might provide
the king of scavengers with a meal.


20
00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,240
It's an ever-changing world.


21
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Lumps of ice as big as apartment
blocks carved from glaciers.


22
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There's no food here today.


23
00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,760
But condors think nothing
of travelling 100 miles


24
00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,200
in search of carcasses.


25
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For a male with a hungry youngster
to feed,


26
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the best chances lie further inland.


27
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The condor soars on wings that
are larger than any other bird's.


28
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His pin-sharp vision
is second to none.


29
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And he knows just where to look.


30
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The breeding grounds of the guanaco.


31
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These wild relatives of the llama


32
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live in herds in the mountainous
regions of much of South America.


33
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Condors watch for opportunities
as males fight it out over females.


34
00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:06,760
Their below-the-belt techniques


35
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include attacking
each other's genitals.


36
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Their defence is
to sit on their assets.


37
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All this machismo
causes casualties,


38
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and opportunities for a scavenger.


39
00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,120
Caracara birds arrive first
at every carcass.


40
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They are the condor's food tasters.


41
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Once they've eaten and not come
to harm, he knows he's safe to land.


42
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Once down,
his natural majesty disappears.


43
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He becomes a 14-kilo turkey.


44
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The caracaras tuck in while they
still have the carcass to themselves.


45
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Once the first condor feeds,
others are quick to follow.


46
00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,080
Males, recognised by the comb
on their head,


47
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are usually first on the scene.


48
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Females, who lack the
flamboyant headgear, arrive next.


49
00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,400
Brown juveniles are at the bottom
of the condor pecking order.


50
00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,760
Everyone knows their place.
It's all very civilised.


51
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Families feed happily,
side by side.


52
00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:31,240
But as they eat,
someone is always on sentry duty.


53
00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,880
The Patagonian fox has spotted
the commotion. He hunts birds.


54
00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,440
The first condor to feed
is now at a disadvantage.


55
00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,840
He's carrying 1.5 kilos
of excess baggage in his crop.


56
00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,760
Take-off isn't easy
at the best of times,


57
00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,760
but it's just got
a whole lot more difficult.


58
00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,080
He finally makes it -
on a wing and a prayer.


59
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600 miles east
on the Patagonian coast,


60
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a giant petrel
is also looking for a meal.


61
00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:08,240
Seal colonies are this scavenger's
favourite stomping ground.


62
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But to find a meal,
he needs a partner in crime.


63
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Killer whales.


64
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The seal's greatest enemy,
but friend to the petrel.


65
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Young seals are innocent
to the danger.


66
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The petrel shadows the whales,
waiting for them to attack.


67
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He looks for likely victims.


68
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The whales rely on speed
and surprise.


69
00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,080
Before she can try again,


70
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she has to get seven tonnes
of blubber off the beach.


71
00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:57,800
No easy task.


72
00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,040
A killer whale calf
is learning the technique.


73
00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,760
Only two whale families in the
world know how to hunt like this.


74
00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:31,280
At the end of the seal's breeding
season, they get lots of practise.


75
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Success for the whale
means a feast for the petrel.


76
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And these whales can kill
several times a day.


77
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Today, there's plenty to go round.


78
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The petrels
may only get the leftovers,


79
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but there's still enough
to be worth fighting for.


80
00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:03,400
THEY SQUAWK


81
00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:22,800
The interior of the continent is
covered by the vast Amazon jungle.


82
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Scarlet macaws understand
the many secrets found within.


83
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They are highly intelligent
and travel as a family,


84
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teaching their young the ways of
the largest rainforest in the world.


85
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The jungle covers
40% of the continent,


86
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and macaws inhabit every part.


87
00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,520
The birds migrate to wherever
the best food can be found.


88
00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:16,320
The macaws know
which trees are producing seeds


89
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and when fruits
are ripe for the taking.


90
00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,040
BIRDSONG


91
00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,400
But not everything they eat
is so delicious.


92
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Many plants protect themselves
with poisons.


93
00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:48,440
After a morning feeding on
toxic seeds and forbidden fruit,


94
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the race is on to find something
to settle their stomachs.


95
00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:05,520
The macaws' detailed knowledge
of the forest


96
00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:07,360
tells them just where to go.


97
00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,360
Along the riverbank
are special sites


98
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where a natural remedy can be found.


99
00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,800
Smaller parrots
have beaten them to it.


100
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Mealy parrots are joined
by rose-crowned parakeets.


101
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The macaws are naturally cautious.


102
00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:11,360
They use the little parrots as bait
to see if any predators are around.


103
00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,680
These parrots are here
for the same reason as the macaws.


104
00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,640
The healing qualities of the clay.


105
00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:34,200
This special mud neutralises
the toxins they've acquired


106
00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,400
through a less than perfect diet.


107
00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,440
The macaws are still too nervous
to join the gathering.


108
00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,040
Monkeys have arrived,
putting them on edge.


109
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But the spider monkeys are more
a distraction than a danger.


110
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He weighs up the risks...


111
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..and takes his chance.


112
00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,840
Time's up for the flocks
of smaller parrots.


113
00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,960
With the competition gone,


114
00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,760
the rest of the macaws
feel brave enough to come down.


115
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The clay settles their stomachs,
but it also works as a vitamin pill,


116
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providing sodium and calcium
supplements.


117
00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,480
But the macaws won't get the chance
to take their medicine.


118
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A harpy eagle,
their living nightmare.


119
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The eagle kills.


120
00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,640
But it's a monkey
hanging from its talons.


121
00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:56,560
South America's greatest aerial
predator has a hungry chick to feed.


122
00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,840
Fortunately,
their favourite food is monkeys.


123
00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,640
The macaws are safe this time,


124
00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,560
but they must find their medicine
elsewhere.


125
00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:38,120
Back in Patagonia,
the condor returns to his nest site.


126
00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,480
His youngster is excited.


127
00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:03,120
The condor's throat crop
bulges with stored food.


128
00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,440
The male is a devoted father.


129
00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:25,360
Condors mate for life,


130
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and usually have one chick
at a time.


131
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They care for their single child
for two years


132
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until it's old enough
to survive on its own.


133
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This couple have chosen
an ideal spot to bring him up.


134
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The sheer cliffs
create huge updrafts,


135
00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:52,360
perfect for lifting
the condors' huge bodies in the air.


136
00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:58,840
The rock face creates
a perfect apartment block,


137
00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,360
with holes that seem made to measure.


138
00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:10,440
At six months old,
their youngster is ready to fly.


139
00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:14,120
She just needs
some gentle encouragement.


140
00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:18,120
Flight school begins with her father
showing just how it should be done.


141
00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,360
She isn't keen to follow.


142
00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:40,760
It's hardly surprising.


143
00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:45,680
Throwing yourself into a 200 metre
drop requires a huge leap of faith.


144
00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:56,840
Her mother makes the choice for her.


145
00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:06,400
She's in flight,
but still getting the hang of it...


146
00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:08,200
and heads straight back to safety.


147
00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,800
Dad encourages her to try again.


148
00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:27,920
She has another go,
but it's hardly any better.


149
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,960
Finally, she gets the idea.


150
00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,560
She's looking more confident,


151
00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,320
and even executes
an impressive flyby.


152
00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,920
Her father joins the new air cadet


153
00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,040
and they fly together
in perfect formation.


154
00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:17,320
Despite an unpromising start,


155
00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,560
her maiden flight has gone well.


156
00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,680
She joins the more advanced aviators
in the thermals.


157
00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:30,360
She has earned her wings!


158
00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:40,280
Macaws are still seeking
the medicinal clays they need.


159
00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,840
The jungle is mostly impenetrable,


160
00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,480
and macaws either stay in the canopy


161
00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,560
or follow rivers
that wind their way through.


162
00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,720
But deep in the forest is
another clay-lick,


163
00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,280
and the macaws
know just where it can be found.


164
00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:26,680
But here, the clay lies
on the forest floor 


165
00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:30,240
a risky place
for a tree-living bird to land.


166
00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:41,680
Butterflies are after the same
minerals that attract the macaws.


167
00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:52,200
They, in turn, provide a snack
for the sun bittern.


168
00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,440
She uses the salty mud
as a dipping sauce.


169
00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,800
It also helps them
slip down more easily.


170
00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,160
Just as the macaws
are about to risk it,


171
00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,240
a strange new creature appears.


172
00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:21,560
It's a tapir 
a distant relative of the horse


173
00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:23,520
that lives in the deepest forest.


174
00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:28,760
A rare sight even for birds
that have seen it all before.


175
00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,360
Tapirs use these jungle pools
as mud-wallows.


176
00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:46,960
Somewhere to cool off
in the heat of the day.


177
00:24:55,600 --> 00:25:00,080
Tapirs might be harmless, but macaws
have reason to be cautious.


178
00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,920
They aren't as nimble
as the smaller parrots,


179
00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:05,120
and so it's risky
to land on the ground.


180
00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,880
But if the macaws
don't take their medication,


181
00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,480
they will suffer the consequences,


182
00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:23,480
and, unfortunately, black spider
monkeys have jumped the queue!


183
00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,080
This is the busy season
at the clay-lick.


184
00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:43,000
Ripe fruit is scarce and the
alternatives are hard to digest.


185
00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,880
This is one time
no-one minds taking their medicine.


186
00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,520
But the macaws are still weighing up
the risks.


187
00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:03,280
In the jungle,
everyone is continually on edge.


188
00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,680
But it's the nervousness
of the monkeys


189
00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:13,960
that could give the macaws
the break they need.


190
00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,400
A final few checks...


191
00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:38,960
But then more visitors arrive.


192
00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:50,640
Peccaries, wild relatives of the pig


193
00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:54,480
that roam the jungle
in gangs up to 100 strong.


194
00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,440
This is not the macaws' lucky day!


195
00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,760
Like other jungle animals,
the peccaries also use mud


196
00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:10,200
as a health supplement,
but even they won't eat for long.


197
00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:18,600
A jaguar.


198
00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,120
The macaws were wise to be cautious.


199
00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:33,040
They have survived,
but at the cost of a stomach-ache.


200
00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:34,960
They must look elsewhere for a cure.


201
00:27:37,120 --> 00:27:41,560
On the river's edge, black vultures
are scavenging on a carcass.


202
00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,080
They are the condor's
smaller cousins,


203
00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,920
replacing them in low-lying areas
away from the Andes.


204
00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:52,520
But the owner of the carcass
isn't far away.


205
00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,280
The vultures are used to this game.


206
00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,560
The trick is not to be intimidated.


207
00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:20,640
The jaguar saves her energy 


208
00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:22,800
it's not worth the effort.


209
00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:37,440
Good things come to those who wait,
and, like the macaws,


210
00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:40,080
patience is a virtue in the jungle.


211
00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,920
And there are plenty of ways
to pass the time.


212
00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:01,120
As they chill out,


213
00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:05,000
a giant otter and her pups
feel brave enough to show themselves.


214
00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,320
They travel around in family groups


215
00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:32,400
and are found in waterways
throughout the Amazon.


216
00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:34,960
As the hot sun takes its toll
on the jaguar,


217
00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,040
the otters
vanish as quickly as they came.


218
00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:51,920
Vultures live for moments like this,
grabbing what they can


219
00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,120
while the jaguar's distracted.


220
00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:24,800
It's tough being a scavenger,


221
00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:29,280
but black vultures can last two weeks
without a meal.


222
00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:32,280
There are
plenty of other places to explore.


223
00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:14,200
A favourite vulture location
is Iguassu Falls,


224
00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:16,760
one of the world's
greatest waterfalls.


225
00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:22,880
It straddles the border
between Argentina and Brazil,


226
00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:26,480
and is made up of 275 separate falls.


227
00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:47,360
Half the water funnels into
a vast chasm known as Devil's Throat.


228
00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:56,880
The vultures love the turbulent winds
created by the cascades,


229
00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:59,160
and many make Iguassu their home.


230
00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:12,880
But some birds live even closer
to the falls.


231
00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:25,680
Dusky swifts miraculously vanish as
they arrive at the curtain of water.


232
00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:42,240
It's a mesmerising trick


233
00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:46,160
that involves flying through the
cascades to reach the cliffs behind.


234
00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:53,480
There's method in their madness, for
this is where they build their nests.


235
00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:55,840
The wall of water acts
as a force field,


236
00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:57,920
stopping predators
in their tracks.


237
00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:08,120
In the early morning,


238
00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:12,280
the birds leave the falls behind
as they set off to catch insects.


239
00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:20,920
But the cascades attract
plenty of other birds


240
00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:23,400
that never leave
its mist-filled canyons.


241
00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,880
Hummingbirds love the flowers
that flourish among the spray,


242
00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:31,400
and visit them like clockwork.


243
00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,160
Their brain
may only be the size of a pea,


244
00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,840
but it can remember the location
of every flower


245
00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:46,760
and the precise times
they produce nectar.


246
00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:59,000
At every feed, their brain starts
an inbuilt stopwatch,


247
00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:02,000
telling them when the flower
will next restock its supplies.


248
00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,880
They do this for hundreds
of flowers,


249
00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:20,960
creating a time management schedule
that humans would struggle with.


250
00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,440
They need to be efficient 


251
00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,640
wings that flap 70 times each second
eat up energy.


252
00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:36,480
But all this careful clock-watching
would be an utter waste of time


253
00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,720
if others steal
their precious nectar.


254
00:34:39,720 --> 00:34:41,920
Competition is intense.


255
00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:57,600
Arguments are common as the
hummingbirds fight for possession.


256
00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:07,440
Ear-feathers flash a warning
to rivals.


257
00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,880
As the ultimate deterrent,
they wield their bill like a sword.


258
00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:33,520
After a day of marking time
and arguing with the neighbours,


259
00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:35,680
a cold shower goes down a treat.


260
00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:52,400
It's now that the dusky swifts
also return to the falls,


261
00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:54,400
gathering in their thousands


262
00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:57,440
before plunging
through the cascades to roost.


263
00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,760
Prime spots attract
hundreds of birds 


264
00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,880
all crammed together
for warmth and protection.


265
00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:23,200
The relentless roar of the water
can be heard several miles away,


266
00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:27,240
but to the birds, it's like
a lullaby soothing them to sleep.


267
00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:38,920
They rest easy,


268
00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:42,880
knowing that few predators dare face
the raging torrents.


269
00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:57,280
Now that the condors' youngster
can fly,


270
00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:01,000
the family are able to move
to a new location.


271
00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,520
It doesn't get much better
than this 


272
00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:06,400
huge cliff buttresses
offer perfect roost sites,


273
00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:11,280
and the birds can simply step off
the edge to soar into the heavens.


274
00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:19,400
A single condor is a rare sight,


275
00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:22,320
but here,
dozens take to the air together.


276
00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:30,240
The adolescent joins
these early warm-up flights


277
00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:33,640
before setting off
with her parents to find a meal.


278
00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:48,840
The condors rarely stray far
from the Andes


279
00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:51,880
as they need its winds for soaring,


280
00:37:51,880 --> 00:37:55,040
but few carcasses
can be found at this altitude.


281
00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:05,440
Instead, they use the mountains
as a springboard to the plains below.


282
00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:18,960
Here, meals can come
from the most unexpected places.


283
00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:25,200
Even Santiago -
the capital city of Chile -


284
00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:27,400
offers opportunities for condors.


285
00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:36,960
Its five million human inhabitants
generate vast quantities of rubbish.


286
00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:47,560
Even here, the rules of the wild
still apply.


287
00:38:47,560 --> 00:38:50,200
Caracaras are first to find the food.


288
00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:53,120
They just have to dodge
the garbage trucks.


289
00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,600
But feeding among rubbish could be
dangerous for the rare condor.


290
00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:11,760
So the landfill operator
provides decoy carcasses


291
00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:13,800
at the edge of the site


292
00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:17,480
to lure condors away from anything
that could endanger their health.


293
00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:21,440
They prove irresistible.


294
00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:25,960
This unruly scrum
consists of over 40 individuals.


295
00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,680
It may look like a free-for-all,


296
00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:40,520
but even here a strict hierarchy
applies.


297
00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:44,240
As before, the males take precedence
over the females.


298
00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:52,480
The youngsters are left
arguing over the scraps.


299
00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:58,040
Condors are long-lived birds.


300
00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:02,280
This magnificent male
is perhaps 50 years of age.


301
00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:04,360
His extraordinary comb and wattle


302
00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:07,360
set him apart
from less impressive mortals.


303
00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:15,160
He's already fed, so he's happy
to let others take their turn.


304
00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:25,160
He's treated with respect
by other condors.


305
00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:31,160
When he returns for seconds,
they soon back away.


306
00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:48,680
Paradoxically, in the shadow of one
of South America's biggest cities,


307
00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:52,160
this is the greatest gathering
of condors on Earth.


308
00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:07,280
Elsewhere, it's black vultures
that are the city scavengers.


309
00:41:13,720 --> 00:41:18,120
Rio de Janeiro is
one of their favourite haunts.


310
00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:26,200
Like Santiago,
it is surrounded by mountains -


311
00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:29,080
perfect for soaring birds.


312
00:41:30,680 --> 00:41:33,960
And as sea breezes hit
the high-rise buildings,


313
00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:37,160
they create a carnival ride
for the vultures.


314
00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:17,480
Although city life has its pleasures,
to find a more natural meal,


315
00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:21,520
black vultures head
for the vast grassy plains


316
00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:23,800
that cover much of the continent.


317
00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:36,360
In the rainy season,
these grasslands quickly flood,


318
00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:39,440
and birds converge on here
from all over the continent.


319
00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:49,680
Before the vultures migrate onwards
to North America,


320
00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:53,280
many stop off at one of
the best wetlands of all 


321
00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:55,520
the Llanos in Venezuela.


322
00:42:58,360 --> 00:42:59,960
This mecca for birdlife


323
00:42:59,960 --> 00:43:03,480
covers an area
nearly twice the size of Britain.


324
00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:13,840
More species are found here than
in the whole of the United States.


325
00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:27,320
It's not just birds that make
this flooded paradise their home.


326
00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:35,920
The capybara,
the world's largest rodent,


327
00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:39,320
grazes on the aquatic plants
that are found here.


328
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:55,160
Orinoco geese
goose-step in the shallows.


329
00:43:58,720 --> 00:44:02,240
While caymans
add an element of danger.


330
00:44:11,120 --> 00:44:15,600
Scarlet ibis
are the most colourful visitors.


331
00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:18,720
They love the giant water bugs
that lurk here.


332
00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:24,440
Most birds come here


333
00:44:24,440 --> 00:44:28,840
for the 300 species of fish
that fill the lagoons to bursting.


334
00:44:33,920 --> 00:44:37,600
Skimmers have one of the most
extraordinary ways of fishing.


335
00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:46,720
They scythe the water
with strangely mismatched bills.


336
00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:55,520
The lower beak projects further
than the upper,


337
00:44:55,520 --> 00:45:00,160
allowing the skimmer to scoop up
tiny fish as they fly.


338
00:45:28,240 --> 00:45:30,320
They feed by touch.


339
00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:33,240
Their head flicks down
whenever they catch something.


340
00:45:45,520 --> 00:45:48,600
Meanwhile, spoonbills use
their aptly-named beak


341
00:45:48,600 --> 00:45:51,320
to ladle fish from the water.


342
00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:06,400
An egret uses his bill
like tweezers.


343
00:46:15,480 --> 00:46:17,800
The less skilful birds
follow the experts,


344
00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:20,400
willing them to drop something.


345
00:46:28,240 --> 00:46:31,720
The scavenging vultures
are among those that live in hope.


346
00:46:40,760 --> 00:46:45,120
The osprey's technique is spectacular
and rarely fails.


347
00:47:06,800 --> 00:47:11,160
But the fish here can be huge, and
there's always one that gets away!


348
00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:18,120
It's a much-appreciated meal
for the vultures,


349
00:47:18,120 --> 00:47:22,800
one that will help fuel their journey
onwards towards north America.


350
00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:31,920
Back in the Andes,


351
00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:35,120
the vulture's bigger cousin
searches for another meal.


352
00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:48,560
A condor's eye-view reveals
some of Peru's greatest mysteries.


353
00:47:52,920 --> 00:47:55,920
Machu Picchu,
the lost city of the Incas.


354
00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:09,240
The Nazca Lines,


355
00:48:09,240 --> 00:48:12,800
ancient desert carvings
that depict the local wildlife.


356
00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:14,240
A hummingbird.


357
00:48:21,720 --> 00:48:23,080
And a monkey.


358
00:48:27,120 --> 00:48:30,840
Little life survives
in this desert now.


359
00:48:33,360 --> 00:48:37,120
But once the condors
reach the other side,


360
00:48:37,120 --> 00:48:41,160
they enjoy one of the richest
coastlines in the world.


361
00:48:57,360 --> 00:49:02,200
The bays of Peru's Paracas coast are
alive with thousands of sea lions.


362
00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:09,080
It's worth the long journey here


363
00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:12,040
for the promise this huge
gathering brings.


364
00:49:23,040 --> 00:49:28,600
Weighing in at 350 kilos, these
testosterone-fuelled giants body-slam


365
00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:32,720
as they fight for females,
and casualties are inevitable.


366
00:49:46,040 --> 00:49:48,280
The condor
just needs to find a victim!


367
00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:54,080
But the fighting males
are too tough to be killed.


368
00:49:54,080 --> 00:49:58,280
It's the baby bystanders
that suffer the consequences.


369
00:50:09,720 --> 00:50:13,280
The circling condors
are joined by turkey vultures


370
00:50:13,280 --> 00:50:16,360
all looking for their next meal.


371
00:50:25,720 --> 00:50:30,160
Like black vultures, they are smaller
relatives of the condors.


372
00:50:31,160 --> 00:50:34,000
They are first at the carcass


373
00:50:34,000 --> 00:50:37,080
and eat as much as they can
before the condor arrives.


374
00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:45,280
They lack the condor's more refined
table manners.


375
00:50:48,080 --> 00:50:52,920
The condor takes his time,
then makes a grand entrance.


376
00:50:59,080 --> 00:51:01,080
He gets the reaction he demands.


377
00:51:06,640 --> 00:51:10,280
Here condors rule the roost.
It's "All hail the king".


378
00:51:15,080 --> 00:51:20,280
No turkey vulture would dare
challenge a condor at his banquet.


379
00:51:26,360 --> 00:51:28,680
At the end of the condor's journey,


380
00:51:28,680 --> 00:51:32,680
he takes his rightful place
as the overlord of the Andes.


381
00:51:41,040 --> 00:51:45,600
For many of the vultures, it's time
to head northwards up the coast.


382
00:51:54,120 --> 00:51:58,360
Birds from all over the continent
converge at the Panama Canal,


383
00:51:58,360 --> 00:52:02,920
an artificial waterway that joins
the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.


384
00:52:29,520 --> 00:52:31,960
Every spring they join black vultures


385
00:52:31,960 --> 00:52:37,120
and over two million hawks on
a mass exodus out of South America.


386
00:52:38,240 --> 00:52:41,600
The largest gathering
of birds of prey in the world


387
00:52:41,600 --> 00:52:45,560
passes over Panama city
and into Central America.


388
00:53:09,480 --> 00:53:14,080
Just over the border in Costa Rica,
it's time for dinner.


389
00:53:14,080 --> 00:53:16,480
The vultures head for the beaches.


390
00:53:26,360 --> 00:53:29,360
Here, they expect
a fine and nutritious meal.


391
00:53:30,400 --> 00:53:34,400
They just have to wait
for the tide to turn.


392
00:53:51,000 --> 00:53:54,720
This is what they have come for -
an Olive Ridley turtle.


393
00:53:56,600 --> 00:54:00,400
Some can hardly contain
their excitement...


394
00:54:06,120 --> 00:54:09,200
..because these turtles
never come alone.


395
00:54:14,200 --> 00:54:18,120
This is the famous Arribada,
the mass gathering of turtles.


396
00:54:47,560 --> 00:54:51,520
As soon as they arrive,
they lay their eggs deep in the sand.


397
00:54:53,640 --> 00:54:56,160
But as quickly as the eggs appear,
they are gone,


398
00:54:56,160 --> 00:54:59,080
wolfed down by the hungry vultures.


399
00:55:03,680 --> 00:55:05,920
But the turtles just keep coming,


400
00:55:05,920 --> 00:55:09,240
oblivious to the hungry hordes
that surround them.


401
00:55:20,920 --> 00:55:24,840
As they try to bury their eggs,
they dig up those of others.


402
00:55:24,840 --> 00:55:26,800
It's a gift for the vultures.


403
00:55:57,120 --> 00:55:59,560
With most of their eggs
well and truly scrambled,


404
00:55:59,560 --> 00:56:01,960
it looks hopeless for the turtles.


405
00:56:01,960 --> 00:56:06,400
Especially when eggs start flying
like a game of ping pong.


406
00:56:20,880 --> 00:56:23,840
But, just in time, the rain arrives


407
00:56:23,840 --> 00:56:26,480
and the turtles get the break
they need.


408
00:56:34,640 --> 00:56:39,000
The vultures hunker down,
but at least they won't go hungry


409
00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:42,600
on the rest of their long journey
north.


410
00:56:53,040 --> 00:56:54,640
Back in the rainforest,


411
00:56:54,640 --> 00:56:59,160
the macaws finally find a clay-lick
where they can gather in peace.


412
00:57:03,760 --> 00:57:06,240
As well as acting
as a natural dispensary,


413
00:57:06,240 --> 00:57:09,880
clay-licks are just as important
for the macaws' social life.


414
00:57:09,880 --> 00:57:12,480
It's where they get to know
each other.


415
00:57:17,160 --> 00:57:21,240
Here, macaws seem most at home, they
only have each other to argue with


416
00:57:21,240 --> 00:57:24,280
and they clearly enjoy every minute.


417
00:57:25,400 --> 00:57:29,920
These colourful and lively
get-togethers can last for hours.


418
00:57:33,480 --> 00:57:37,880
The sites where medicinal clay
can be found are just part of


419
00:57:37,880 --> 00:57:42,560
the macaw's vast knowledge of the
greatest rainforest on the planet.


420
00:57:46,840 --> 00:57:49,120
They, more than any other bird,


421
00:57:49,120 --> 00:57:52,160
represent a disappearing
and mysterious world.


422
00:57:57,960 --> 00:58:00,200
When all the macaws
have had their fill,


423
00:58:00,200 --> 00:58:02,240
they leave in a blaze of glory.


424
00:58:06,440 --> 00:58:10,760
It's a privileged sight
in a diverse and secret continent.


425
00:58:18,000 --> 00:58:21,320
Next time, we will journey
across Asia and Australia


426
00:58:21,320 --> 00:58:25,320
to see these contrasting continents
through the eyes of birds.


427
00:58:37,120 --> 00:58:40,160
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd


428
00:58:40,160 --> 00:58:43,200
E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk