Clay & Wings: The Macaws' Salt Quest

Seven Worlds, One Planet｜South America



Warmed by the tropical sun, the Amazon's trees release so much moisture from the surface of their leaves that they create their own clouds. And these, over the course of a year, release up to six metres of rain.



The water flows through the saturated forest along 1,000 streams. They eventually unite to form the largest river of them all. The Amazon carries more water than the world's next seven biggest rivers combined.



Some sections of its banks are particularly sought-after. Scarlet macaws travel over 50 miles to visit them. Macaw couples bond for life, and may stick together for over 40 years. Pairs return to favourite trees - ones they've known for decades.



Parents provide their chicks with fruits and seeds. But they're far from the ocean, and their diet lacks salt. Without it, the chicks' brains and bones will not develop properly. So, someone has to go and fetch it.



Many other creatures are looking for the same thing. A clay lick. The earth here may be 40 times richer in valuable minerals than anywhere else in the surrounding forest.



Over a dozen species of parrot jostle for space. There's a strict order in who feeds first. Everyone is in a rush to fill up and get airborne. Parents have to carry over five kilograms of clay to their nest before their chicks are ready to leave.



Once fledged, these young will follow their parents for up to a year, learning where to find the salts.



词汇表

quest [kwest] （长久而艰难的）搜寻，寻找；追求

the Amazon [ˈæməzɒn] 亚马逊河（世界流量最大的河流，位于南美洲）

moisture [ˈmɔɪstʃə(r)] 水分，湿气，水汽

saturated [ˈsætʃəreɪtɪd] 湿润的，饱和的；浸透的，湿透的

bank [bæŋk] 河岸，堤

sought-after [ˈsɔːt ɑːftə(r)] 受欢迎的，备受青睐的

scarlet macaw [ˈskɑːlət məˈkɔː] 五彩金刚鹦鹉，绯红金刚鹦鹉（生活在中南美洲热带雨林的大型鹦鹉；实行终身伴侣制；以水果、坚果和种子为食，会到河岸附近的泥土区进食泥土，以补充矿物质等）

bond for life [bɒnd] 终生相伴，终身羁绊

stick together 团结一致，互相扶持，彼此相守

chick [tʃɪk] 雏鸟，幼鸟；小鸡

clay lick [kleɪ lɪk] 黏土盐碱地，泥浆舔食地（指一些动物舔食黏土以获取矿物质的地方）

mineral [ˈmɪnərəl] 矿物质，矿物

jostle for space [ˈdʒɒs(ə)l] 争夺空间，争抢位置

fill up 填饱肚子；装满，填满

get airborne [ˈeə(r)ˌbɔː(r)n] 起飞，升空，跃起

fledge [fledʒ]（幼鸟）长出飞羽，变得羽翼丰满



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