The history of Scarlet macaws in the Southwest will be told at Tuzigoot National Monument on select Sundays through August/Sacred Macaws

A few years back during a vacation in Belize, my wife and I went out birding, hoping to catch a glimpse of a Scarlet macaw. And that's about all we got, a glimpse, of those large, magnificent, raucous birds. If you find yourself in Arizona this summer, stop by Tuzigoot National Monument on the last Sunday of the month and you'll be able to see one of these birds up close, and learn about their long history in the Southwest.

For more than a millennia, Scarlet macaws have dazzled people of the Southwest, according to the National Park Service. Their brilliantly colored plumage and large size inspire curiosity. Remains of macaws have been documented in early archaeological excavations at both Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments. Many visitors are impressed when they learn these exotic birds were traded from Mexico hundreds of miles to the south up into the Verde Valley, and farther north.

Today you can learn about the history of these birds in the Southwest as the National Park Service works with the nonprofit organization Sacred Scarlets to leave an impression on visitors to the monuments, allowing them to make a meaningful connection to the sites.
 
Sacred Scarlets will be extending its monthly demonstrations at Tuzigoot National Monument on the last Sunday of each month at 10 a.m., now through  August 25.  The group presents lectures and demonstrations featuring a young, beautiful captive-bred scarlet macaw. These lectures and demonstrations address conservation as well as the scarlet macaw’s fascinating history in American Southwest culture.
 
Kelley Taylor, founder of Sacred Scarlets, presents these amazing birds as ambassadors for their protection in the wild while sharing their long, rich, sometimes mysterious and often unknown history in the American Southwest. 
 
There is no additional fee to attend the demonstration, but normal fees apply. Tuzigoot National Monument accepts all federal interagency passes including annual, senior, military, access, volunteer, park annual, and Every Kid in a Park. Each pass admits up to four adults.