Nature, Published online: 10 March 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00765-9
Ancient DNA and other clues from feathers found in modern Peru hint that the ancient Ychsma culture imported birds from the distant Amazon.
Live parrots were carried across the Andes before the Incas’ rise
Feathers from the red-and-green macaw, native to the Amazon rainforest, have been found hundreds of kilometres away at the ancient site of Pachamac. Credit: Balazs Tisza
