0:00:08 > 0:00:12It's a universal dream to fly like a bird.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15To soar on wings into the heavens.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20But it's nothing compared to the reality.
0:00:21 > 0:00:26This is our planet seen as never before.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30A bird's-eye view.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Theirs is a journey that covers the world.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Filled with astonishing natural events.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Extreme challenges.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50And hard-won rewards.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54This is the world on the wing.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Tierra del Fuego in Patagonia.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23The southernmost tip of South America.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28The Andean condor reigns supreme over this remote wilderness.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55It's a world dominated by glaciers and icy lakes.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57A huge contrast to the lush rainforest
0:01:57 > 0:02:00found in the continent's interior.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Here, the deep ravines and crevasses
0:02:04 > 0:02:06sometimes trap the unwary,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09and might provide the king of scavengers with a meal.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27It's an ever-changing world.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Lumps of ice as big as apartment blocks carved from glaciers.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45There's no food here today.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48But condors think nothing of travelling 100 miles
0:02:48 > 0:02:50in search of carcasses.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53For a male with a hungry youngster to feed,
0:02:53 > 0:02:55the best chances lie further inland.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15The condor soars on wings that are larger than any other bird's.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36His pin-sharp vision is second to none.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37And he knows just where to look.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42The breeding grounds of the guanaco.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49These wild relatives of the llama
0:03:49 > 0:03:53live in herds in the mountainous regions of much of South America.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03Condors watch for opportunities as males fight it out over females.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Their below-the-belt techniques
0:04:06 > 0:04:09include attacking each other's genitals.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Their defence is to sit on their assets.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29All this machismo causes casualties,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32and opportunities for a scavenger.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Caracara birds arrive first at every carcass.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49They are the condor's food tasters.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Once they've eaten and not come to harm, he knows he's safe to land.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Once down, his natural majesty disappears.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08He becomes a 14-kilo turkey.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24The caracaras tuck in while they still have the carcass to themselves.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Once the first condor feeds, others are quick to follow.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Males, recognised by the comb on their head,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58are usually first on the scene.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Females, who lack the flamboyant headgear, arrive next.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Brown juveniles are at the bottom of the condor pecking order.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Everyone knows their place. It's all very civilised.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Families feed happily, side by side.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31But as they eat, someone is always on sentry duty.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39The Patagonian fox has spotted the commotion. He hunts birds.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52The first condor to feed is now at a disadvantage.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01He's carrying 1.5 kilos of excess baggage in his crop.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Take-off isn't easy at the best of times,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17but it's just got a whole lot more difficult.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37He finally makes it - on a wing and a prayer.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49600 miles east on the Patagonian coast,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52a giant petrel is also looking for a meal.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05Sea lion colonies
0:08:05 > 0:08:08are this scavenger's favourite stomping ground.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17But to find a meal, he needs a partner in crime.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31Killer whales.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35The sea lion's greatest enemy, but friend to the petrel.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Young sea lions are innocent to the danger.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03The petrel shadows the whales, waiting for them to attack.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18He looks for likely victims.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32The whales rely on speed and surprise.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Before she can try again,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53she has to get seven tonnes of blubber off the beach.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57No easy task.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11A killer whale calf is learning the technique.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Only two whale families in the world know how to hunt like this.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31At the end of the sea lions' breeding season, they get lots of practice.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Success for the whale means a feast for the petrel.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52And these whales can kill several times a day.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Today, there's plenty to go round.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58The petrels may only get the leftovers,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01but there's still enough to be worth fighting for.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03THEY SQUAWK
0:12:17 > 0:12:22The interior of the continent is covered by the vast Amazon jungle.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Scarlet macaws understand the many secrets found within.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35They are highly intelligent and travel as a family,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38teaching their young the ways of the largest rainforest in the world.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45The jungle covers 40% of the continent,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48and macaws inhabit every part.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57The birds migrate to wherever the best food can be found.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16The macaws know which trees are producing seeds
0:13:16 > 0:13:19and when fruits are ripe for the taking.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21BIRDSONG
0:13:37 > 0:13:40But not everything they eat is so delicious.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Many plants protect themselves with poisons.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48After a morning feeding on toxic seeds and forbidden fruit,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52the race is on to find something to settle their stomachs.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05The macaws' detailed knowledge of the forest
0:14:05 > 0:14:07tells them just where to go.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Along the riverbank are special sites
0:14:34 > 0:14:37where a natural remedy can be found.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Smaller parrots have beaten them to it.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Mealy parrots are joined by rose-crowned parakeets.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07The macaws are naturally cautious.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11They use the little parrots as bait to see if any predators are around.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24These parrots are here for the same reason as the macaws -
0:15:24 > 0:15:26the healing qualities of the clay.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34This special mud neutralises the toxins they've acquired
0:15:34 > 0:15:36through a less-than-perfect diet.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42The macaws are still too nervous to join the gathering.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Monkeys have arrived, putting them on edge.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52But the spider monkeys are more a distraction than a danger.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57He weighs up the risks...
0:15:58 > 0:16:00..and takes his chance.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Time's up for the flocks of smaller parrots.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30With the competition gone,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33the rest of the macaws feel brave enough to come down.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42The clay settles their stomachs, but it also works as a vitamin pill,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46providing sodium and calcium supplements.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50But the macaws won't get the chance to take their medicine.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55A harpy eagle, their living nightmare.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43The eagle kills.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46But it's a monkey hanging from its talons.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56South America's greatest aerial predator has a hungry chick to feed.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Fortunately, their favourite food is monkeys.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19The macaws are safe this time,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22but they must find their medicine elsewhere.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Back in Patagonia, the condor returns to his nest site.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59His youngster is excited.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03The condor's throat crop bulges with stored food.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23The male is a devoted father.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Condors mate for life,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and usually have one chick at a time.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34They care for their single child for two years
0:19:34 > 0:19:36until it's old enough to survive on its own.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43This couple have chosen an ideal spot to bring him up.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48The sheer cliffs create huge updraughts,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52perfect for lifting the condors' huge bodies in the air.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58The rock face creates a perfect apartment block,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01with holes that seem made to measure.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10At six months old, their youngster is ready to fly.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14She just needs some gentle encouragement.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18Flight school begins with her father showing just how it should be done.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33She isn't keen to follow.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40It's hardly surprising.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45Throwing yourself into a 200-metre drop requires a huge leap of faith.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Her mother makes the choice for her.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06She's in flight, but still getting the hang of it...
0:21:06 > 0:21:08and heads straight back to safety.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Dad encourages her to try again.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27She has another go, but it's hardly any better.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Finally, she gets the idea.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40She's looking more confident,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44and even executes an impressive flyby.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Her father joins the new air cadet
0:21:58 > 0:22:02and they fly together in perfect formation.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Despite an unpromising start,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19her maiden flight has gone well.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22She joins the more advanced aviators in the thermals.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30She has earned her wings!
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Macaws are still seeking the medicinal clays they need.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49The jungle is mostly impenetrable,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52and macaws either stay in the canopy
0:22:52 > 0:22:55or follow rivers that wind their way through.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17But deep in the forest is another clay-lick,
0:23:17 > 0:23:21and the macaws know just where it can be found.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26But here, the clay lies on the forest floor
0:23:26 > 0:23:30a risky place for a tree-living bird to land.
0:23:36 > 0:23:41Butterflies are after the same minerals that attract the macaws.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52They, in turn, provide a snack for the sun bittern.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55She uses the salty mud as a dipping sauce.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58It also helps them slip down more easily.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Just as the macaws are about to risk it,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16a strange new creature appears.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21It's a tapir a distant relative of the horse
0:24:21 > 0:24:23that lives in the deepest forest.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28A rare sight even for birds that have seen it all before.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Tapirs use these jungle pools as mud-wallows.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Somewhere to cool off in the heat of the day.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00Tapirs might be harmless, but macaws have reason to be cautious.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02They aren't as nimble as the smaller parrots,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05and so it's risky to land on the ground.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15But if the macaws don't take their medication,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18they will suffer the consequences,
0:25:18 > 0:25:23and, unfortunately, black spider monkeys have jumped the queue!
0:25:34 > 0:25:38This is the busy season at the clay-lick.
0:25:38 > 0:25:43Ripe fruit is scarce and the alternatives are hard to digest.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46This is one time no-one minds taking their medicine.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50But the macaws are still weighing up the risks.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03In the jungle, everyone is continually on edge.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10But it's the nervousness of the monkeys
0:26:10 > 0:26:13that could give the macaws the break they need.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29A final few checks...
0:26:35 > 0:26:38But then more visitors arrive.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Peccaries, wild relatives of the pig
0:26:50 > 0:26:54that roam the jungle in gangs up to 100 strong.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03This is not the macaws' lucky day!
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Like other jungle animals, the peccaries also use mud
0:27:06 > 0:27:10as a health supplement, but even they won't eat for long.
0:27:17 > 0:27:18A jaguar.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25The macaws were wise to be cautious.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33They have survived, but at the cost of a stomach-ache.
0:27:33 > 0:27:34They must look elsewhere for a cure.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41On the river's edge, black vultures are scavenging on a carcass.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44They are the condor's smaller cousins,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46replacing them in low-lying areas away from the Andes.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52But the owner of the carcass isn't far away.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07The vultures are used to this game.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09The trick is not to be intimidated.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20The jaguar saves her energy
0:28:20 > 0:28:22it's not worth the effort.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Good things come to those who wait, and, like the macaws,
0:28:37 > 0:28:40patience is a virtue in the jungle.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51And there are plenty of ways to pass the time.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01As they chill out,
0:29:01 > 0:29:05a giant otter and her pups feel brave enough to show themselves.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29They travel around in family groups
0:29:29 > 0:29:32and are found in waterways throughout the Amazon.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34As the hot sun takes its toll on the jaguar,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38the otters vanish as quickly as they came.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51Vultures live for moments like this, grabbing what they can
0:29:51 > 0:29:54while the jaguar's distracted.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11JAGUAR GROWLS
0:30:22 > 0:30:24It's tough being a scavenger,
0:30:24 > 0:30:29but black vultures can last two weeks without a meal.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32There are plenty of other places to explore.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14A favourite vulture location is Iguassu Falls,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16one of the world's greatest waterfalls.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22It straddles the border between Argentina and Brazil,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26and is made up of 275 separate falls.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47Half the water funnels into a vast chasm known as Devil's Throat.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56The vultures love the turbulent winds created by the cascades,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59and many make Iguassu their home.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12But some birds live even closer to the falls.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25Dusky swifts miraculously vanish as they arrive at the curtain of water.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42It's a mesmerising trick
0:32:42 > 0:32:46that involves flying through the cascades to reach the cliffs behind.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53There's method in their madness, for this is where they build their nests.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55The wall of water acts as a force field,
0:32:55 > 0:32:57stopping predators in their tracks.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08In the early morning,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12the birds leave the falls behind as they set off to catch insects.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20But the cascades attract plenty of other birds
0:33:20 > 0:33:23that never leave its mist-filled canyons.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28Hummingbirds love the flowers that flourish among the spray,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31and visit them like clockwork.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Their brain may only be the size of a pea,
0:33:40 > 0:33:42but it can remember the location of every flower
0:33:42 > 0:33:46and the precise times they produce nectar.
0:33:54 > 0:33:59At every feed, their brain starts an inbuilt stopwatch,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02telling them when the flower will next restock its supplies.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16They do this for hundreds of flowers,
0:34:16 > 0:34:20creating a time management schedule that humans would struggle with.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25They need to be efficient
0:34:25 > 0:34:28wings that flap 70 times each second eat up energy.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36But all this careful clock-watching would be an utter waste of time
0:34:36 > 0:34:39if others steal their precious nectar.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41Competition is intense.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57Arguments are common as the hummingbirds fight for possession.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07Ear-feathers flash a warning to rivals.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15PIPING CALL
0:35:17 > 0:35:20As the ultimate deterrent, they wield their bill like a sword.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33After a day of marking time and arguing with the neighbours,
0:35:33 > 0:35:35a cold shower goes down a treat.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52It's now that the dusky swifts also return to the falls,
0:35:52 > 0:35:54gathering in their thousands
0:35:54 > 0:35:57before plunging through the cascades to roost.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Prime spots attract hundreds of birds
0:36:11 > 0:36:14all crammed together for warmth and protection.
0:36:18 > 0:36:23The relentless roar of the water can be heard several miles away,
0:36:23 > 0:36:27but to the birds, it's like a lullaby soothing them to sleep.
0:36:37 > 0:36:38They rest easy,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42knowing that few predators dare face the raging torrents.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Now that the condors' youngster can fly,
0:36:57 > 0:37:01the family are able to move to a new location.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03It doesn't get much better than this
0:37:03 > 0:37:06huge cliff buttresses offer perfect roost sites,
0:37:06 > 0:37:11and the birds can simply step off the edge to soar into the heavens.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19A single condor is a rare sight,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22but here, dozens take to the air together.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30The adolescent joins these early warm-up flights
0:37:30 > 0:37:33before setting off with her parents to find a meal.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48The condors rarely stray far from the Andes
0:37:48 > 0:37:51as they need its winds for soaring,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55but few carcasses can be found at this altitude.
0:37:58 > 0:38:05Instead, they use the mountains as a springboard to the plains below.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19Here, meals can come from the most unexpected places.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Even Santiago - the capital city of Chile -
0:38:25 > 0:38:27offers opportunities for condors.
0:38:30 > 0:38:36Its five million human inhabitants generate vast quantities of rubbish.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Even here, the rules of the wild still apply.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Caracaras are first to find the food.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53They just have to dodge the garbage trucks.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04But feeding among rubbish could be dangerous for the rare condor.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11So the landfill operator provides decoy carcasses
0:39:11 > 0:39:13at the edge of the site
0:39:13 > 0:39:17to lure condors away from anything that could endanger their health.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21They prove irresistible.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25This unruly scrum consists of over 40 individuals.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37It may look like a free-for-all,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40but even here a strict hierarchy applies.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44As before, the males take precedence over the females.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52The youngsters are left arguing over the scraps.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Condors are long-lived birds.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02This magnificent male is perhaps 50 years of age.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04His extraordinary comb and wattle
0:40:04 > 0:40:07set him apart from less impressive mortals.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15He's already fed, so he's happy to let others take their turn.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25He's treated with respect by other condors.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31When he returns for seconds, they soon back away.
0:40:43 > 0:40:48Paradoxically, in the shadow of one of South America's biggest cities,
0:40:48 > 0:40:52this is the greatest gathering of condors on Earth.
0:41:02 > 0:41:07Elsewhere, it's black vultures that are the city scavengers.
0:41:13 > 0:41:18Rio de Janeiro is one of their favourite haunts.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26Like Santiago, it is surrounded by mountains -
0:41:26 > 0:41:29perfect for soaring birds.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33And as sea breezes hit the high-rise buildings,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37they create a carnival ride for the vultures.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17Although city life has its pleasures, to find a more natural meal,
0:42:17 > 0:42:21black vultures head for the vast grassy plains
0:42:21 > 0:42:23that cover much of the continent.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36In the rainy season, these grasslands quickly flood,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39and birds converge on here from all over the continent.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49Before the vultures migrate onwards to North America,
0:42:49 > 0:42:53many stop off at one of the best wetlands of all
0:42:53 > 0:42:55the Llanos in Venezuela.
0:42:58 > 0:42:59This mecca for birdlife
0:42:59 > 0:43:03covers an area nearly twice the size of Britain.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13More species are found here than in the whole of the United States.
0:43:22 > 0:43:27It's not just birds that make this flooded paradise their home.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35The capybara, the world's largest rodent,
0:43:35 > 0:43:39grazes on the aquatic plants that are found here.
0:43:51 > 0:43:55Orinoco geese goose-step in the shallows.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02While caymans add an element of danger.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15Scarlet ibis are the most colourful visitors.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18They love the giant water bugs that lurk here.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24Most birds come here
0:44:24 > 0:44:28for the 300 species of fish that fill the lagoons to bursting.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37Skimmers have one of the most extraordinary ways of fishing.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46They scythe the water with strangely mismatched bills.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55The lower beak projects further than the upper,
0:44:55 > 0:45:00allowing the skimmer to scoop up tiny fish as they fly.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30They feed by touch.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33Their head flicks down whenever they catch something.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48Meanwhile, spoonbills use their aptly-named beak
0:45:48 > 0:45:51to ladle fish from the water.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06An egret uses his bill like tweezers.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17The less skilful birds follow the experts,
0:46:17 > 0:46:20willing them to drop something.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31The scavenging vultures are among those that live in hope.
0:46:40 > 0:46:45The osprey's technique is spectacular and rarely fails.
0:47:06 > 0:47:11But the fish here can be huge, and there's always one that gets away!
0:47:15 > 0:47:18It's a much-appreciated meal for the vultures,
0:47:18 > 0:47:22one that will help fuel their journey onwards towards north America.
0:47:30 > 0:47:31Back in the Andes,
0:47:31 > 0:47:35the vulture's bigger cousin searches for another meal.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48A condor's eye-view reveals some of Peru's greatest mysteries.
0:47:52 > 0:47:55Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09The Nazca Lines,
0:48:09 > 0:48:12ancient desert carvings that depict the local wildlife.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14A hummingbird.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23And a monkey.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30Little life survives in this desert now.
0:48:33 > 0:48:37But once the condors reach the other side,
0:48:37 > 0:48:41they enjoy one of the richest coastlines in the world.
0:48:57 > 0:49:02The bays of Peru's Paracas coast are alive with thousands of sea lions.
0:49:06 > 0:49:09It's worth the long journey here
0:49:09 > 0:49:12for the promise this huge gathering brings.
0:49:23 > 0:49:28Weighing in at 350 kilos, these testosterone-fuelled giants body-slam
0:49:28 > 0:49:32as they fight for females, and casualties are inevitable.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48The condor just needs to find a victim!
0:49:50 > 0:49:54But the fighting males are too tough to be killed.
0:49:54 > 0:49:59It's the baby bystanders that suffer the consequences.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13The circling condors are joined by turkey vultures
0:50:13 > 0:50:16all looking for their next meal.
0:50:25 > 0:50:30Like black vultures, they are smaller relatives of the condors.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34They are first at the carcass
0:50:34 > 0:50:36and eat as much as they can before the condor arrives.
0:50:41 > 0:50:45They lack the condor's more refined table manners.
0:50:48 > 0:50:52The condor takes his time, then makes a grand entrance.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01He gets the reaction he demands.
0:51:06 > 0:51:10Here condors rule the roost. It's "All hail the king".
0:51:15 > 0:51:20No turkey vulture would dare challenge a condor at his banquet.
0:51:26 > 0:51:28At the end of the condor's journey,
0:51:28 > 0:51:32he takes his rightful place as the overlord of the Andes.
0:51:41 > 0:51:45For many of the vultures, it's time to head northwards up the coast.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58Birds from all over the continent converge at the Panama Canal,
0:51:58 > 0:52:02an artificial waterway that joins the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Every spring they join black vultures
0:52:31 > 0:52:37and over two million hawks on a mass exodus out of South America.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41The largest gathering of birds of prey in the world
0:52:41 > 0:52:45passes over Panama city and into Central America.
0:53:09 > 0:53:14Just over the border in Costa Rica, it's time for dinner.
0:53:14 > 0:53:16The vultures head for the beaches.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29Here, they expect a fine and nutritious meal.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34They just have to wait for the tide to turn.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52This is what they have come for - an olive ridley turtle.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00Some can hardly contain their excitement...
0:54:06 > 0:54:09..because these turtles never come alone.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18This is the famous Arribada, the mass gathering of turtles.
0:54:46 > 0:54:51As soon as they arrive, they lay their eggs deep in the sand.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56But as quickly as the eggs appear, they are gone,
0:54:56 > 0:54:59wolfed down by the hungry vultures.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05But the turtles just keep coming,
0:55:05 > 0:55:09oblivious to the hungry hordes that surround them.
0:55:20 > 0:55:24As they try to bury their eggs, they dig up those of others.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26It's a gift for the vultures.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59With most of their eggs well and truly scrambled,
0:55:59 > 0:56:01it looks hopeless for the turtles.
0:56:01 > 0:56:06Especially when eggs start flying like a game of Ping-Pong.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23But, just in time, the rain arrives
0:56:23 > 0:56:26and the turtles get the break they need.
0:56:34 > 0:56:39The vultures hunker down, but at least they won't go hungry
0:56:39 > 0:56:42on the rest of their long journey north.
0:56:53 > 0:56:54Back in the rainforest,
0:56:54 > 0:56:59the macaws finally find a clay-lick where they can gather in peace.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06As well as acting as a natural dispensary,
0:57:06 > 0:57:09clay-licks are just as important for the macaws' social life.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12It's where they get to know each other.
0:57:17 > 0:57:21Here, macaws seem most at home, they only have each other to argue with
0:57:21 > 0:57:24and they clearly enjoy every minute.
0:57:25 > 0:57:29These colourful and lively get-togethers can last for hours.
0:57:33 > 0:57:37The sites where medicinal clay can be found are just part of
0:57:37 > 0:57:42the macaw's vast knowledge of the greatest rainforest on the planet.
0:57:46 > 0:57:49They, more than any other bird,
0:57:49 > 0:57:52represent a disappearing and mysterious world.
0:57:57 > 0:58:00When all the macaws have had their fill,
0:58:00 > 0:58:02they leave in a blaze of glory.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10It's a privileged sight in a diverse and secret continent.
0:58:18 > 0:58:21Next time, we will journey across Asia and Australia
0:58:21 > 0:58:26to see these contrasting continents through the eyes of birds.
0:58:49 > 0:58:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:52 > 0:58:57E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk