Ancient Parrot DNA Points to Pre-Inca Animal Trade

Ancient DNA from brightly colored feathers found in Peru shows at least four distinct species of Amazonian parrots – the scarlet macaw (Ara macao), the blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna), the scarlet and green macaw (Ara chloropterus) and the mealy Amazon (Amazon farinosa) – were transported alive across the Andes centuries before the Inca Empire, evidence of sophisticated long-distance trade linking the Amazon, highland passes, and Pacific communities.

A pair of scarlet macaws (Ara macao) in Costa Rica. Image credit: Julio-César Chávez / CC BY 4.0.

The ancient parrot feathers were discovered in Pachacamac, Peru – one of the preeminent religious centers of Andean civilization – far beyond the original rainforest range of these birds.

“By combining ancient DNA sequencing, isotope chemistry and computer landscape modeling, we were able to trace how and where these birds moved across the landscape,” said Dr George Olah, a researcher at the Australian National University and King’s College London.

“Our ancient habitat modeling confirmed that the western side of the Andes was just as inhospitable for these species a thousand years ago as it is today. These parrots are strictly rainforest dwellers with a natural home range of approximately 150 km.”

“The fact that they ended up more than 500 km away, on the other side of the highest mountain range in South America, proves human intervention. They do not naturally fly over the Andes.”

“The results show that several species of Amazonian parrots were captured in the wild, transported over mountain passes, and kept alive on the coast long enough to grow new feathers in their new environment.”

In a genomic analysis, the authors identified four Amazonian species in the feather assemblage – the scarlet macaw, the blue-and-yellow macaw, the red-and-green macaw, and the mealy-bird macaw – all native to rainforest habitat hundreds of miles from the Pacific coast.

Transportation probably took weeks or even months as travelers traversed steep mountain passes and craggy plateaus.

“We can now demonstrate, through genetic and isotopic evidence, that these parrots were not just traded as feathers: they were transported alive, across spectacular terrain, in coastal ritual contexts,” Dr Olah said.

By analyzing the chemical signatures in the feathers, the researchers found that the birds’ diet was now focused on C4 plants, such as corn, and marine proteins, showing that they were being kept alive after crossing the Andes.

“Our analysis reveals that the parrots were fed the same nitrogen-enriched diet used by their captors – a clear sign of prolonged care following their removal from the rainforest,” Dr Olah said.

Landscape modeling further identified likely trans-Andean corridors and river routes used for bird transport, revealing sophisticated land and river exchange networks.

The birds were valued for their vibrant feathers, which had deep cultural value in pre-Hispanic societies and were often used in ritual and high-status burial contexts.

“This discovery challenges long-held assumptions that pre-Incan societies were isolated or fragmented,” Dr Olah said.

“Instead, we see evidence of organized exchange, ecological knowledge, and logistical planning that linked very different environments long before imperial routes formalized these connections. »

The results were published today in the journal Natural communications.

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G.Olah and others. 2026. Ancient DNA and spatial modeling reveal trans-Andean pre-Inca parrot trade. Nat Common 17, 2117; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-69167-9