“Labored wingbeats lift scarlet ibises from the llanos, the vast grasslands of Venezuela’s interior. During the May-through-November wet season the flooding Orinoco [River] and its tributaries turn the llanos into an inland sea, attracting thousands of waterbirds???and a growing number of watchers. A few hatos???huge ranges that double as wildlife reserves???now accommodate birders as well as cattle, giving rise to a fledging ecotourism industry.”
