The Messy Eater Helping Save Over 18 Other Species

Brought back from the brink of extinction, the world’s largest flying parrot won’t just stun you with its giant wings and shocking color—they’re up to something really special! Here’s how their rising numbers are helping nearly two dozen other species thrive, as well.

In one of the world’s largest and most beautiful wetlands, thousands of airborne farmers are working their magic. Not so long ago, they were on the brink of extinction in the wild, but their ongoing comeback story is revealing a more complex relationship between parrots and plants than we could have ever imagined.

By Liesl Ulrich-Verderber