RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT 10 March 2026 Ancient DNA and other clues from feathers found in modern Peru hint that the ancient Ychsma culture imported birds from the distant Amazon. 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 Feather-fancying ancient Peruvians imported live parrots from the other side of the Andes mountain range, hundreds of kilometres away 1 . Access options Access through your institution Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $32.99 / 30 days cancel any time Subscribe to this journal Receive 52 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.83 per issue Rent or buy this article Prices vary by article type from $1.95 to $39.95 Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Nature 651 , 561 (2026) doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00765-9 References…