For a momentary respite from the confinement of the COVID pandemic, Elinor Zamora went up to the roof of her building to breathe in the outside air. There, in 2020, she encountered a surprising sight: She watched dozens of huge, colorful macaws gather just before sunset, drawn by a neighbor who was feeding them. Mesmerized by the majesty of the birds, Zamora was moved by the scene. Like the birds, she also began a daily pilgrimage to the roof to bask in their splendor.

“No matter what happens, everyone knows that at 4 p.m. I go to my house to meet my guacamayas on the roof,” she says.

The birds, which can grow up to three feet in length, are a symbol of