Ancient Andean parrot trade route stretched over 300 miles

The sophisticated network crossed mountains in Peru and pre-dates the Inca Empire. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Ancient parrots really got around. A new analysis of their DNA found that humans transported living Amazonian macaw parrots across the Andes mountains to coastal Peru hundreds of years before the Inca Empire. The findings are detailed in a study published today in the journal and reveal a highly sophisticated and long-distance bird trading network across deserts, highlands, and rainforests.