Mumbaca palms

Mumbaca (Astrocaryum gynaconthum) is one of our native palms at Bosque Santa Lúcia and there are plenty of them. We left two large clumps near the reception center, but we always warn visitors not to get too close. They have long, hard, sharp thorns that you won't forget anytime soon, if you don't heed the advise. The palm produces bunches of bright orange-colored fruit which monkeys and some birds like. I have never figured out how they manage to avoid all those thorns which cover the palms from head to food (ground to crown). Most recently we've noticed birds nesting in this particular clump of palms. Then yesterday a visitor, Sister Alice, spotted an egg on the ground, which could only have come from a nest up above. Image coming up.