Its bows take the form of a beak, with two large painted eyes evoking the traditional seafarers' belief that the bird's image would help sailors return safely, like the migrants that return each spring and autumn.
The area's shallow salt lagoons are home to thousands of migratory birds as well as flocks of flamingos like these, whose bright pink plumage stands out against the arid landscapes of Bolivia's Altiplano region.
The blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), a migrant bird common in Europe that breeds in gardens, once had virtually no avian malaria but a study in 1999 showed nearly 4% had the disease.
Earlier springs that confuse migratory birds, more efficient farming and the conversion of dilapidated buildings (good for nesting) into modern homes have all contributed to these woes.