The Paz Family are Natives of the Cantón Baños de Agua Santa which is a little town nestled in the skirts of Tungurahua, an active volcano.  Our family had a struggling socioeconomically to provide and care for their seven children, ours parents, Manuel Paz and Teresa Villafuerte were forced to migrate in order to search for better work opportunities.

Forty-five years ago, they moved to the region of Ecuador known as the Noroccidente in the Province of Pichincha, a subtropical region located 2 hours northwest of Quito. Even though money was in short supply, our parents ensured that each of us completed at least primary school.  We worked from an early age, losing much of our childhood and adolescence, but our parents taught us the values of respect, honor, integrity and to strive for us dreams. So, our dream was to be able to have a family and work in farming, and we were able to survive making a living this way.

One day while I was walking on the new path to the lek of the Andean Cock of the rock, I saw a dark bird with patches of light brown on it’s chest, long legs and a wide beak eating earth worms on the path. As I approached the bird, it  flew away into it’s habitat.  The next day I said to myself, “This bird with long legs and a big beak should be my friend.” I began to follow the bird into the woods, offering her worms but she wouldn’t accept anything.  However,  I was very determined and the forest became my new home as I spent day after day trying to befriend her. Then the great day arrived and she finally accepted the worms and became my friend from that day forward. I baptized her with the name of my wife, Maria and she comes out from hiding to see me when called.  Maria is now the Giant Antipitta who welcomes everyone to The Paz Bird Refuge.