My wife and I took a quick trip to central Chile for birding and some wine tasting. We were scheduled to go to Buenos Aires but the volcano disrupted air travel to Buenos Aires so we opted to go to Santiago instead (which was surprisingly not having airport issues related to the volcano). I had previously birded the Andes outside of Chile and the tip of South America (on a trip to Antarctica) so this trip was planned to cover the locations in Central Chile that I had not previously visited and target the specialties from those places. In gathering information, I was surprised by the lack of trip reports for Chile, especially those providing detailed location information (i.e. directions). Furthermore, there is essentially no information available for winter.
Primary Locations:
Valparaiso/Vina del Mar, Laguna El Peral, La Campana National Park, Lampa marsh, Maule Valley, and Reserve Altos de Lircay
Itinerary
We arrived at Santiago in the early morning and drove straight to the coast at Valparaiso. Valparaiso gives access to the coastal specialties (including Laguna El Peral) and is the easiest access to La Campana National Park. After these sites, we drove to Talca for birding in the Maule Valley and Altos de Lircay. Finally, we went to Lampa marsh after returning to Santiago.
These locations can easily be done without a guide/tour. The sites are accessible from Santiago and the driving is relatively straightforward. Hotels are available relatively close to the sites.
Birds and Reference material: For a field guide, the Birds of Chile (Princeton Field Guides) by Alvaro Jaramillo is much better than the alternative Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica by Martin R. De La Pena.
We downloaded target species to our MP3 player from Xeno Canto. We brought a small speaker so that we could tape in species. Being winter, birds were less responsive to tape and I used it rarely.
Guides: We were entirely self-guided.
Timing of the trip: We went in winter. This is not ideal as the summer migrants are absent and birds are less vocal. I was worried about altitudinal movements of some my targets (such as the tapaculos) as any such movements are not well known. Most trip reports are from October to January (spring to summer) and most tour companies go between November and January.
Airport: We flew into Santiago International airport (SCL). It is a simple airport with departures on the 3rd floor and arrivals on the 1st floor. American passport holders must pay a US $140 visa on arrival to the SCL airport. The visa is good for the life of the particular passport. We had no problems with customs. The rental car counters are on the first floor near gate 1. There are multiple ATM machines on the first floor to get Chilean Pesos.
Transportation: Driving is on the right side of the road and the vehicles have the steering wheel on the left side of the car (standard USA driving). Driving was relatively easy, and roads were well signed. There are tolls on the main road to Valparaiso (1500 Chile Pesos, twice) and tolls on the Autopista to Talca (2000 Chile Pesos, four times). We did not experience any traffic issues although we only drove in Santiago on the weekend.
We rented from Budget Rental Car. We rented a 4 door 2 wheel drive (Toyota corolla), and we never needed 4 wheel drive or a high clearance vehicle anywhere we drove.
Gas was expensive (if I did the calculation correct, it was nearly US $6/gallon, while the average US gallon was about $3.50/gallon). Gas stations were common in all towns we drove through. I did not have to get a Chile driver’s license or show an International Driver’s license. My California (USA) driver’s license was satisfactory.
Maps: I picked up a map at the rental car agency which was not useful. I had previously printed maps of the areas of interest from Google Maps and we used these.
Taxis and local transportation: Taxis appeared common. You can get to all sites via bus but you would need additional information than I have.
Language: The official language is Spanish. We found English to be spoken by many. A basic knowledge of Spanish, however, is helpful. They spoke very quickly and there was a lot that I did not understand when being spoken to in Spanish (I have had little trouble in other Spanish speaking countries)..
Money: Currency is the Chilean Peso. US dollars were not accepted but our hotel in Talca charged us in US $.
Hotels and Food: We stayed at the Hotel Diego de Almagro in Talca. It is located at the junction of 3 Oriente and 4 Norte. It can be difficult to find when exiting from the Autopista. I would strongly suggest printing out a map of Talca from Google Maps and identifying the route to the hotel. Fortunately, many of the roads in Talca are signed. As you are going south on Autopista 5 (from Santiago), the first Talca exit is Avenida Lircay and the second exit is San Miguel. You can get to this hotel using either exit but neither was very easy.
Talca Hotel
email: talca@diegodealmagrohotels.cl
phone: (56-71)714600
We stayed at Hotel Tres Ponientes in Vina Del Mar. It was reasonably priced and included breakfast and wireless internet. Room walls were thin but since it was winter there was not much noise. Ask to pay in Chilean pesos (as opposed to credit card) as this will save you some money. From this hotel, you can walk to places to eat as well as the bay (and the casino).
Vina del Mar hotel
Address and contact info:
3 Poniente 70, Viña del Mar
Telephone (56-32) 2478576 - info@hotel3poniente.cl
Directions to sites:
Valparaiso/Coastal Central Chile: As you exit the SCL airport, you will pay a toll (400 Chilean Pesos) and then you will see signs to Valparaiso. The signs are easily followed. Essentially, it is two right turns after exiting the airport and paying your toll. You will take Highway 68 directly into Valparaiso. Once in Valparaiso, go all the way to the bay. We drove both north and south along the road that parallels the coast, birding at various spots along the way.
Laguna El Peral: This is a wetland site south of Valparaiso. It is about 70 kilometers (80 minutes) from Valparaiso. Alternatively, you can take highway 78 (Autopista del Sol) from Santiago towards Cartagena and exit north onto F962G just before the coast. Then take G-98-F towards the coast and exit north onto El Peral. Follow El Peral north and the lagoon is on your left in 4 km. This is a spot for Black-headed Duck
La Campana: This area is northeast of Valparaiso and can be accessed either from Valparaiso or Santiago but I believe it is easier to access it from Valparaiso. We took the Autopista Troncal Sur out of Vina del Mar. This is a toll road. We exited at Limache and drove through Limache, stopping to ask directions a couple of times. When you turn from Limache to Olmue it is 7.8 km to the city square. From the Olmue city square it is 3.2 Km to the turn to the primary spot at La Campana. There are places to stay in Olmue (the tour companies stay here). There are two areas to access La Campana (Sector Granizo and Sector Cajon Grande). We birded both. Sector Granizo has the main guard station and was the best area. As you are driving east from Olmue, the right turn for Sector Cajon Grande is before the right turn for Sector Granizo. Both are signed.
Lampa marsh: This site is located northwest of Santiago. Take Autopista 5 north out of Santiago. Go past the Vespucio Norte Express (the freeway that circles the city). Shortly (1-2km) after the 20km marker is the exit for Colina (around the 22Km marker). There is a McDonalds at this exit. Take this exit but go west (back over the freeway) and towards Lampa. The marsh is 7.5km from the freeway. You will go over a railroad track and it is 3.5km from this railroad track. There are signs and a boardwalk at the marsh. There is limited parking off the road. The best spot was just past the boardwalk where a bridge crosses the road. There is second area that allows access to the marsh. Go beyond the bridge for about 2km and take the first road to the right. It goes for a ways and turns to the right and then left and then right again before it crosses a bridge and the marsh. This marsh is a spot for the Chilean race of Black Rail. You will need to get a tape from xeno-canto to try for this species.
Altos de Lircay: The site is approximately 63km (1 hour) by car east of Talca. It is best to stay in Talca. The main towns you drive through after leaving Talca are San Clemente and Vilches. Directions as follows: As you are driving south on autopista 5, take the 2nd Talca exit and go east on San Miguel road (highway 115). Go east through the town of San Clemente (approximately 15km from Talca) to the turn for Vilches/Altos de Lircay. The turn for Vilches (off highway 115) was 35.5km east from the Talca exit off the autopista. This turn for Vilches was well signed. It is a left turn and the road is paved. This road will gradually climb and go through the town of Vilches until it ends at Altos de Lircay. The last 15km of this road is dirt/gravel. When you get to the end of the road, it forks. The left fork has a gate and the right fork goes back to an “official” park building. I walked both the left and right tracks. These are apparently popular hiking trails.
Maule Valley: This is the area around/east of Talca. The primary birding area is Lake Colbun which can be accessed either by highway 115 or through the town of Colbun. I would advise looking at a Google Map for orientation. I accessed the lake by continuing driving east on highway 115 (a little over 10km past the turn-off for Vilches). The lake is on the south side of highway 115. This is the site for Spectacled Duck but I missed it. The agricultural fields in the area have Burrowing Parrots.
Departure Tax: No departure tax.
Weather & Clothing: We did not have any rain, although winter (June and July) is the “rainy” season for central Chile. It was relatively cold, (below 30F at Altos de Lircay with snow on the ground) but warmed up during the day.
Biting animals: No problems
Advice: I would advise the following for central Chile: 1) one – 1.5 days along the central coast (1.5 days if doing a half day pelagic trip out of Valparaiso), 2) one day at La Campagna (can be one afternoon and the following morning), 3) three quarters to one full day at Altos de Lircay/Maule Valley, and 4) one morning at Lampa Marsh (all you need is 2-3 hours depending on luck with Black Rail). Obviously, if you have not been to central Chile before, you would add ~2 days in the Andes east of Santiago to go to the Farellones and Yeso and Maipo valleys.
Species List
Chilean Tinamou – lucky to get it at La Campana (easier farther south)
Andean Goose – in Lampa marsh (probably only there in winter)
Chiloe Wigeon
Cinnamon Teal
Yellow-billed Teal
California Quail
Great Grebe
Salvin's Albatross – at least one seen from shore at Valparaiso (seen several times so possibly more than one bird involved)
Black-browed Albatross- multiple birds offshore
Southern Giant-Petrel – common from shore and ~20 were very close to shore at the fish processing plant in south Valparaiso, I considered all Giant-Petrels to be this species unless definitely identified as Northern.
Northern Giant-Petrel – one with the birds at the fish processing plant, possibly more
White-chinned Petrel – several offshore
Peruvian Booby
Peruvian Pelican
Neotropic Cormorant
Red-legged Cormorant –surprisingly uncommon from Valparaiso
Guanay Cormorant – surprisingly uncommon from Valparaiso area
Stripe-backed Bittern – Lampa marsh (status in winter?)
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Cattle Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
White-tailed Kite
Cinereous Harrier
Bicolored Hawk – near Buin
Rufous-tailed Hawk
Chimango Caracara
American Kestrel
Aplomado Falcon
Black Rail – Lampa marsh (extremely lucky, tape needed)
Plumbeous Rail
Spot-flanked Gallinule
Red-gartered Coot
Red-fronted Coot
White-winged Coot
Southern Lapwing
Brown-hooded Gull
Kelp Gull
South American Tern
Inca Tern
Rock Pigeon
Chilean Pigeon – Altos de Lircay, common
Eared Dove
Picui Ground-Dove
Burrowing Parakeet – east of San Clemente in agricultural field
Austral Parakeet – Altos de Lircay
Austral Pygmy-Owl – La Campna
Rufous-legged Owl – near entrance to Altos de Lircay (responded to tape)
Green-backed Firecrown
Striped Woodpecker
Chilean Flicker
Magellanic Woodpecker – Altos de Lircay, male and female.
Crag Chilia – La Campana, Sector Granizo
Dark-bellied Cinclodes
Chilean Seaside Cinclodes – several along coast, north of Vina del Mar, look at rocky areas
Wren-like Rushbird
Thorn-tailed Rayadito
Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail
Dusky-tailed Canastero
White-throated Treerunner – common at Altos de Lircay (specialty of this area)
Chestnut-throated Huet-huet – Altos de Lircay. This was surprisingly easy. I initially walked the right track (at the fork at the end of the road) past the “official” park building and by some houses, down to a stream. At the stream crossing, I walked on a small trail upstream. There is a lot of bamboo here. Shortly after walking up this small stream, I found this bird walking along the streamside. I was very lucky as this can be difficult.
White-throated Tapaculo – La Campana, Sector Granizo. I heard several (in response to tape) but seeing it was much more difficult as I had to climb downhill, through bushes to get to it. I would never have seen it with a group.
Chucao Tapaculo – Altos de Lircay. Further along the track than the Huet-huet but also in dense brush/bamboo
Dusky Tapaculo – La Campana, Sector Granizo
Tufted Tit-Tyrant
Many-colored Rush Tyrant
Fire-eyed Diucon
Patagonian Tyrant – along dirt road that leads up to Altos de Lircay, more open, disturbed area
Rufous-tailed Plantcutter
Blue-and-white Swallow
Chilean Swallow
House Wren
Austral Thrush
Chilean Mockingbird
Gray-hooded Sierra-Finch – La Campana
Patagonian Sierra-Finch – Altos de Lircay
Common Diuca-Finch – Altos de Lircay
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Long-tailed Meadowlark
Austral Blackbird
Yellow-winged Blackbird
Black-chinned Siskin
House Sparrow