My wife Dorthe and I visited South America for the first time in November 2004. We chose Chile in order to find a country with easy logistics, austral summer and a number of birds not being too breathtaking.
Our first plans concerned a trip of three weeks, but after my wife read Hornbuckle’s report from his trip to Chile and Argentina, we decided to make an extension of another week in Argentina with main focus on Patagonia and the World Heritage site at Peninsula Valdes in order to study sea mammals.
Henrik Nielsen at WECO DSB Travel was very helpful and patient in creating our airborne itinerary flying a total of 17 legs. Iberia took us from Copenhagen via Madrid to Santiago, and again Buenos Aires-Madrid-Copenhagen. Aroelinas Argentina flew Buenos Aires-Trelew and return while Lan Chile’s airpass was good value to get around in Chile. All flights - except the last from Madrid to Copenhagen - went on schedule. Especially Lan Chile was offering high services while Iberia seemed more moderate.
The total costs were 4.000 USD for flight tickets and insurances, 2.000 USD for car rental and local transportation and some 3.000 USD for accommodation and food.
As we left Denmark 1 USD = 0,8 Euro = 6 Dkr = 600 Chilean Peso = 3 Argentinean Peso, but soon the USD crashed to less than 0,75 Euro - the lowest rate against the Euro ever.
You will need no visas or no immunizations to visit Chile or Argentina - no malaria either. On arrival in both countries you will have to fill in a form which should be carried with your passport. The form will be collected when leaving the country.
Both countries are safe though we did witness an attempted robbery on a couple just in front of us in Buenos Aires - but people crowded up and the youngster ran off - and all four wheel caps were stolen at El Taito. In the larger cities in Argentina it is wise to stick to the main streets after dark - due to poverty many people are living in the streets. In Arica many (Peruvians ?) were begging in the streets.
The costs are low, Argentina is much cheaper than Chile. An excellent three course meal including wine for two persons is less than 50 USD in Chile and 35 USD in Argentina. Petrol was 0,35 USD a litre in Argentina and 0,65 in Chile.
Car rental was some 60 USD a day in Santiago (cheapest) and 105 USD a day in Punta Arenas (most expensive) including taxes and additional insurances - note that most prices given on the internet are without tax and insurances. We used Hertz and Avis and had no problems. I will recommend to take the additional insurances as stone impacts are hard to avoid - and the roads in the national parks are gravel. Both in Chile and Argentina drivers are impatient and tough - and most cars got several scratches. Don’t be surprised if you meet a bicyclist riding against you in the overtaking lane on the autopista (highway). (most autopistas are toll roads - but fees are reasonable) That said - don’t hesitate to rent a car, but be alerted.
Roads are good and most were paved. Gravel roads at Tierre del Fuego, in Torres del Paine, towards El Taito, Punta Tombo, Camarones and Peninsula Valdes - most could be driven at a speed of 80 km/h. Roads in all major towns and cities are generally poorly signposted. Best thing is probably to buy road maps at home on internet - maps are not standard equipment in rental cars.
We had no problems in finding accommodation (rates from 15 to 178 USD a night for a double room - unless other mentioned all with private bath and breakfast included). Most rooms were “matrimonial” - one large double-bed. However it is essential to book accommodation in PN Torres del Paine and Putre well in advance - try some of the websites, eg : www.chile-hotels.com or www.latintrip.com . We prebooked half of our accommodation in advance, see more details in our itinerary.
Weather was good and pleasant - in Punta Arenas-area we had heat wave - 20 C is really hot there ! We got heavy rain driving to and from Torres del Paine. Lowest temperature was - 15 C as we went towards El Taito, highest around 30 C in Arica and Buenos Aires. Daylight in Santiago 6.30-20.00 - a little less in Arica, a little more in Puerto Mont. In Punta Arenas daylight 5.00-22.00, in Trelew 5.00-20.30. Local time GMT - 3. The sun at the coast and in the mountains is burning, so carry a high factor sunblock - remember to protect your lips ! A few mosquitos at Ribera Norte and some itching itsy-bitsy creatures in Valle de Lluta .
ATMs available at all banks, most airports and even in some supermarkets. Use of credit cards were restricted to major hotels, most petrol stations and more widely in shops and restaurants at all tourist attractions. It is essential to know at least some Spanish, or at least to carry a good phrase book. $-sign is also used for Peso, and in Argentina USD is no longer used as a general alternative to the Peso as mentioned by Lonely Planet - however both in Chile and Argentina USD are accepted at most hotels.
In Buenos Aires you will have to pay a departure tax of 18 USD (credit card is accepted). It seemed more doubtful in the airport of Trelew where all foreigners had to pay 6,05 peso in departure tax though most - probably all - according to their tickets already had paid their tax - remarkably no locals were sent to the tax counter. And in Punta Arenas the parking guards were demanding a special “Gringo-tax” of all tourists somewhat twice or third the fee.
Finally I wish to thank Erik Mølgaard for good advice. It would not have been possible to make a list of so many good species without the many good sources. Remember to check and crosscheck all trip reports at any time so you don’t end up missing an endemic or a hard to find at other localities bird. We carried a tape with some 20 essential birds (tapaculos etc.) - most found at www.junglewalk.com .
We saw a total of 342 birds species.
Svend Aage Linderström
Vestre Ibsvej 18
DK 2680 Solrød Strand
Denmark
e-mail sal(at)c.dk Replace at with @ - but in order to avoid spam mails.
Itinerary
Friday November 5
Left Solrød 12.40 (GMT +1), handled over our car to Dorthe’s son Thomas at Copenhagen Airport 13.05. Got lunch and checked in. Departure 16.25 to Madrid by Iberia. Weather : SW 7 m/s, 8/8 overcast, visibility > 25 km, showers, 8 degrees Celcius.
Arrived in Madrid 19.25, had dinner and boarded Iberias Airbus just before midnight.
Weather : 8/8, 13 C.
Saturday November 6
Take off 0.30 from Madrid, arrived in Santiago del Chile 9.20 (GMT -3). We got good seats on board and slept well. All procedures went smoothly in the airport, so at 10.30 we loaded our Peugeot 206 from Avis and sat off at the autopista for Lago Penuelas - easy to find and well signposted along the Valparaiso Road. Paid 1500 CP each at the entrance gate at Penuelas and soon found us birding amongst many Chileans on BBQ-picnic. The first endemic, Chilean Mockingsbird, was seen close to the airport, and Lago Penuelas gave good views of many of the more common birds in Chile - a good and gentle start. 11.30-13.15. Went further to Concon, got lunch while we enjoyed the splendid view of the bay. Drove along the peninsula and found Chilean Seaside Cinclodes at the light house. 13.45-15.45. Drove further north along the coast to Quintero, birded at Punta Iles 16.10-17.45. Checked in at the simple Hotel Monaco close to the harbour, 10.000 CP for a double room with private bath.
Weather : SE 5, 0/8, > 25 km, dry, 19-15 C.
Sunday November 7
As breakfast wasn’t included we left the hotel early and birded at Punta Iles 7.00-7.30 while having some breakfast. Saw Salvin’s Albatros - my first ever Albatros having dipped badly in Australia (twice) and South Africa. Went north to Rio Aconcagua for a short stop 7.50-7.55 - even in the early morning the river mouth was crowded with people and dogs leaving no shore birds on the beach. A Great Shrike Tyrant sat on the wires just northeast of the northern bridge. Drove inland from Concon to Campana 7.55-8.45, took the left fork into the National Park and had to wait as the gate open at 9.00 - but got Chilean Pigeon and Whitethroated Tapaculo at the gate. Paid a fee of 1500 CP each and went up the mountain towards the mine. Whitethroated Tapaculos were not uncommon and easy to tapelure, Dusky Tapaculo seemed more hard to find but one was seen well. Moustached Turca was calling from the steep rocks, and we got good views of Giant Hummingbirds as we returned to the entrance. Duskytailed Canastero - two singing males - were found and seen well towards the mine - we didn’t go all the way to the mine as we had found the key species. 8.45-11.15.
Went from Campana to Tiltil and further on to the marsh of Estero Lampa close to Santiago, 12.30-13.20 - saw Spotflanked Gallinule in one of the ponds. Followed Ruta 5 to Santiago, where we stopped for lunch, 14.20-14.40. A lot of road work - the city ring autopista around Santiago is to be improved in order to handle the increasing traffic - made it difficult to find the road towards Cajon del Maipo -finally got there at 15.40, continued to San Jose de Maipo, a very popular picnic site - the problem is however that most hotels are open only in weekends - at last we got a cabin at Santuario del Rio www.santuariodelrio.cl for 35.000 CP, arrived at 17.50, enjoyed the sunset from our veranda with splendid views of the Maipo River and Andes.
Weather SE 5, 8/8, > 10 km, dry, 17-25 C.
Monday November 8
Birding along the river 7.20-9.30, a pair of Torrent Ducks at the river and Moustached Turca calling from the hill gave a good start. Drove towards El Yeso and reached the turn off just 20 minutes later. Drove slowly towards the dam and got our first impressions of the High Andes. Crag Chilias were seen in the ravines at km 3-5, lots of ground tyrants and Greater Yellow Finch close to the dam. My first ever Andean Condor was seen very well at close range - I found it was ok at that moment to turn my back to a Crag Chilia. No birds in the lake and we decided to return - I had later to regret that decision as we failed to find Diademed Sandpiper Plover in PN Lauca. 9.50-12.40. Lunch at San Jose 13.10-14.10, reached Santiago at 14.30 - due to road works we were lead through the city before we got to the airport, returned our car (520 km driven) and checked in at the Airport Hotel Diego del Almagro (90 USD - prepaid www.chile-hotels.com direct www.diegodelalmagrohoteles.cl) at 16.00. Took a taxi to city center to Plaza de la Constitucion 18.15-21.30 - 8000 CP each way and did some sightseeing. We sensed the presence of history when we saw the statue of Salvador Allende opposite the presidential palace, and we enjoyed the temporary photo exhibition at the plaza.
Weather : SE 4, 8/8, 1-25 km, dry, 13-20 C.
Tuesday November 9
Got up early - fortunately the hotel was serving breakfast nearly all night/morning. Went to the airport 6.30, take off for Puerto Mont with Lan Chile at 8.20. Arrival at Puerto Mont at 9.25, picked up our Peugeot 206 by Hertz, left the airport at 10.00, arrived at Puerto Varas 10.25, had a walk at the lake shore - one of the first birds we saw was Des Murs’ Wiretail, left Varas 11.45, went by Ruta 5 to Osorno, where we stopped 11.45-12.30 - wasn’t worth it. Reached Entre Lagos for lunch 13.50-14.50, stopped at the Slenderbilled Parakeet site en route to Puyehue (pronounced some what like boo-ae-you) at 15.30, rented a cabin at Cabanas Aguas Calientes at the park entrance (56 USD) - Chucao Tapaculos were singing loudly and a singing Ochreflanket Tapaculo showed well at the bridge. We drove back and followed the road towards the Argentinian border for some km and stopped at the waterfalls - and found Blackthroated Huet Huet at several places.
Weather : SW 2, 5-8/8, > 25 km, dry, 17-23 C.
Wednesday November 10
Got up at 6.00 and walked up to the lake - tape lured Chucao Tapaculo into 0,5 m. Found Patagonian Tyrant and Magellanic Tapaculo close to the lake. Got back at 9.00 for lunch, left the park at 9.55, went non stop to Ruta/Highway 5 - 10.40 - and reached Pargua 12.10, crossed Canal de Chaca 12.20-12.45 by ferry to Isla Chiloé (9.500 CP), drove further to Ancud, arrival 13.10. Checked in at Hotel Galeon Azul - 29.500 CP - you can’t miss it as the hotel is overlooking the waterfront. We went “down on the corner” and got lunch at the excellent Casa Mar - it looked more like a disco, but served some of the best food we ever got in Chile. In the evening we visited Lago Quilo and Val de Mar - the lake held good numbers of shorebirds 16.10-17.00. We drove further on to Punihuil - the penguin colony. It is possible to get close to the colony in a zodiac - quite smart, even too smart as you won’t be able to carry neither binoculars nor camera - a good, old-fashioned boat would have been a far better opportunity - but off course - that’s not fancy. Punihuil support both Humboldt and Magellanic Penguins, each species holding their territories. 17.15-17.50. Returned to Ancud for another great meal at Casa Mar.
Weather : NW 12-5, 0-8/8, > 25 km, dry, 13-23 C.
Thursday November 11
Woke up to sirens, watched a building burning down to the ground - fortunately it seemed that most furniture and equipment were saved in time. Left Ancud 9.40 and drove along the northern edge of PN Chiloe at the gravel road towards Chepu. A minor earth slide had blocked the road - only passable by 4WD - near the bridge at Pte Puchilcan. However this area provided good birding - a pair of Magellanic Woodpecker gave good views, a Blackthroated Huet Huet was seen well walking on the road and both Slenderbilled Parrot and Chilean Pigeon turned up. 9.55-10.55.
Studying the map Punta Chilen looked promising, but turned out to be disappointing.
11.30-12.00. We crossed Canal de Chacao 12.15-12.50, had lunch at Pargua on the mainland 12.50-13.45, then took the autopista to Puerto Varas 13.45-14.45 where we checked in at Hotel Terrazes del Lago (60 USD) www.terrazesdellago.cl. It seemed to be a better alternative to stay in Varas in beautiful surroundings close to lake than in the industrial city of Puerto Mont.
Weather : E 3, 6-8/8, > 25 km, showers in the evening, 16-20 C.
Friday November 12
Left Puerto Varas 7.50, arrived at Puerto Mont airport 8.30 - having driven a total of 792 km in this area. Lan Chile departed 9.55 and arrived 11.40 in Punta Arenas. Left the airport in our Nissan Senta 12.20 and drove slowly towards Seno Otway and the famous penguin colony - fee 3.000 CP each - our first encounter with the endless Patagonian steppe. At the first stop we saw Ruddyheaded Goose, later we got a brief view of a Canastero - Austral is the only Canastero in this area. Walked to the hides at Seno Otway 13.40-14.50. Drove back to the main road, 14.50-15.30 and went north as far as Rio Rubens, arrival 17.20. Got caught in a speed radar control but got off with a warning. Stayed at Hotel Rubens, 18.000 CP, where we enjoyed the Austral Parakeets in the area between the hotel and the river.
Weather : S 5, 8/8, 25 km, showers, 10 C.
Saturday November 13
In heavy rain we left Rio Rubens 8.30, short stop at Puerto Natales 9.20-9.30, before we drove the last stretch (gravel road) to the world famous PN Torres del Paine - reached the park entrance at 11.40 -fee 10.000 CP each - at the same time the rain stopped. The heavy rain was indeed not a bad feature as seedsnipes and dotterels came to the road pools to drink saving us for a lot of hard work to find these species.
We made several stops, got lunch at Posada Rio Serrano before we got to Lago Grey. The sight of a lake filled with icebergs cannot be described - visiting Torres del Paine is indeed a must - the park has been regarded the most spectacular in South America. The weather turned out to be even more amazing - watching icebergs in shirt sleeves made the experience even more unreal. Drove back to Rio Serrano where the road at the moment ends - but it will be let through to Puerto Natales making it possible to do a circular drive in the park. We stayed at Hotel Rio Serrano www.hotelrioserrano.com (USD 178) - it is a bit unusual to get to the hotel as the road ends at a narrow wooden suspension bridge where you have to call the reception by a radio at the bridge - they will send a car to the other end of the bridge to get you the final 0,5 km to the hotel. Plans are to turn the pleasant lodge into a three storage monster hotel as Rio Serrano soon will become the centre of Torres del Paine. Weather : NW 3, 8-4/8, 5-25 km, heavy rain until 11.30, 10-20 C.
Sunday November 14
Birding in the woodland and bogs at Rio Serrano 7.00-8.05, left the hotel 9.00 and drove to the gate 10.10. Reached Puerto Natales 12.00, short stop, before we got lunch at Rio Rubens 12.50-13.20. Our plan was to go to Punta Delgada by the gravel roads along the border towards Gallego Chico, but heavy rain made the roads slippery so we turned after some 30 km and got back to the main road. However birding was good along the Gallego Chico Road as seedsnipes and dotterels came in to drink at the roadside pools and a pair of Chocolate-vented Tyrants were very delightful 13.50-14.55. Followed paved road - still in heavy rain - until we reached Hotel El Tehuelche ind the middle of nowhere close to Punta Delgada and the Tierre del Fuego ferry 16.50. This was the only accommodation with shared bath on the entire trip, paid 29.300 CP and had dinner with two English guys, who started in Alaska half a year ago, followed the Panamerican highway and now just had a few hundreds km left on motorbike at Tierra del Fuego before reaching their aim - the total of 26.000 km along Ruta 5.
Weather : S 8, 8/8, < 5km, heavy rain from 12.00, 8-10 C
Monday November 15
Left the hotel 8.30 and went to the ferry crossing south of Punta Delgada where birds were numerous in the strait 8.45-10.00, ferry 10.00-10.25, paid 10.800 CP one way. The ferry runs every 1 * our but will make an extra crossing if traffic is heavy.
Drove from Bahia Azul to Porvenir along endless steppe, had lunch in Porvenir and returned to Bahia Azul 10.25-16.45. Highlights were a Magellanic Horned Owl sitting on the roadside fence and Magellanic Plover - finally seen on our way back. Ruddyheaded Goose, Shortbilled Miner and Chocolate-vented Tyrant were also seen well. We were back on the main land 17.05 and drove non stop to Punta Arenas, where we stayed the next two nights at Hotel Savoy, Jose Menendez 1073, 35.715 CP a night.
Weather : N3, 1/8, 25 km, dry, 12-19 C.
Tuesday November 16
Enjoyed indeed that we should stay two nights at the same hotel. Drove south of Punta Arenas to Fuerte Bulnes and Puento del Hambre where the fist Spanish settlers arrived and died - hambre means hunger ! 9.20-11.00, and returned 13.00-14.30 - stopped at Rio Amarillo and Punta Carrera. We visited the inn at Bulnes and saw the exhibition on the Patagonian Indians who seemed to have many things in common with the Eskimoes from the northern hemisphere. Relaxed in Punta Arenas.
Weather : N 5, 1/8, > 25 km, dry, 12-17 C.
Wednesday November 17
Spent the whole day flying from the south to the north of Chile. Left Savoy Hotel 6.10 and got to the airport 6.30 - having driven 1.595 km in the Punta Arenas-area. Lan Chile took us first to Puerto Mont 7.45-9.25, then to Santiago 10.20-11.30. The first part of the trip gave stunning views of Lago and Glaciar Grey as well as Glaciar Moreno. Departure from Santiago 14.30 via Antofogasta 16.15-16.50 to Calama 17.15 - got our Peugeot 307 by Hertz and drove to the nearby Park Hotel - prepaid voucher 108 USD booked by www.stayxs.com.
Weather in Calama : NW 10, 6/8, > 25 km, dry, 20 C.
Thursday November 18
Drove from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama 8.55-10.00 - the Atacama Desert is one of the driest spots on earth and seemed even more endless than the Patagonian steppe.
After a short stop in San Pedro we went further up in the altiplano to Salar de Tara and saw our first Flamingos at Salar Pujsa as well as Redbacked Sierra Finch. In the high level of the pass towards the salars we saw Puna Rhea and Creamy-rumped Miner - the latter out of range as this area is supposed to hold only wintering birds. Andean Swallow at Salar Pujsa is another out of range sighting and Horned Coot at Salar de Tara is one of the hard to find species. 10.25-12.30, return 13.15-14.40.
Checked in at La Casa de Don Tomas, Calle Tocopilla 18 - 85 USD a night www.dontomas.cl
Weather : NW 4-12, 0/8,> 25 km, dry, 4-25 C.
Friday November 19
Left San Pedro 5.00 and drove towards El Taito by a rough but passable gravel road, arrived at the geyser at 6.55. Actually it is more steam than geysers. Puna Tinamous were calling from the hills, left the geysers at 9.30. Best birding was at Vado Rio Putana - a bog close to El Taito. A pair of Greybreasted Seedsnipe in the bog and Redbacked Sierrefinches seeking shadow beneath our car - 9.55-10.55. Drove back to San Pedro 10.55-12.30 - saw a single Mountain Parakeet at km 35. Relaxed the rest of the day and strolled around in San Pedro discovering that this site must have the highest density of “Lonely Planet : Chile and the Easter Island” in the world.
Weather : NW 1-10, 0/8, > 25 km, dry, -15-25 C.
Saturday November 20
Drove along Salar De Atacama as far as Socaire - the road is paved until Socaire. 9.45-12.00, visited Laguna Chaxas at the salt pan 12.00-13.10 - saw lots of Flamingos. Lunch at San Pedro 14.00-15.00 then a visit at Valle de Luna 15.00-15.20, reached Calama airport at 16.45 - having driven a total of 860 km in the Calama-area. Left 18.55 for Antofogasta 19.20-21.45, further on to Arica arrival 23.25 - stop over in Iquigue 22.25-22.55. Got our Toyota Yaris by Hertz at the airport - fortunately the Hertz attendant lead us to our accommodation, Hotel Americano, 0.15, prebooked through chilecontact, 60 USD a night.
Weather : W 3, 0/8, > 25 km, dry, 3-17 C.
Sunday November 21
Birded around Arica, Valle de Lluta 10.10-11.45, the mouth of Rio Lluta 11.45-12.15, Valle de Azapa 12.34-14.40, Punta Alacra 14.50-15.10 and the coast to the south 15.10-15.50 - all places crowded with people on picnic - however many new birds were added to the list as many Peruvian species have their southernmost range around Arica.
Weather : N 2, 0/8, > 25 km, dry, 17-23 C.
Monday November 22
First birded the coast form Arica to the mouth of Rio Lluta 9.00-10.15, then followed Valle de Lluta up to Putre 10.30-13.40, lunch at Putre, drove further up to PN Lauca to the Las Cuevas Bog famous for the breeding pair of Diademed Sandpiper Plover, 13.50-15.10 - had no luck as a wooden bridge has been built recently across the bog - hopefully the plovers will come back next breeding season. Back to Putre 15.30-19.00 to do a lot of birding. Stayed at Hotel Vicunas, prepaid voucher by www.chile-hotels.com , 120 USD including half board.
Weather : SW 4, 0-3/8, > 25 km, dry, 17 C.
Tuesday November 23
Birded around Putre 6.30-8.00 and 8.30-9.30 adding many new birds to the list. Fortunately we had slept well and had no problems due to the altitude. Went to PN Lauca 9.45-13.45. Concentrated our birding around the Las Cuevas Bog, the abandoned settlement of Parinacota and Lago Chungara - altitude of the latter is 4.500 m. When we found Black Siskin along the lake, we got the feeling that we had seen all the birds we were supposed to find in PN Lauca. Back to Arica 13.45-16.15 made a stop at Pukara de Copaquilla where we saw our only Greyish Miner. Returned to Hotel Americano, excellent diner at Costa Verde at the corner of Chacabuco and Pedro Mont opposite the Tacna Railway Station.
Weather : NW 3, 0-3/8, > 25 km, dry, 9-28 C.
Wednesday November 24
Drove to Valle de Azapa for a last try on Chilean Woodstar - finally found a pair in flowering hibiscus at km 9,3 - saw them well - Chilean Woodstar is regarded the most rare breeding bird on mainland Chile. 9.00-9.55. Back to the coast 10.10-11.00, arrived at Arica Airport 11.15 having driven 695 km in the Arica area. Take off 12.20, stop over in Iquigue 12.50-13.45 and finally got to Santiago Airport 15.35-17.20 when Lan Chile took us across Andes -lots of turbulence - to Buenos Aires Eziza International Airport, arrival 18.55 (GMT + 3). The immigration control worked slowly, many counters for few Argentinians, few counters for many foreigners. Booked a taxi at the taxi counter in the airport, paid 15 USD to get to Grand Hotel Argentino in city centre next to the obelisk. www.hotel-argentino.com.ar 55 USD a night for a suite.
Weather : Arica : W 3, 8/8, > 25 km, dry, 17-25 C, BA showers and 20 C.
Thursday November 25
Left the hotel 5.50, arrived at Newberry National Airport 6.05. Queues seemed endless and staff nearly non-existing. Finally we had to run to the gate and got on board Aroelinas Argentina to Trelew. 7.25-9.00. Another chaotic seance at the airport of Trelew where all passengers should be inspected by veterinaries due to risk of food-and-mouth-disease. Fortunately our luggage did go with the plane, and Avis had a VW Gol (no “f” in this part of the world) ready. Drove towards Rawson then by gravel road to Punta Tombo, entrance fee 20 AP each. 9.55-12.50. Saw Whitethroated Chacholote at the junction Rawson x Trelew x Punta Tombo and stopped at Dos Pozos close to Tombo where we found Lesser and Patagonian Canastero as well as Buffbanded Earthcreeper. Patagonian Mockingbird was quite common.
More than 200.000 Magellanic Penguins and the endemic Whiteheaded Steamer Duck at Punta Tombo 12.55-14.50 - decided to go south to Camarones - first plan was to return to Trelew - went there by the minor gravel roads giving a rather hard drive and few birds. Reached Camarones 17.00, checked in at Indalo Inn 100 AP a night. The manager of the inn seemed to be the patron of Camarones, the waitresses were ordered in mini skirts to serve the tourists = us and the entire population of Camarones passed through the restaurant to see us and the mini skirts while the patron was sitting next to our table overlooking the situation = us.
Weather : NE 3, 3/8, > 25 km, dry, 17-23 C
Friday November 26
Visited the nearby Cabo Dos Bahias and the penguins colony, entrance fee 10 AP 9.45-14.00. Carbonated Sierra Finch was another endemic added to our list as well as Southern Elephant Seal. Birded along the coast at Camarones 16.30-19.30.
Weather : NE-N 3-5, 0-3/8, > 25 km, dry, 13-18 C.
Saturday November 27
Drove by the paved road Camarones - ruta 3 - Trelew - Puerto Mandryn - Peninsula Valdes 9.35-13.30, reached Puerto Piramides 14.15. Peninsula Valdes is a World Heritage Site, entrance fee 35 AP each. Stayed at Aguamarina 35 USD a night fauna@wef.org.ar Gabriela - the hostess of Aquamarina - is monitoring the whales and is much engaged in the protecting the local environment - due to this I won’t hesitate to recommend this place. We strolled around the bay having no problems in finding the whales - there will be a boat stuffed with tourists on top of every whale in the bay. Another out of range record were two singing Chiguanco Thrushes - they should be in the Altiplano - not at sea level.
Weather : SE 5, 3/8, > 25 km, dry, 19-23 C.
Sunday November 28
Left Puerto Piramides 9.10 and drove to Punta Norte then along the coast and Caleta Valdes, lunch at Punta Cantor then to the southern point of Punta Delgada and back in Puerto Piramides 18.00 where we got fantastic views of a group of Right Whales at Punta Piramides. The trip around Peninsula Valdes was a great experience, hundreds of Elephant Seals but unfortunately no Killer Whales. We arranged to stay for a third night at Aguamarina and dropped our plans for visiting San Antonio del Oeste - missing some 5-10 species. However we did see Blackcrowned Monjita close to Punta Cantor - one of the specialities at San Antonio - another out of range sighting.
Weather : NE 3, 8-1/8, > 25 km, dry, 15-22 C.
Monday November 29
Left Piramides 10.00 and drove again to Punta Norte. When we reached the car park, one of the rangers was shouting : “Orcas - run to the beach” - and the next 45 minutes we saw a group of five Killer Whales chasing along the coast lead by an adult female. It seemed that they finally got an Elephant Seal. The Killer Whales got as close as two metres to the beach and back at our hotel, Gabriela could tell us by watching the small screen on our digital camera that in was one out of five named Killer Whale females we had seen. What a sight ! From Punta Norte we drove back to Punta Cantor and then crossed the peninsula, back in Piramides 16.30 for some evening whale watching at Punta Piramides.
Weather : NE 2-5, 1-3/8, > 25 km, dry, 22 C.
Tuesday November 30
Early morning birding at the bay of Puerto Piramides 6.00-9.00, left Piramides 9.45 and drove to the entrance 12.00 and then to Trelew 13.15, stayed at Residencial Argentino, simple room, 40 AP. Visited the lake 13.30-15.30 - good numbers of ducks and an unmistakable smell of sewage. Sightseeing 16.30-18.00.
Weather : W 10, 8/8, > 25 km, dry, 20-28 C.
Wednesday December 1
Left our hotel 7.30 and reached the airport 7.50 having driven 1.433 km in Trelew-area - mileage is always limited on rental cars in Trelew - so be prepared to pay extra charge. Take off 9.55 landed in Buenos Aires at the Aeroparque (national airport) 11.40, taxi to Grand Hotel Argentino. Lunch and sightseeing around Plaza Major, saw Casa Rosada - but no Madonna at the balcony. Visited Costanera Sur 15.45-17.30 only some 15 minutes walk from Casa Rosada. For a Dane Costanera Sur is very like Utterslev Mose of Copenhagen - many new birds were added to the list. We had no luck in finding Blackheaded Duck in Chile but here they were - not skulking at all.
Weather : NE 2, 8/8, > 10 km, dry, 28 C.
Thursday December 2
Went by subte (subway) and train up north to Ribera Norte - a nice reserve of swamp and woodland next to Rio Plate. Lots of birds, saw Wood Rails walking on the path and the local speciality - Whitethroated Hummingbird. 10.20-12.15. The hot and humid weather combined with the pollution forced us to have siesta at Costanera Sur 16.15-18.15. We passed Casa Rosada where the mothers still are demonstrating every Thursday 15.30-16.00 for their 30.000 relatives who disappeared during the regime of the military junta. I must admit that my eyes got filed with tears.
Weather : NE 3, 3/8, > 101 km, dry, 30 C
Friday December 3
Did some sightseeing in Buenos Aires, left our hotel 11.00, arrived at the Ezeiza International Airport 11.25. Take off 14.20. Weather : N 3, 8/8, >10 km, rain, 20 C.
Saturday December 4
Landed in Madrid 5.55 (GMT +1) - would have done some sightseeing but rain and the fact that ETA had done some bombing in Madrid the day before, gave us better thoughts. Left half an hour dilated Madrid 12.35, landed in Copenhagen 15.35, met Thomas, who drove us to Solrød, arrival 16.30. Next morning I found the first two Arctic Redpolls at Køge, the firsts of the popular wintering flock - but that’s another story.
Sites - Santiago Area
The international airport of Santiago is situated to the north-west of the city, we saw Chilean Tinamou at the airfield and at the fields around the airport hotel. Chilean Mockingbird is quite common in the gardens in the suburbs, often seen sitting on wires. In Santiago city centre we saw Monk Parakeet but the population is feral. On the lawns in city centre Southern Lapwings were breeding.
From the international airport you are just two right turns from the highway (autopista) to Vina del Mar and Valparaiso at the coast. Along the road we saw Chilean Flicker, Chilean Mockingbird, Longtailed Meadowlark and Austral Blackbird.
Lago Penuelas is well signposted along the Valparaiso autopista turning up at your right hand driving from Santiago. First signpost goes for the woodland, second for the lake - that’s where you’ll go. You will have to pay a small entrance fee, the area is said only to be open in weekends. Chilean Mockingbird, Austral Trush and Longtailed Meadowlark are easy to find. Lots of grebes, ducks and coots in the lake, we saw Piedbilled Grebe and Rosybilled Pochard. California Quail is introduced and Chilean Tinamou can be found with some luck.
We did not visit Valparaiso or Vina del Mar - it should be possible to go on a pelagic trip by one of the fishing boats.
Punta Concon just south of Rio Aconcagua is a rocky peninsula with roosting Peruvian Pelicans, Peruvian Booby, Guanay Cormorant and foraging Inca Terns - especially in the northern end of the peninsula. The star bird is however Chilean Seaside Cinclodes - we saw one at the lighthouse - but the viewpoint a little further to the south is said to be another good spot for this endemic - we saw Southern Fur Seals at close range.
Rio Aconcagua is said to be good for waders and skimmers, a little estuary is found north of the bridge - but both areas were rather crowded at our visit. Just north of the bridge we had Greater Shrike Tyrant on the wires and Spectacled Tyrant in the reedbeds of the river.
We stayed at Quintero where Punta Liles gave some seabirds, Salvin’s Albatros, Antarctic Giant Petrel and Sooty Shearwaters. Chilean Seaside Cinclodes should be found here too, but we dipped.
From Concon Ruta 60 leads to Olmue where you have to turn off towards Granizo. In Granizo the paved road ends and in a fork you had to go to the right by a rather steep gravel road to the gate of PN La Campana, The park opens at 9.00 AM and you will have to pay a fee. At the park entrance we heard Chilean Tinamou and White-throated Tapaculo, we saw California Quail and Giant Hummingbird in this area. The first part beyond the gate is along a small river where we had Greenbacked Firecrown, Striped Woodpecker, Whitethroated Tapaculo and Dusky Tapaculo. We went further up towards the mine and found Chilean Pigeon, Duskytailed Canastero and more Tapaculos - both species. As we reached the more rocky parts we heard Moustached Turca and decided to return.
Estero Lampa is a marsh and rubbish dump 22 km NW of the city ring of Santiago by Ruta 5 - Panamerican Highway. Turn west at Colina towards Lampa, shortly after having crossed the railway the first part of the marsh turns up and continues the next 5 km - at our visit best birding was in the curve shortly after Colina - we saw Spotflanked Gallinule here but had no luck with Stripebacked Bittern or South American Painted Snipe. In a small lake a little bit further we saw out only Cinnamon Teals of the entire trip.
Around Santiago many birders - but not us -visit either Portillo or Farellones where Moustached Turca, Crag Chillia and Creamyrumped Mined can be found at the skiresorts.
Cajon del Maipo is a canyon SE of Santiago. We stayed south of San Jose de Maipo at Santuario del Rio where we saw Torrent Duck at the river, heard Moustached Turca calling from the hills and saw Duskytailed Canastero in the garden. As we went to Embalse El Yeso we saw Whitesided Hillstar just before crossing Rio Yeso.
El Yeso is another canyon leading up to a dam, Embalse El Yeso. The road is paved to the bridge crossing Rio Yeso, shortly after the bridge you turn left (NE) - the gravel road is signposted El Yeso. At km 3-5 look for Crag Chilia and Moustached Turca - both seen well close to the road - look for Yellowrumped Siskin, Whitefronted and Blackfronted Ground Tyrants in this area too. Our first Andean Condor turned up here as well. Just before we reached the dam and the abandoned buildings we saw a lot of birds on a meadow east of the road - Greyflanked Cinclodes, Ochrenaped Ground Tyrant and Greater Yellowfinch. No ducks or waders in or around the reservoir and we didn’t go further in order to look for Diademed Sandpiper-Plover in the bogs beyond the reservoir. That turned out to be fatal as we dipped this species in Lauca.
Puerto Mont Area
The Lake District of Chile in a landscape very similar to northern Europe. Lake District is not only lakes but also meadows and marshes.
The airport of Puerto Mont is located between Puerto Mont and Puerto Varas. Actually we never visited Puerto Mont, but stayed in Puerto Varas instead.
Puerto Varas is a popular tourist resort in the southwestern corner of Lago Llanquihue. Blackfaced Ibises are roosting in nearly every tall trees in the city and at the end of Santa Rosa - the promenade along the lake in the northern part of the city - we saw Des Murs’ Wiretail i some tall bamboo at the car park (where the paved road ends - car park is gravel). We then followed the path further north to a look out point at the lake close to the car park and saw Greenbacked Firecrown, Rufoustailed Plantcutter and Patagonian Sierra Finch.
White-tailed Kite and a single Short-eared Owl were seen between Osorno and Entre Lagos. Driving 12 km from Entre Lagos towards Puyehue you will reach some fields with tall trees, probably the most reliable spot for Slenderbilled Parakeet - we saw a group north of the road at a red wooden gate at the end of an alley.
PN Puyehue is the key site in Puerto Mont area with a good number of birds in the forest. The centre is at Aquas Calientes from where a gravel road leads up to Antillanca Ski Resort - this road provides good birding from the river to the lake - some 5 km - nice to walk in the early morning. Chucao Tapaculo is common - easily heard, easy to tapelure - two were calling around the cabins. Blackthroated Huet Huet preferred the lower parts along the road from the Puyehue turn-off to Aquas Calientes and at the waterfalls towards Argentina - in this area we had Des Murs’ Wiretail too - check all bamboo. Ochreflanked Tapaculo was seen at the river close to the bridge - an other one heard towards the lake. Close to the lake I found Patagonian Tyrant and my only Magellanic Tapaculo - very elusive. Austral Pygmyowl heard close to the cabins, Ringed Kingfisher at the river seen from the bridge and Whitethroated Treerunner and Chilean Pigeon half way between the river and the lake.
Canal de Chacao is the ferry crossing between Pargua - mainland - and Chacao at Isla Chiloe - a good spot for seabirds. We saw Humbolt and Magellanic Penguin, Magellanic Diving Petrel, Blackbrowed Albatross, lots of Sooty Shearwaters, Fleshfooted Shearwater and Dolphin Gull.
Isla Chiloé is a pleasant island where the Panamrican Highway - ruta 5 - makes a shortcut as the mainland is inaccessible due to the spectacular mountains along the fiordland. Ruta 5 is paved - all other roads are gravel covered with beautiful roadside hedges of broom and acacia - flowering during our visit - an excellent place for Rufoustailed Plantcutter. We saw a single Slenderbilled Parakeet between Chacao and Ancud. Punta Chilén southeast of Chacao gave a few ducks and waders. The best place for waders and ducks is Lago Quilo easily found by following the road to the west along the coast leaving Ancud - signposted for Punihuil and penguins. We saw good numbers of Southern Lapwing, Lesser and Greater Yellowleg. Our only Hudsonian Godwits were recorded here, as well as Plumbeous Rail and Manycoloured Rush-Tyrant were added to the list. We saw next to nothing at the nearby Mar Brava mentioned by Pearman.
Isloetes de Punihuil is some rocky island close to the coast famous for breeding Humboldt and Magellanic Penguins - the latter seemed to be the most common - and the two species did not seem to mix up. Kelp Goose and Flightless Steamer Duck breeds on the islands too.
PN Chiloé is the major national park covered with forest and dunes along the coast. It should be possible to enter the park at Chepu in the north. We stopped at Pte Puchilcan, a small bridge at a creek. To the south a river and the forest of the national park, to the north some woodland. Chucao Tapaculos were calling, a Blackthroated Huet Huet stood on the road in the woodland and shrub just west of the bridge, Magellanic Woodpeckers - a pair - showed well in the woodland north of the road. We saw Slenderbilled Parakeet and Chilean Pigeon in this area too making this site the best of Isla Chiloé - and we hadn’t even been inside the national park !
Punta Arenas Area
The southernmost point of the continent covered with Patagonian steppe, a few fringes of forest and many lakes and “salinas” - lagunes. Many parts are resembling Lapland.
The airport is situated north of Punta Arenas and the turn off for Seno Otway (entrance fee) is a little north of the airport. Along the gravel road to Seno Otway we saw Ruddyheaded Geese at a lake close to the turn off, Austral Canastero by incident in some shrub further towards Seno Otway and along the coast both Steamer Ducks.
Seno Otway is famous for its Magellanic Penguins, other birds here were Silver Teal in one of the lakes and Twobanded Plover at the entrance.
The road between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales provides good birding. Patagonian Yellow-Finch is a typical roadside-bird often seen in small groups. The twin salina at the eastern side of the road just south of the Punta Delgada and Argentina turn off is worth checking for Magellanic Plover - we had no luck. Look for Magellanic Snipe - or better listen - at bogs related to woodland. Many ducks, some waders and a few Chilean Flamingo in the lakes. Austral Parakeet seems to be reliable at Rio Rubens in the area between the hotel and the bridge north of the road. We didn’t bird in Puerto Natales.
The road from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine is gravel, and you will pass som lakes, bogs and meadows seeing same birds as from Punta Arenas - we saw Spectackled Duck in a lake close to the national park. However around Cerro Castillo we saw 28 Andean Condors soaring along the mountain ridge. We did not visit Estancia Las Chinas or perhaps better known as La Cumbres for White-throated Caracara and Yellowbridled Finch due to bad weather. Instead heavy rain gave us Least Seedsnipe and Tawnythroated Dotterel drinking at roadside pools/pits and a Whitebellied Seedsnipe did the same just between the main (eastern) entrance (fee) of PN Torres del Paine and Lago Nordenskjöld. Patagonian Mockingbird is often seen at the entrance or at Posada Rio Serano - we dipped but saw lots in Chubut. The bog just behind the main entrance holds Austral Rail - mostly heard, never seen. In the forest at Lago Grey we had Austral Parakeet, Magellanic Woodpecker is often heard or seen in this area. A Dutch birder had seen a pair Torrent Duck in the river just before we arrived. Before you get to the car park at Lago Grey, you will reach a fragile looking wooden bridge - having crossed that by car you get to a meadow where we saw Tawnythroated Dotterel.
At Puente Weber, a bridge crossing Rio Paine, we had a pair of Spectackled Duck. We stayed in the bend of Rio Serrano where Magellanic Snipe seemed quite common and we had our only Ashyheaded Geese.
However - seeing an Ochrenaped Ground Tyrant sitting on the top of a floating iceberg in Lago Grey was no doubt the most spectacular sight of all !
Note that a western road from Rio Serrano to Puerto Natales will open soon - at our visit the bridge across Rio Serrano seemed to be ready but not open.
Driving back towards Punta Arenas just south of Morro Chico we followed the gravel road towards Gallego Chico a nice habitat of unspoiled Patagonian steppe. Least Seedsnipes were abundant and both Tawnythroated and Rufouschested Dotterels came to drink at the roadside pools. No doubt that the heavy rain was the main reason for the shy birds to turn up. We saw Cinnamonbellied Ground-Tyrant and Chocolate-vented Tyrant along the road as well - another and more well-known site for the mentioned species is PN Pali Aike which we didn’t visit. Yellowbridled Finch is regular at Pali Aike but should be possible at Gallego Chico too - but the weather was bad, the road got slippery and we decided to turn before getting stocked in mud.
Instead we took the Punta Delgada Road to Hotel El Tehuelche - Magellanic Snipe displaying next to the hotel. We got Shortbilled Miner between the hotel and the ferry. The site for the ferry is named Punta Delgada but is actually situated some 30 km south of Punta Delgada. By the way - the road from the hotel to the city is a good site for Bandtailed Earthcreeper - formerly thought to be endemic for Argentina.
At the ferry ramp we had Kelp Goose and saw a lot of seabirds in the strait - a Wilson’s Storm Petrel was foraging close to the coast flying like a swallow, Dolphin Gulls stood on the beach. The ferry crossing gave several Magellanic Diving Petrels and many Commerson’s Dolphins - perhaps the most beautiful of all dolphins.
We arrived at Bahia Azul, Tierra del Fuego, and took the turn off towards Porvenir. It is possible to go by ferry from Porvenir to Punta Arenas but not on Mondays. We saw Ruddyheaded Geese and Chocolate-vented Tyrant shortly after the abandoned buildings. Common Miners were indeed common and Shortbilled Miners were not uncommon. Highlight was a Magellanic Horned Owl on the fence less than 10 m from our car - at Tierra del Fuego the owls are hunting in full daylight. At km 15 (measured from Porvenir - signposted on the fence) we finally saw Magellanic Plover in a large lagune (salina) to the west of the road - this seems to be a regular site, Hornbuckle saw the Plovers at km 17.
The road from Punta Arenas south to Fuerte Bulnes follows the Strait of Magellan. Between Rio Amarillo and Punta Carrera we had both Steamer Duck species. At Punta Carrera we saw Kelp Geese and Southern Fulmars. At Fuerte Bulnes we found a group of 6 Spectacled Ducks in a bog - must be migrants - and in the scrub towards Puento del Hambre we had a single Austral Canastero.
Calama Area
Situated in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest spots on earth. We stayed close to the airport in the outskirts of Calama, we saw nothing of interest and got no birds at all in the desert between Calama and San Pedro de Atacama. Chiguanco Thrushes and Pacific Doves are quite common in San Pedro de Atacama - our only Bank Swallows of the entire trip were seen here. If you continue towards Argentina by highway/ruta 27 you will climb up in higher Andes by a steep pass - we saw Puna Rhea, Puna Miner, Common Miner and an out of range Creamyrumped Miner here. A bit further will get you to Salar Pujsa where all three species of flamingoes were present and Andean Swallows - another out-of-range-sight. At the layby/picnic area we saw a single Redbacked Sierrafinch. Further on, close to the Argentinian border, Salar de Tara is one of the few accessible sites to look for Horned Coot - we found 4 and enjoyed lots of Flamingoes.
El Taito is the main attraction in the area. In order to see the steam you will have to be there early in the morning before sunrise. For the birder that will give you the opportunity to heard Puna Tinamous calling from the hills and got a single Mountain Caracara added to the list. We saw Puna Rhea close to El Taito and Whitewinged Cinclodes at a stream in a creek nearby.
Best site was the bog at Vado Rio Putana with nestbuilding Giant Coot, Andean Gull, Wilson’s Phalarope, Greybreasted Seedsnipe, Blackbilled Tyrant, three species of Ground Tyrants and a pair of Redbacked Sierrafinches.
Salar de Atacama is a salt pan covering from San Pedro de Atacama in the north to south of Socaire. The key site is Laguna Chaxas (entrance fee) - turn off just south of Toconao - where you will find all three species of Flamingoes breeding as well as Andean Avocet and Puna Plover.
We did not visit Laguna Miscanti and Menique south of Socaire as we were told that the site could only be reached by a 4WD. Horned Coot breeds in the lagunas.
Arica Area
The airport is situated in the north close to the Peruvian border - Arcia share their airport with Tacna in Peru. From the airport you may choose to follow the road along the coast to Arica - turn west in the roundabout - and you will get to the mouth of Rio Lluta a good spot for gulls and waders - look for Kildeer, Semipalmated Plover, Least and Spotted Sandpiper. A single Yellowish Pipit flew off just northwest fo the bridge.
Along the coast of Arica you will find Guanay Cormorant, Bandtailed and Grey Gull common, we had large numbers of Franklin’s Gulls too, but they are migrants. We had to work hard to find Peruvian Diving Petrel but had no luck with neither Peruvian nor Inca Terns. Peninsula Alacran is good for Surfbird and where the road along the coast ends Chilean Seaside Cinclodes can be seen at the rocks - we saw bikini babes and nothing else.
Follow 18 de Septembre to the west and you will get to Valle de Azapa the best site for Chilean Woodstar. Look for flowering bushes, the stretch around km 9 is probably the most reliable, we found a pair in a garden at km 9,3 at the right hand side (from Arica) in flowering hibiscus. Km 9 is signposted well at the roadside, km 9,3 was signposted at the fence. Go a little further turn to the left signposted Museo where Burrowing Owl roosts at a barren field = archaeological site. Other birds in the valley included Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail, Cinereous Conebill, Blueblack Grasquit, Slenderbilled Finch and Peruvian Meadowlark.
Most of the birds mentioned above can be found in Valle de Lluta, we added Peruvian Thickknee, Peruvian Martin and Chimney Swift to our list.
The road - ruta 11 - in Valle de Lluta continues to Putre and Lauca and Bolivia. We found our only Greyish Miner in barren rocks at Pukara de Copaquilla.
The village of Putre was indeed a highlight, situated 3.500 m above sea level. Lots of birds and many new to the list. The gorge just to the north (by Pearman called Wet Gorge but was indeed dry) is to my opinion the best birding area. The latest addition to the Putre list, Canyon Canastero, occurs here, also Sparkling Violetear, Dark-winged Canastero, Yellowbilled Tit Tyrant, Streaked-backed Tit-spinetail and Blackthroated Flowerpiercer - the first and the latter at the ridge in flowering garden bushes. Around Hotel Vicunas Blue-and-Yellow Tanager and Whitethroated Earthcreeper on the path leading up to the east from the hotel.
Andean Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird and Bandtailed Seedeater were present along the river and in the fields - dipped Goldenbilled Saltator in this area. Barefaced and Goldenspotted Grounddoves in gardens of the village.
PN Lauca is spectacular. The bog at km 20 (from Putre turn off) held no Diademed Sandpiper Plover due to the disturbance by building a bridge across the bog, but still many birds like Whitefronted Ground Tyrant. Lago Parinacota held three species of Flamingo and Puna Ibis, Puna and Cinereous Ground Tyrants at the meadows, our only Whitethroated Sierra Finch at the village. Amazing to watch Andean Flickers in barrens rocks southeast of Parinacota, not the most obvious site for a woodpecker.
Huge numbers of Silvery Grebe and Giant Coot in Lago Chungara, Black Siskin and Whitewinged Diucafinch along the lake shore.
Trelew Area, Argentina
Provincia del Chubut is the northern part of Argentinean Patagonia. Most visitors get there by air to Trelew. The airport lies just north of the town, look for Burrowing Parrot and Patagonian Mockingbirds around the car park. The lake in the southern part of the city is good for grebes, swans and ducks. A few birds can be seen in the parks and around the city.
Some of the endemics can be found close to Trelew, along highway/ruta 3 we saw Patagonian Canastero ca. 15 km south of Trelew and Rustybacked Monjita ca. 10 km south of Trelew. Whitethroated Monjita gave good view on the road to Punta Tombo close to the Rawson-Trelew junction.
Many birds can be seen along the Punta Tombo-road, Patagonian Mockingbirds is quite common, we saw a single Lesser Shrike Tyrant and at the deserted buildings at Dos Pozos, 95 km south of Trelew - signposted, just west of the road, we saw Bandtailed Earthcreeper, Lesser and Patagonian Canastero.
At Punta Tombo (entrance fee) no less than half a million Magellanic Penguins are breeding. Whiteheaded Steamerducks, another endemic, are found along the coast - often in pairs - and we saw both species of Giant Petrels.
We followed the minor roads from Punta Tombo to Camarones and saw more Bandtailed Earthcreepers, Least Seedsnipe and our first Elegantcrested Tinamous - another new bird in the steppe was Greybellied Shrike-Tyrant.
The harbour in Camarones is a good spot for Dolphin Gull and Whiteheaded Steamerduck. The nearby Cabo Dos Bahias (entrance fee) is the stronghold for this endemic duck and tourists don’t crowd up here as in Punta Tombo. The peninsula is good for Bandtailed Earthcreeper and we saw Carbonated Sierra Finch at the mirador/look out turn off. A stream with some tall reed held many birds - we saw Speckled Tyrant and Sedge Wren in this area. The main attraction is the penguins, look for Dolphin Gulls and Southern Elephant Seal along the coast.
North of Trelew we saw Whitebanded Mockingbird along ruta 3 between Puerto Mandryn and the Valdes turn off.
Peninsula Valdes (entrance fee)is a World Heritage site, famous for its marine animals but expect some good birding too. Close to the entrance gate we saw Darwin’s Nothura Carbonated Sierra Finch, which can be found anywhere at the peninsula as well - they are not common. Driving along the peninsula you will come across Lesser Canastero, Rustybacked Monjita, Bandtailed Earthcreeper, Lesser and Greysided Shrike Tyrant in small numbers, Patagonian Mockingbird is common. Look for Whitetailed Hawks sitting on the fence posts.
In the village of Puerto Piramides we had two singing males of Chicuangu Trushes - a bird confined to high Andes. The nearby Puenta Piramides is good for whale watching, the first Southern Right Whales appears in late May and stay in the bay until December.
Punta Norte holds great numbers of Sea Lions and Elephant Seals and is the spot where Killer Whales jump on shore to catch baby Sea Lions (February-April) or baby seals (October-December). Look for Snowy Sheatbill, we saw two amongst the seals.
Caleta Valdes is a lagune where Killer Whales occasionally come in to catch prey. Elephant Seals are numerous, and Magellanic Penguins breed on the cliffs. Near Punta Cantor we saw Blackcrowned Monjita, a bird you will normally look for further to the north around San Antonio del Oeste.
Punta Delgada to the south gave Darwins Nothura at the car park but nothing else. No birds of importance in the lakes across the peninsula as well.
Buenos Aires Area
For a Danish birder Costanera Sur is very like Utterslev Mose of Copenhagen. It is just 15 minutes walk to the east from city centre behind Casa Rosada and the old harbour at Puerto Madero. The main entrance is to the south, another is to the north. The park is open 8.00-19.00 and the northern part is far the best around the woodland and Laguna de las Gaviatas, the latter was nearly dried out. Some 30 species were added to the list including elusive birds like Stripebacked Bittern, Giant Woodrail and Blackheaded Duck.
In the suburbs to the north Ribera Norte is easy to reach and provides good birding in a limited area. The star bird is Whitethroated Hummingbird, other good stuff includes Greynecked Woodrail, Curvebilled Reedhaunter and Chicli Spinetail.
Subte C - the subway, line C - goes to Retiro station, then take the Tigre train to Acassuso station, walk to the east along Avenida Peru to the Barrancas station, cross the railroad, turn to the left, walk along the station, turn to the right and you will be at the entrance. For further details see www.geocities.com/riberan/Where.htm
In central Buenos Aires you will find Picazuro Pigeon, Rufousbellied Trush and Shiny Cowbird in parks, at lawns etc.
References
BirdLife International www.birdlife.net
Bomholt og Sørensen Chile og Argentina 2003 (In Danish) 2004
Gruff Dodd Chile 2002 2003
Fjeldsaa & Krabbe Birds of the High Andes 1990
Chris Goodie Chile 2001 2002
Jon Hornbuckle Chile and Argentina, Trip Report 2000 2001
Alvaro Jaramillo et al Birds of Chile 2003
Anders Jihammer Chile & Argentina 2003-2004 2004
Narosky & Yzurieta Birds of Argentina & Uruguay, 5-th ed 2003
Mark Pearman The essential Guide to Birding in Chile 1995
Randall Reeves et al Sea Mammals of the World 2002
Nigel Wheatley Where to watch birds in South America 1994
The Chile Fieldguide by Jaramillo is of very high quality, the Argentina Fieldguide is poor. Best reference is Birds of High Andes. Pearman is no longer essential, outdated on most sites - download a bunch of trip reports instead. The trip report by Hornbuckle was far the best, can be downloaded at www.worldtwitch.com
For planning the itinerary Lonely Planet is essential as always
Bao et al Lonely Planet Argentina, Uraguay
And Paraguay, 4-th edition 2002
Hubbard et al Lonely Planet Chile and the
Easter Island, 6-th edition 2003
This was my first trip report in English. At www.netfugl.dk - you will find my reports in Danish covering Thailand, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe etc.
Darwin’s Rhea Pterocnemia pennanta
76 Punta Arenas Area and 65 Trelew Area -perhaps better known as Nandu
Puna Rhea Pterocnemia tarapacensis
3 San Pedro de Atacama - Salar Pujsa and 2 close to El Taito - Lesser Rhea has recently been splitted into Darwin’s and Puna Rhea. Status near threatened - by BirdLife International
Chilean Tinamou Nothoprocta perdicaria
1 heard La Campana, 1 at the airport hotel in Santiago, 1 Santiago airport - not endemic, isolated population in Argentina
Darwin’s Nothura Nothura darwini
1 close to the entrance at Peninsula Valdes, 1 at Punta Delgade, Valdes
Elegant Crested Tinamou Eudromias elegans
60 Trelew area
Puna Tinamou Tinamotis pentlandii
1 San Pedro de Atacama-El Taito, 5 heard El Taito, 2 heard Vado Tio Putana and 2 heard PN Lauca
Humbolt Penguin Spheniscus humboldti
2 Canal de Chacao, 60 Punihuil and 1 Arica - status vulnerable
Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus
170 Punihuil, 5 Canal de Chacao, 80 Seno Otway, 19 Tierra del Fuego ferry, 200.000 Punta Tombo, 5.000 Cabo Dos Bahias and 400 Peninsula Valdes - status vulnerable
Piedbilled Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
1 Lago Penuelas and 4 Costenera Sur
Whitetufted Grebe Rollandia rolland
2 Lago Penuelas, 23 Torres del Paine, 110 Trelew and 120 Costenera Sur
Silvery Grebe Podiceps occipitalis
2 Lago Penuelas, 7 Puerto Varas, 8 Peninsula Valdes and 40 Trelew of the nominate form and 1.200 PN Lauca of the race juninensis - a potential split
Great Grebe Podiceps major
32 Lago Penuelas, 1 Punta Liles, 5 Puerto Mont area, 18 Punta Arenas area and 23 Trelew area
Blackbrowed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris
6 Canal de Chacao, 2 Punihuil and 86 Strait of Magellan - status endangered
Salvin’s Albatross Thalassarche cauta
1 Punta Liles - the salvini race of Shy Albatross - vulnerable
Hall’s Giant Petrel Macronectes halli
1 Punta Tombo and at least 8 at Peninsula Valdes, near threatened
Antarctic Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus
1 Punta Liles, 10 Canal de Chacao, 3 Punihuil, 115 Strait of Magellan, 1 Punta Tombo, 20 Camarones and 230 Peninsula Valdes, vulnerable
Sothern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides
6 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes and 1 Fuerte Bulnes
Cape Petrel Daption capense
1 Punta Delgada (Chile) and 1 Punta Carrera, also known as Pintada Petrel
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
200 Punta Liles, 1.480 Canal de Chacao, 400 Punihuil, 50 Punta Chilén
Pinkfooted Shearwater Puffinus creatopus
1 Canal de Chacao
Wilson’s Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus
1 Punta Delgada (Chile) and 8 Arica
Magellanic Diving-Petrel Pelecanoides magellani
1 Canal de Chacao and 30 Tierra del Fuego ferry crossing, 17 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes and 14 Fuerte Bulnes
Peruvian Diving-Petrel Pelecanoides garnoti
2 Arica - endangered
Peruvian Pelican Pelecanus thagus
85 along the coast in Santiago Area, 35 at Isla Chiloé and 120 Arica
Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus
90 Santiago Area, 80 Puerto Mont Area, just 2 Punta Arenas, 420 Arica, 3 PN Lauca, 80 Peninsula Valdes, 1 Buenos Aires and 2 Ribera Norte
Rock Cormorant Phalacrocorax magellanicus
2 Punihuil, 121 Strait of Magellan, 40 Peninsula Valdes
Imperial Cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps
100 Isla Chiloé, 686 Punta Arenas Area, 183 Trelew Areas and 80 Costenera Sur. Two races the Blueeyed nominate of the Pacific Ocean and King albiventer of the Atlantic - formerly considered two species, but the races overlap. We saw pure nomiante at Chiloé and Punta Arenas, while all cormorants in Argentina seemed to be of the albiventer race.
Guanay Cormorant Phalacrocorax bougainvillii
1 Concon, 60 Arica and 2 Camarones
Redlegged Cormorant Phalacrocorax gaimardi
140 Canal de Chacao, 1 Ancud, 6 Punihuil, 3 Camarones, 2 Cabo Dos Bahias and 3 Peninsula Valdes. Near threatened. According to Jaramillo Redlegged Cormorant does not flock - however we saw groups of up to 30 individuals migrating into Canal de Chacao during our ferry crossing to Chiloé.
Whistling Heron Syrigma sibilatrix
2 Costanera Sur
Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi
1 Caletta Valdes, 2 Costanera Sur and 2 Ribera Norte
Great Egret Ardea alba
8 Estero Lampa, 1 Rio Lluta, 2 Peninsula Valdes, 4 Costanera Sur, 1 Ribera Norte and 1 Buenos Aires
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
2 Lago Penuelas, 1 Rio Aconcagua, 2 La Campana-Lampa, 30 Estero Lampa, 14 Arica, 30 Costanera Sur, 4 Ribera Norte and 2 Buenos Aires
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
1 Santiago, 4 Lago Penuelas and 2 Buenos Aires
Striated Heron Butorides striatus
2 Costanera Sur
Blackcrowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
1 Quientero, 5 Estero Lampa, 1 Ancud, 2 Arica, 1 Peninsula Valdes and 2 Ribera Norte - all of the dark obscurus race
Stripebacked Bittern Ixobrychus involucris
1 seen briefly in the swamp and woodland in the norhteastern part of Costanera Sur
Whitefaced Ibis Plegadis chihi
8 Rio Aconcagua, 1 Puerto Mont-Puerto Varas and 7 Costanera Sur
Puna Ibis Plegadis ridgway
27 PN Lauca
Plumbeous Ibis Harpiprion caerulescens
2 Costanera Sur
Blackfaced Ibis Theristicus melanopsis
489 in Puerto Mont Area and 62 Punta Arenas Area
Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis
27 Punta Arenas-Rio Rubens, 2 Puerto Natales-Torres del Paine, 9 Torres del Paine, 18 Galego Chico Road, 7 Salar Pujsa, 350 Salar Tara, 260 Laguna Chaxas and 230 PN Lauca. Near threatened.
Andean Flamingo Phoenicoparrus andinus
3 Salar Pujsa, 220 Salar Tara, 140 Laguna Chaxas and 20 PN Lauca. Near threatened.
Puna Flamingo Phoenicoparrus jamesi
1 Salar Pujsa, 26 Salar Tara, 40 Laguna Chaxas and 2 PN Lauca. Vulnerable.
Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor
120 Costanera Sur
Whitefaced Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna viduata
30 Costanera Sur
Coscoroba Swan Coscoroba coscoroba
8 Osorno-Puerto Mont, 86 Punta Arenas Area, 1 Camarones, 1 Peninsula Valdes, 80 Trelew, 160 Costanera Sur and 2 Buenos Aires
Blacknecked Swan Cygnus melancoryphus
18 Lago Penuelas, 79 Isla Chiloé, 194 Punta Arenas Area, 26 Trelew and 90 Costanera Sur
Andean Goose Chloephaga melanoptera
16 Salar Pujsa-Salar Tara, 14 Vado Rio Putana and 18 PN Lauca
Upland Goose Chloephaga picta
2.295 Punta Arenas Area
Kelp Goose Chloephaga hybrida
2 males 1 female Punihuil, 1 male Punta Delgada (Chile), 6 Punta Carrera
Ashyheaded Goose Chloephaga poliocephala
11 Rio Serrano, PN Torres del Paine
Ruddyheaded Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps
2 Punta Arenas-Seno Otway and 2 Tierra del Fuego close to Bahia Azul
Crested Duck Lophonetta specularoides
417 Punta Arenas Area, 64 Calama Area, 192 PN Lauca and 170 Trelew Area
Flying Steamerduck Tachyeres patachonicus
1 close to Seno Otway, 4 PN Torres del Paine, 6 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes
Flightless Steamerduck Tachyeres pteneres
1 Punihuil, 1 close to Seno Otway, 1 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes
Whiteheaded Steamerduck Tachyeres leucocephalus
6 Punta Tombo, 4 Camarones, 18 Cabo Dos Bahias and 7 Peninsula Valdes. Also knwon as Chubut Steamerduck, endemic, vulnerable.
Torrent Duck Merganetta armata
1 pair near San José de Maipo
Spectacled Duck Speculanas specularis
1 Puerto Natales-PN Torres del Paine, 2 PN Torres del Paine, Puente Weber, Rio Paine and 6 Fuerte Bulnes. Near threatened.
Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris
8 Lago Penuelas, 54 Puerto Mont Area, 348 Punta Arenas Area, 94 Trelew Area, 4 Ribera Norte and 2 Buenos Aires of the nominate race. 40 Salar Pujsa and Salar Tara, 20 Vado Rio Putana and 280 PN Lauca of the oxyptera race - a future split.
Chiloe Wigeon Anas sibilatrix
4 Lago Penuelas, 80 Lago Quilo, 155 Punta Arenas Area and 90 Trelew
Yellowbilled Pintail Anas georgica
12 Estero Lampa, 60 Lago Quilo, 4 Punta Chilén, 679 Punta Arenas Area, 60 Trelew and 60 Costanera Sur
Puna Teal Anas puna
7 Vado Rio Putana and 2 Rio Lluta
Silver Teal Anas versicolor
4 Seno Otway, 4 PN Torres del Paine, Rio Serrano and 9 Costanera Sur
Red Shoveler Anas platalea
1 Estero Lampa, 2 Lago Quilo, 2 PN Torres del Paine, 12 Trelew and 40 Costanera Sur
Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
2 Estero Lampa
Rosebilled Pochard Netta peposaca
1 Lago Penuelas, 27 Trelew, 26 Costanera Sur and 2 Buenos Aires
Blackheaded Duck Heteronetta atricapilla
12 Costanera Sur
Andean Duck Oxyura ferruginea
1 PN Torres del Paine in a small lake close to the entrance and 3 PN Lauca
Lake Duck Oxyura vittata
2 Estero Lampa, 6 Rio Rubens-Puerto Natales, 4 PN Torres del Paine, 16 Trelew and 8 Costanera Sur
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
173 Puerto Mont Area
Turkey Vulture Cathrates aura
4 Santiago, 36 Puerto Mont Area, 1 Seno Otway, 730 Arica, 48 Trelew Area
Andean Condor Vultur gryphus
5 El Yeso, 3 PN Torres del Paine, 3 Torres del Paine-Cerro Castillo, 28 Cerro Castillo. Near threatened.
Blackchested Buzzard Eagle Geranoaetus melanoleucus
1 Punta Arenas-Seno Otway, 1 close to Rio Rubens, 2 PN Torres del Paine and 2 Santiago airport
Whitetailed Kite Elanus leucurus
8 Puerto Varas-Entre Lagos, 1 Peninsula Valdes-Trelew
Cinereous Harrier Circus cinereus
1 female Puerto natales, 1 male Puento del Hambre and 1 male migrating south at Puenta Norte, Peninsula Valdes
Roadside Hawk Buteo magnirostris
2 Buenos Aires close to the international airport
Whitetailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus
5 Peninsula Valdes
Variable Hawk Buteo polyosoma
2 Putre and 2 Camarones-Trelew
Mountain Caracara Phalcoboenus megalopterus
1 El Taito and 1 PN Lauca
Southern Caracara Caracara plancus
26 Punta Arenas Area, 1 Cabo Dos Bahias and 2 Costanera Sur
Chimango Caracara Milvago chimango
82 Santiago Area, 45 Puerto Mont Area, 20 Punta Arenas Area, 36 Trelew Area and 4 Buenos Aires
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
1 Concon, 1 PN La Campana-La Lampa, 2 El Yeso, 1 San José de Maipo, 2 Puerto Varas, 13 Puerto Varas-Puyehue and return, 2 Puerto Natales, 2 Arica, 2 Valle de Lluta, 9 Trelew Area and 2 Buenos Aires
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
1 PN Torres del Paine at Rio Serrano and 1 mouth of Rio Lluta
Californian Quail Lophortyx californica
1 Lago Penuelas, 2 Rio Aconcagua and 12 PN La Campana. Introduced
Limpkin Aremus guarauna
1 Costanera Sur
Giant Wood Rail Aramides ypecaha
1 Costanera Sur and 2 Ribera Norte
Greynecked Wood Rail Aramides cajanea
2 Ribera Norte
Austral Rail Rallus antarticus
1 heard PN Torres del Paine at the first bog at the eastern entrance - thought to be extinct in 1959 but rediscovered in 1998. Vulnerable.
Plumbeous Rail Pardirallus sanguinolentus
1 Lago Quilo and 1 Ribera Norte
Spotflanked Gallinule Gallinula melanops
1 Estero Lampa
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
8 Costanera Sur and 3 Ribera Norte
Redgartered Coot Fulica armilata
90 Lago Penuelas, 6 Estero Lampa, 43 Punta Arenas-PN Torres del Paine, 21 PN Torres del Paine, 60 Trelew and 450 Costanera Sur.
Whitewinged Coot Fulica leucoptera
21 Lago Penuelas, 7 Estero Lampa, 1 Puerto Varas, 9 Rio Rubens-PN Torres del Paine, 18 Torres del Paine, 20 Trelew and 250 Costanera Sur.
Lots of unidentified Redgartered or Whitewinged in Puerto Mont Area and Punta Arenas Area as you surely won’t stop to look at all coots along the roads ....
Andean Coot Fulica ardesiaca
30 Vado Rio Putana and 30 PN Lauca - also known as Slatecoloured Coot, a recent split from American Coot
Redfronted Coot Fulica rufifrons
14 Estero Lampa, 4 Costanera Sur and 4 Ribera Norte
Giant Coot Fulica gigantea
2 at nest Vado Rio Putana is a bit out of range, 1.150 PN Lauca
Horned Coot Fulica cornuta
4 Salar Tara, near threatened and only found in the triangle of Bolivia, Chile and Argentina
Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana
18 Costanera Sur
American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus
4 Punta Liles, 7 Lago Quilo, 1 Punihuil, 1 Punta Chilén, 32 Arica, 11 Cabo Dos Bahias and 42 Peninsula Valdes
Magellanic Oystercatcher Haematopus leucopodus
5 Punta Arenas-Seno Otway, 2 Seno Otway, 1 Rio Rubens-Puerto Natales, 1 PN Torres del Paine, 5 Gallego Chico Road, 4 Tierra del Fuego and 7 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes
Blackish Oystercatcher Haematopus ater
1 Punihuil, 2 Seno Otway, 4 Camarones, 8 Cabo Dos Bahias and 12 Peninsula Valdes
Whitebacked Stilt Himantopus melanurus
28 Costanera Sur
Andean Avocet Recurvirostra andina
4 Salar Pujsa, 58 Laguna Chaxas and 12 PN Lauca
American Plover Pluvialis dominica
2 mouth of Rio Lluta
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
4 mouth of Rio Lluta
Peruvian Thick-knee Burhinus superciliaris
2 Valle de Lluta
Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis
65 Santiago Area, 190 Lago Quilo plus 110 elsewhere Puerto Mont Area, 127 Punta Arenas Area, 31 Trelew Area and 8 Costanera Sur.
Andean Lapwing Vanellus resplendens
2 towards Salar Tara and 4 PN Lauca
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
9 mouth of Rio Lluta
Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
1 mouth of Rio Lluta
Twobanded Plover Charadrius falklandicus
1 Seno Otway, 3 Punta Arenas-Rio Rubens, 4 PN Torres del Paine, 12 Galego Chico Road, 1 Punta Delagada (Chile), 2 Tierra del Fuego and 1 Camarones
Puna Plover Charadrius alticola
8 adults and 2 juveniles Laguna Chaxas and 2 Vado Rio Putana
Kildeer Charadrius vociferus
3 mouth of Rio Lluta
Rufouschested Dotterel Charadrius modestus
2 Gallego Chico Road
Tawnythroated Dotterel Oreopholus ruficollis
1 Puerto Natales-PN Torres del Paine, 1 PN Torres del Paine and 4 Gallego Chico Road
Magellanic Plover Pluvianellus socialis
2 Tierra del Fuego at km 17 from Porvenir. Near threatened
Magellanic Snipe Gallinago magellanica
3 Rio Rubens-Puerto Natales, 1 Puerto Natales-PN Torres del Paine, 7 PN Torres del Paine, Rio Serrano, 2 El Tehuelce - all displaying. Magellanic Snipe is suggested a split from South American Snipe G. paraguaiae.
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
3 Concon, 2 Punta Liles, 4 Ancud, 40 Lago Quilo, 2 Punta Chilén and 1 Seno Otway - all of the race hudsonicus
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
60 Lago Quilo and 4 Costanera Sur
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
3 Estero Lampa, 20 Lago Quilo and 22 Costanera Sur
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia
1 mouth of Rio Lluta
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
3 Lago Quilo
Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
1 Concon
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
3 Concon, 30 Quientero, 80 Punta Alacra, Arica and 10 mouth of Rio Lluta
Surfbird Aphriza virgata
140 Punta Alacra, Arica
Sanderling Calidris alba
50 Punta Liles and 2 mouth of Rio Lluta
Whiterumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
80 Seno Otway and 60 Costanera Sur
Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
40 Punta Chilén, 40 Punta Arenas-Seno Otway, 200 Seno Otway, 120 Punta Arenas-Rio Rubens, 2 Punta Delgada (Chile), 20 Tierra del Fuego, 2 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes, 2 Salar Pujsa, 1 Laguna Chaxas, 16 Vado Rio Putana, 40 Rio Lluta, 6 Punta Alacra, 20 Peninsula Valdes and 4 Costanera Sur
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
1 mouth of Rio Lluta
Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
1 Vado Rio Putana
Least Seedsnipe Thinocorus rumicivorus
1 Puerto Natales-PN Torres del Paine, 32 Gallego Chico Road, 1 Tierra del Fuego, 2 Punta Tombo-Camarones, 3 Camarones and 1 Cabo Dos Bahias
Greybreasted Seedsnipe Thinocorus orbignyianus
1 PN Torres del Paine and 1 pair Vado Rio Putana
Whitebellied Seedsnipe Attagis malouinus
1 PN Torres del Paine close to Lago Nordenskjöld
Snowy Sheatbill Chionis alba
2 Punta Norte, Peninsula Valdes
Common Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
1 Arica
Chilean Skua Stercorarius chilensis
1 Punta Delgada, Chile, 2 Tierre del Fuego ferry, 14 Tierra del Fuego, 8 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes, 6 Fuerte Bulnes, 1 Punta Tombo, 20 Cabo Dos Bahias, 40 Camarones and 1 Peninsula Valdes
Dolphin Gull Larus scoresbii
3 Canal de Chacao, 4 Punta Delgada, Chile, 1 Camarones, 22 Cabo Dos Bahias and 5 Peninsula Valdes
Bandtailed Gull Larus belcherii
70 Arica
Grey Gull Larus modestus
280 Arica
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus
Common along the coast, 400 Santiago Area, 1.030 Puerto Mont Area, 1.250 Punta Arenas Area, 200 Arica and 771 Trelew Area
Brownhooded Gull Larus maculipennis
5 Concon, 500 Puerto Mont Area, 202 Punta Arenas Area, 2 Trelew and 150 Buenos Aires Area
Andean Gull Larus serranus
20 Vado Rio Putana and 90 PN Lauca
Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan
20 Punta Liles, 60 Estero Lampa, 1 Canal de Chacao and 8.420 Arica
Royal Tern Sterna maxima
30 Cabo Dos Bahias and 60 Peninsula Valdes
South American Tern Sterna hirundinacea
2 Punta Liles, 906 Punta Arenas Area, 70 Camarones and 200 Peninsula Valdes
Elegant Tern Sterna elegans
620 Arica
Cayenne Tern Sterna eurygnatha
1 Camarones, 10 Cabo Dos Bahias and 20 Peninsula Valdes
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Common in all major cities in the lowland
Picazuro Pigeon Patagioenas picazuro
60 Costanera Sur, 20 Ribera Norte and 30 Buenos Aires. The Amercian pigeons are no longer related to the old world’s Columba but instead placed in a new genus Patagioenas due to recent DNA research
Chilean Pigeon Patagioenas araucana
4 PN La Campana, 1 Puyehue and 2 PN Chiloé. Not endemic, seen regulary in Argentina, especially in the south close to the border
Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata
20 Santiago Area, 4 Puerto Varas, 7 Punta Arenas Area, 20 Arica, 5 San Pedro de Atacama, 34 Trelew Area and 30 Buenos Aires
Pacific Dove Zenaida meloda
4 San Pedro de Atacama and 140 around Arica - now a split from Whitewinged Dove
Croaking Ground Dove Columbina cruziana
5 Valle de Lluta and 1 mouth of Rio Lluta
Picui Ground Dove Columbina picui
11 Concon-PN La Campana-Santiago, 20 Costanera Sur and 5 Ribera Norte
Barefaced Ground-Dove Metriopelia ceciliae
2 Putre
Blackwinged Ground-Dove Metriopelia malenoptera
17 El Yeso and 2 PN Lauca
Goldenspotted Ground-Dove Metriopelia aymara
24 Putre
Blackhooded Parakeet Nandayus nenday
2 close to the southern entrance of Costanera Sur, also called Nanday Parakeet introduced
Burrowing Parakeet Cyanoliseus patagonus
2 Trelew Airport
Monk Parakeet Myopsitta monachus
2 in Santiago del Chile are feral. 40 Costanera Sur, 4 Ribera Norte, 2 Buenos Aires
Austral Parakeet Enicognathus ferrugineus
1 Punta Arenas-Rio Rubens, 8 Rio Rubens and 6 PN Torres del Paine at Lago Grey
Slenderbilled Parakeet Enicognathus leptorhynchus
20 12 km east of Entre Lagos, 1 Chacao-Ancud and 2 PN Chiloé. Endemic
Mountain Parakeet Psilopsiagon aurifrons
1 El Taito-San Pedro de Atacama at km 35
Guira Cuckoo Guira guira
1 Trelew and 2 Costanera Sur, northern entrance
Magellanic Horned Owl Bubo magellanicus
1 Tierra del Fuego - a recent split from Great Horned Owl
Austral Pygmy Owl Glaucidium nanum
2 heard at Puyehue
Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia
1 Valle de Azapa at Museo
Shorteared Owl Asio flammeus
1 Entra Lagos-Osorno
Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
10 Valle de Lluta
Andean Swift Aeronautes andecolus
1 Valle de Lluta
Glitteringbellied Woodstar Chlorostilbon aureoventris
6 Costanera Sur and 4 Ribera Norte
Whitethroated Hummingbird Leucochloris albicollis
1 Ribera Norte - the starbird at this site
Gilded Saphire Hylocharis chrysura
1 Ribera Norte
Sparkling Violetear Colibri corruscans
1 Putre
Andean Hillstar Oreotrochilus leucopleurus
4 Putre
Whitesided Hillstar Oreotrochilus estella
2 San Jose de Maipo-El Yeso
Giant Hummingbird Patagonas gigas
2 PN La Campana, 1 near Tiltil, 1 El Yeso and 2 Putre
Greenbacked Firecrown Sephanoides sephanoides
1 PN La Campana, 2 Santiago-San Jose de Maipo, 2 Puerto Varas, 7 Puyehue, 1 Lago Quilo and 3 PN Chiloé
Oasis Hummingbird Rhodopsis vesper
4 Valle de Lluta and 12 Valle de Azapa
Peruvian Sheartail Thaumastura cora
1 Valle de Lluta and 4 Valle de Azapa
Chilean Woodstar Eulidia yarrellii
1 pair Valle de Azapa at km 9,3, endangered due to the use of pesticides, formerly seen even in the parks of Arica, now restricted to a few areas in Valle de Azapa, Valle de Lluta and Tacna in Peru
Ringed Kingfisher Ceryle torquata
1 Puyehue
Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana
2 Costanera Sur
Field Flicker Colaptes campestris
2 Costanera Sur -perhaps better known as Campo Flicker
Chilean Flicker Colaptes pitius
2 near Lago Penuelas, 6 PN La Campana, 1 El Yeso and 4 Puyehue
Andean Flicker Colaptes rupicola
7 PN Lauca
Goldenbreasted Woodpecker Colpates melanolaimus
12 Costanera Sur and 2 Ribera Norte
Checkered Woodpecker Picoides mixtus
1 Ribera Norte
Striped Woodpecker Picoides lignarius
1 PN La Campana and 1 Puyehue - also known as Striated Woodpecker
Magellanic Woodpecker Campephilus magellanicus
1 pair PN Chiloé
Puna Miner Geositta punensis
2 San Pedro de Atacama-Salar Pujsa and 6 PN Lauca
Rufousbanded Miner Geositta rufipennis
1 El Yeso
Creamyrumped Miner Geositta isabellina
1 San Pedro de Atacama-Salar Pujsa
Common Miner Geositta cunicularia
19 Punta Arenas Area plus 60 at Tierra del Fuego and 20 Trelew Area of the nominate form. 3 San Pedro de Atacama-Salar Pujsa of the titicacae race - a potential split
Shortbilled Miner Geositta antarctica
2 Hotel El Tehuelche-Punta Delgada and 12 Tierra del Fuego
Greyish Miner Geositta maritima
1 Putre-Arica at Pukara de Copaquilla
Scalethroated Earthcreeper Upucerthia dumetaria
1 San Jose de Maipo, 1 Punta Arenas, 2 Gallego Chico Road, 1 El Tehuelche-Punta Delagada, 13 Tierre del Fuego, 12 Trelew Area
Whitethroated Earthcreeper Upucerthia albigula
1 Putre
Plainbreasted Earthcreeper Upucerthia jelskii
6 Putre
Straightbilled Earthcreeper Upucerthia rufucaudus
1 San Pedro de Atacama-Salar Pujsa, 3 San Pedro de Atacama-El Taito and 1 Arica-Putre
Bandtailed Earthcreeper Eremobius phoenicurus
1 Dos Pozos, 2 Punta Tombo-Camarones, 3 Cabo Dos Bahias and 2 Peninsula Valdes - formerly thought to be endemic but now found around Punta Delgada, Chile
Crag Chilia Chilia melanura
3 El Yeso, endemic
Chilean Seaside Cinclodes Cinclodes nigrofumosus
1 Concon, endemic
Greyflanked Cinclodes Cinclodes oustaleti
9 El Yeso
Darkbellied Cinclodes Cinclodes patagonicus
2 Cajon Maipo, 2 El Yeso, 1 Puerto Varas, 4 Puyehue, 6 Ancud, 4 Lago Quilo and 12 Punta Arenas Area
Barwinged Cinclodes Cinclodes fuscus
2 San Jose de Maipo, 1 El Yeso, 5 PN Torres del Paine, 4 Vado Rio Putana, 7 Putre and 12 PN Lauca
Whitewinged Cinclodes Cinclodes atacamensis
1 creek near El Taito and 2 Putre-PN Lauca
Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus
40 Costanera Sur, 18 Ribera Norte and 30 Buenos Aires - national bird of Argentina
Des Murs’ Wiretail Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii
3 Puerto Varas and 4 Puyehue
Thorntailed Rayadito Aphrastura spinicauda
22 PN La Campana, 9 Puyehue and 1 PN Chiloé
Streaked Tit-Spinetail Leptasthenura striata
1 Putre
Plainmantled Tit-Spinetail Leptasthenura aegithaloides
2 PN La Campana, 1 PN Chiloé, 8 Peninsula Valdes and 2 Valdes-Trelew
Curvebilled Reedhaunter Limnornis curvirostris
3 Ribera Norte
Chicli Spinetail Synallaxis spixi
2 Ribera Norte
Yellowthroated Spinetail Certhiaxis cinnamomea
2 Costanera Sur
Sulphurbearded Spinetail Cranioleuca sulphurifera
1 Costanera Sur
Frecklebreasted Thornbird Phacellodomus striaticollis
1 Costanera Sur
Wrenlike Rushbird Phleocryptes melanops
3 Estero Lampa and 1 Costanera Sur
Lesser Canastero Asthenes pyrrholeuca
1 El Yeso, 2 Dos Pozos, 1 Punta Tombo, 1 Cabo Dos Bahias and 7 Peninsula Valdes
Canyon Canastero Asthenes pudibunda
1 Putre
Duskytailed Canastero Asthenes humilis
2 PN La Campana and 1 San Jose de Maipo - endemic
Darkwinged Canastero Asthenes arequipae
3 Putre
Patagonian Canastero Asthenes patagonica
3 Dos Pozos, 1 5 km south of Trelew and 2 Peninsula Valdes, endemic
Cordilleran Canastero Asthenes modesta
2 San Jose de Maipo, 1 Vado Rio Putana, 3 Putre and 2 PN Lauca
Austral Canastero Asthenes anthoides
1 Punta Arenas-Seno Otway and 1 Fuerte Bulnes-Puenta del Hambre
Whitethroated Cacholote Pseudoseisura gutturalis
2 Trelew-Punta Tombo, endemic
Whitethroated Treerunner Pygarrhichas albogularis
1 Puyehue
Blackthroated Huet-Huet Pteroptochos tarnii
5 Puyehue and 2 PN Chiloé
Moustached Turca Pteroptochos megapodius
1 PN La Campana, 1 San José de Maipo and 3 El Yeso, endemic
Whitethroated Tapaculo Scelorchilus albicollis
8 PN La Campana, endemic
Chucao Tapaculo Scelorchilus rubecula
14 Puyehue and 3 PN Chiloé
Ochreflanked Tapaculo Eugralla paradoxa
2 Puyehue
Magellanic Tapaculo Scytalopus magellanicus
1 Puyehue
Dusky Tapaculo Scytalopus fuscus
3 PN La Campana
Rufoustailed Plantcutter Phytotoma rara
1 Puerto Varas, 1 Ancud, 1 Lago Quilo, 1 PN Chiloé and 3 “roadside” birds Chiloé
Whitewinged Becard Pachyramphus polychopterus
2 Ribera Norte
Whitecrested Elaenia Elaenia albiceps
23 Santiago Area, 10 Puerto Mont Area, 2 PN Torres del Paine and 4 Fuerte Bulnes of the race chilensis. 11 around Arica of the modesta race
Suiriri Flycatcher Suiriri suiriri
2 Costanera Sur
Whitecrested Tyrannulet Serpophaga subcristata
4 Costanera Sur and 1 Ribera Norte
Yellowbilled Tit-Tyrant Anairetes flavirostris
2 Putre
Tufted Tit-Tyrant Anairetes parulus
2 PN La Campana and 2 Cajon del Maipo
Manycoloured Rush-Tyrant Tachuris rubigastra
2 Estero Lampa, 1 Lago Quilo and 4 Costanera Sur
Vermillion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
3 around Arica and 1 Costanera Sur
Rustybacked Monjita Neoxolmis rubetra
1 10 km south of Trelew and 7 Peninsula Valdes, endemic
Blackcrowned Monjita Xolmis coronata
1 Peninsula Valdes at Punta Cantor
Fireeyed Diucon Xolmis pyrope
2 Puyehue, 1 Entre Lagos, 2 PN Chiloé and 3 PN Torres del Paine
Chocolate-vented Tyrant Neoxolmis rufiventris
2 Gallego Chico Road and 2 Tierra del Fuego
Blackbilled Shrike Tyrant Agriornis montana
1 Vado Rio Putana and 1 PN Lauca
Greybellied Shrike-Tyrant Agriornis microptera
2 Punta Tombo-Camarones, 1 Camarones-Trelew, 10 Peninsula Valdes and 1 Valdes-Trelew
Least Shrike-Tyrant Agriornis murina
1 Trelew-Punta Tombo, 1 Cabo Dos Bahias, 2 Camarones-Trelew and 6 Peninsula Valdes - also known as Lesser Shrike-Tyrant
Greater Shrike-Tyrant Agriornis livida
1 Rio Aconcagua
Cinnamonbellied Ground Tyrant Muscisaxicola capistrata
4 Gallego Chico Road and 2 near El Tehuelche
Rufousnaped Ground Tyrant Muscisaxicola rufivertex
4 El Yeso
Whitebrowed Ground Tyrant Muscisaxicola albilora
1 Vado Rio Putana
Cinereous Ground Tyrant Muscisaxicola cinerea
2 PN Lauca
Whitefronted Ground Tyrant Muscisaxicola albifrons
7 PN Lauca
Ochrenaped Ground Tyrant Muscisaxicola flavinucha
7 El Yeso, 2 PN Torres del Paine, Lago Grey, 10 San Pedro de Atacama-Salar Tara, 4 Vado Rio Putana and 2 PN Lauca.
Some Ground Tyrants remained uidentified but might have been Ochrenaped. Anyway I found this group difficult
Blackfronted Ground Tyrant Muscisaxicola frontalis
1 El Yeso, 1 San Pedro de Atacama-Socaire and 2 Vado Rio Putana
Austral Negrito Lessonia oreas
3 Lago Quilo and 6 Punta Chilén. 366 Punta Arenas Area and 38 Trelew Area
Andean Negrito Lessonia rufa
26 Vado Rio Putana and 10 PN Lauca
Spectacled Tyrant Hymenops perspicillata
2 Rio Aconcagua, 4 PN La Campana-La Lampa, 2 Cabo Dos Bahias, 2 Camarones-Trelew and 3 Costanera Sur
Pied Water-Tyrant Fluvicola pica
5 Costanera Sur, also known as Blackbacked Water Tyrant
Whitebrowed Chat-Tyrant Ochthoeca leurcophrys
1 Putre
Patagonian Tyrant Coloramphus parvirostris
2 Puyehue
Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
3 Costanera Sur and 1 Ribera Norte
Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
2 Ribera Norte
Brownchested Martin Progne tapera
2 Costanera Sur
Greybreasted Martin Progne chalybea
20 Costanera Sur
Southern Martin Progne elegans
31 Trelew Area and 44 Buenos Aires Area
Peruvian Martin Progne murphyi
2 Valle de Lluta - a recent split
Whiterumped Swallow Tachycineta leucorrhoa
20 Costanera Sur, 4 Ribera Norte and 6 Buenos Aires
Chilean Swallow Tachycineta meyeni
29 Santiago Area, 71 Puerto Mont Area, 190 Punta Arenas Area and 6 Peninsula Valdes
Blue-and-White Swallow Pygochelidon cyanoleuca
92 Santiago Area, 16 Puerto Mont Area, 196 Punta Arenas Area, 42 Calama Area, 6 Putre, 149 Trelew Area and 30 Buenos Aires Area
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
20 San Pedro de Atacama, 1 El Taito, 1 Vado Rio Putana, 140 Valle de Lluta, 40 Valle da Azapa and 10 Costanera Sur
Andean Swallow Haplochelidon andecola
10 Salar Pujsa is out of range and 5 PN Lauca
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
2 San Pedro de Atacama
Southern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
4 Costanera Sur
Yellowish Pipit Anthus lutescens
1 mouth of Rio Lluta - the race peruviensis - a future split ?
Correndera Pipit Anthus correndera
1 Lago Penuelas, 3 + pulli Seno Otway, 2 near Rio Rubens, 1 PN Torres del Paine, 1 Punta Delgada, Chile, 1 Tierra del Fuego, 1 Cabo Dos Bahias and 2 Peninsula Valdes
House Wren Troglodytes musculus
29 Santiago Area, 19 Puerto Mont Area, 16 Punta Arenas Area, 5 Arica, 13 Trelew Area and 13 Buenos Aires Area
Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis
1 Punta Dos Bahias
Chalkbrowed Mockingbird Mimus saturninus
1 Trelew, 22 Peninsula Valdes and 64 Buenos Aires Area
Whitebanded Mockingbird Mimus triurus
2 Valdes-Trelew near Puerto Mandryn
Patagonian Mockingbird Mimus patagonicus
65 Trelew Area - scarce in Chile but quite common in Argentina
Chilean Mockingbird Mimus tenca
59 Santiago Area, endemic
Chiguanco Thrush Turdus chiguanco
12 San Pedro Atacama and 2 singing males Puerto Piramides of the black anthracinus race. 22 Putre of the nominate form.
Rufousbellied Thrush Turdus rufiventris
64 Buenos Aires Area
Creamybellied Thrush Turdus amaurochalinus
1 Ribera Norte
Austral Thrush Turdus falcklandii
60 Santaigo Area, 119 Puerto Mont Area, 49 Punta Arenas Area and 30 Trelew Area
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
100 Buenos Aires, introduced
Masked Gnatcatcher Polioptila dumicola
3 Costanera Sur and 2 Ribera Norte
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
582 seen i all cities and villages, introduced
Redeyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
1 Costanera Sur
Hooded Sisken Carduelis magellanica
6 Valle de Lluta, 16 Valle de Azapa, 4 Putre and 12 Costanera Sur
Blackchinned Siskin Carduelis barbatus
74 Santiago Area, 30 Puerto Mont Area, 268 Punta Arenas Area and 1 Cabo Dos Bahias
Black Siskin Carduelis atrata
2 PN Lauca
Yellowrumped Siskin Carduelis uropygialis
60 El Yeso and 2 Putre
Masked Yellowthroat Geothlypis aequinoctialis
5 Costanera Sur
Cinereous Conebill Conirostrum cinereum
3 Valle de Lluta, 8 Valle de Azapa and 7 Putre
Blackhooded Sierra Finch Phrygilus atriceps
2 Putre and 9 PN Lauca
Greyhooded Sierra Finch Phrygilus gayi
17 El Yeso, 4 Punta Arenas-Seno Otway, 8 PN Torres del Paine and 2 Cabo Dos Bahias
Patagonian Sierra Finch Phrygilus patagonicus
1 Puerto Varas, 22 Puyehue, 1 Lago Quilo, 6 PN Chiloé and another 30 at Isla Chiloé. 6 PN Torres del Paine, 4 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes and 3 Fuerte Bulnes
Mourning Sierra Finch Phrygilus fruticeti
23 Santiago Area, 3 Rio Rubens-PN Torres del Paine, 4 PN Torres del Paine, 5 San Pedro de Atacama, 57 Putre and PN Lauca and 202 Trelew Area
Plumbeous Sierra Finch Phrygilus unicolor
3 El Yeso, 16 in the mountains above San Pedro de Atacama, 22 Putre and 8 PN Lauca
Redbacked Sierra Finch Phrygilus dorsalis
1 Salar Pujsa and 2 Vado Rio Putana
Whitethroated Sierra Finch Phrygilus erythronotus
1 PN Lauca
Carbonated Sierra Finch Phrygilus carbonarius
6 Cabo Dos Bahias, 2 5 km west of Camarones and 2 Valdes-Trelew, endemic
Bandtailed Sierra Finch Phrygilus alaudinus
2 El Yeso
Longtailed Reed Finch Donacospiza albifrons
5 Costanera Sur and 1 Ribera Norte
Whitewinged Diuca Finch Diuca speculifera
4 PN Lauca
Common Diuca Finch Diuca diuca
5 Lago Penuelas, 1 Quintero, 2 PN La Campana, 16 Puerto Mont Area and 61 Trelew Area
Redrumped Warbling Finch Poospiza lateralis
1 Ribera Norte
Black-and-Rufous Warbling Finch Poospiza nigrorufa
60 Costanera Sur and 2 Ribera Norte
Slenderbilled Finch Xenospingus concolor
6 Valle de Lluta and 17 Valle de Azapa
Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina
2 Valle de Azapa
Bandtailed Seedeater Catamenia analis
7 Putre
Rustycollared Seedeater Sporophila collaris
2 Costanera Sur
Doublecollared Seedeater Sporophila caerulescens
28 Costanera Sur
Chestnut-throated Seedeater Sporophila telasco
3 Valle de Lluta
Blackthroated Flowerpiercer Diglossa brunneiventris
2 Putre
Saffron Yellow Finch Sicalis flaveola
2 Ribera Norte
Grassland Yellow Finch Sicalis luteola
128 Santiago Area and 20 Puerto Mont Area - also known as Misto Yellow Finch
Brightrumped Yellow Finch Sicalis uropygialis
2 El Taito-San Pedro de Atacama and 9 Putre
Greater Yellow Finch Sicalis auriventris
5 El Yeso and 3 Vado Rio Putana
Greenish Yellow Finch Sicalis olivacens
64 in the mountains above San Pedro de Atacama, 2 Arica-Putre and 20 Putre
Patagonian Yellow Finch Sicalis lebruni
49 Punta Arenas Area and 31 Trelew Area - a typical roadside bird and the only Yellow Finch to encounter in Patagonia
Greater Pampa Finch Embernagra platensis
6 Costanera Sur and 2 Buenos Aires
Redcrested Cardinal Paroaria coronta
6 Costanera Sur
Rufouscollared Sparrow Zonothrichia capensis
1.363 - seen at all sites mentioned
Blue-and-Yellow Tanager Thraupis bonariensis
2 Putre
Unicoloured Blackbird Agelaius cyanopus
1 Costanera Sur
Yellowwinged Blackbird Agelaius thilius
40 Estero Lampa, 2 PN Torres del Paine, 6 Ribera Norte and 40 Costanera Sur
Brown-and-Yellow Marshbird Pseudoleistes virescens
2 Costanera Sur
Longtailed Meadowlark Sturnella loyca
21 Santiago Area, 14 Puerto Mont Area, 41 Punta Arenas Area and 55 Trelew Area
Peruvian Meadowlark Sturnella bellicosa
6 Valle de Lluta and 3 Valle de Azapa
Baywinged Cowbird Agelaioides badius
28 Costanera Sur
Shiny Cowbirds Molothrus bonariensis
18 Rio Aconcagua-PN La Campana, 6 Lago Quilo, 20 around Arica, 5 Trelew, 80 Costanera Sur, 10 Ribera Norte and 40 Buenos Aires
Solitary Black Cacique Cacicus solitarius
2 Ribera Norte and 1 Costanera Sur
Epualet Oriole Icterus cayanensis
6 Costanera Sur
Austral Blackbird Curaeus curaeus
38 Santiago Area, 45 Puerto Mont Area and 40 Punta Arenas Area
List of Mammals etc
Colpeo Fox Pseudalopes culpaeus
1 Punta Arenas-Rio Rubens
Grey Fox Pseudalopes griseus
2 PN Torres del Paine, 1 Gallego Chico Road, 1 Laguna Chaxas and 2 Peninsula Valdes
South American Fur Seal Arctophalus australis
40 Concon
South American Sea Lion Otaria flavescens
115 Canal de Chacao, 1 Seno Otway, 2 Punta Delgada, Chile, 5 Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes, 4 Punta Tombo, 20 Camarones, 360 Cabo Dos Bahias and 30 Peninsula Valdes
Southern Elephant Seal Mirounga leonina
4 Cabo Dos Bahias and 870 Peninsula Valdes
Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis
14 Piramides, Peninsula Valdes
Commerson’s Dolphin Cephalorhynchus commersonii
30 Punta Delgada-Bahia Azul, Tierra del Fuego ferry
Chilean Dolphin Cephalorhynchus eutropia
8 Canal de Chacao, Isla Chiloé ferry, endemic
Dusky Dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus
20 Cabo Dos Bahias
Peale’s Dolphin Lagenorhynchus australis
3 - all single individuals - Punta Arenas-Fuerte Bulnes
Killer Whale Orcinus orca
5 Punta Norte, Peninsula Valdes
Guanacho Lama guanicoe
90 Puerto Natales-PN Torres del Paine, 200 PN Torres del Paine, 60 Tierra del Fuego, 1 Punta Delgada-Punta Arenas, 24 Punta Tombo, 60 Cabo Dos Bahias, 12 Camarones-Trelew and 57 Peninsula Valdes
Llama Lama glama
80 Salar Tara - domestic
Alpaca Lama pacos
150 San Pedro de Atacama-Salar Tara and 20 PN Lauca, domestic
Vicuña Vicugna vicugna
15 Salar Pujsa-Salar Tara, 40 Salar Tara, 57 El Taito-San Pedro de Atacama, 2 Arica-Putre and 90 PN Lauca
Mountain Viscacha Lagidium viscacha
11 PN Lauca
Coypu Myocastor coypus
7 Costanera Sur and 1 Ribera Norte
Brown Hare Lepus europeus
1 Puerto Natales-PN Torres del Paine, 5 PN Torres del Paine, 3 Punta Delgada-Punta Arenas, 2 Punta Arenas, 1 Trelew, 2 Camarones-Treles, 5 Peninsula Valdes, introduced
Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
5 Camarones-Trelew, introduced
Patagonian Mara Dolichotis patagonum
5 Punta Norte, Peninsula Valdes
Rodent/Mice sp Rodentia sp
1 Punta Chilén, 1 Fuerte Bulnes and 4 PN Lauca
Larger Hairy Armadillo Chaetopractus villosus
1 Cabo Dos Bahias and 2 Punta Norte, Peninsula Valdes
Bat sp Chriroptera sp
1 San Jose de Maipo
Lizard sp
1 Concon, 3 Laguna Chaxas, 7 Punta Alacra, Arica, 1 Punta Tombo and 4 Peninsula Valdes
White-and-Black Tega Lizard Tupinambis merianae
2 Ribera Norte and 1 Costanera Sur - a real monster but harmless
Painted Turtle Trachemys scripta
3 Costanera Sur, the race dorbignyi