birding...

Grey-necked Wood Rail - Aramides cajanea © Sergio Corbet sergiobdfan@thebirder.net

Argentina is not as diverse as most other South American countries, but nevertheless there are still around 1000 species recorded within the territory. Many of the birds are also highly spectacular, such as Rheas, Sereimas, Penguins, strange waders such as Painted Snipe, Magellanic Plover, Seedsnipes and Sheathbills, as well as giant tapaculos such as Gallitos and Chucao.

Birding in Argentina is comparably easy and straightforward compared to the rest of South America. A totally modern country, a bit European in atmosphere, with good roads and less crime. The challenge is the sheer size of the country, and the birding strategy applied must always take this into consideration. Most independent birders choose to buy an airpass, and in four-five weeks it is possible to include all corners of Argentina hiring vehicles at the different airports. For people preferring travelling with a group and professional leadership, many of the top birding tour operators have years of experience of the country and visit some of the top birding spots.

Alternatively, for low budget birders there is an extensive system of long-distance buses and road conditions in back country Argentina is much better than for instance Peru or Brazil. But one still has to rely to arrange transport from the bus terminals to the birding sites, so in any case even low budget birding in Argentina comes out more expensive than in many other South American countries due to the general higher cost of living. Overland travelling like this at least gives the perspective of Argentina`s immense vastness and size. A fairly new and inexpensive approach to birding in Argentina is represented by the overland option given by Kolibri Expeditions, doing large stretches of transport during the night with two drivers making sure that birding time is maximized. One can bird until nightfall and wake up at a new locality 600 km away. The price tag is kept low saving the costs of hotels and airfares, and using Argentina`s extensive and good value campsites (often with hot showers available).

The birding regions comprise of the following:

Patagonia including Tierra del Fuego, Rio Gallegos and Calafate. Ushuaia being also a convenient stepping-stone to look for inexpensive Antarctica trips. Austral Rail was recently rediscovered from near Rio Gallegos

Peninsula Valdés and surrounding areas - which include Punta Tumbo Magellanic Penguin colony, San Antonio del Oeste 250km to the north and the Valdés peninsula proper more famed for Orcas involved in sea lion hunt and a good place to observe Southern Right Whale. Endemic birds in this region include Band-tailed Sierra-Finch, Band-tailed Earthcreeper, Patagonian Canastero, White-throated Cachalote, Sandy Gallito, Rusty-backed Monjita

Buenos Aires area including the Costanera Sur reserve, San Clemente/Punta Rasa & the Pampas to the North

The North-West including Tucuman area for the endemic Tucuman Warbling-Finch, the two habitat complex national parks of El Rey and Calilegua, which include species like Yellow-striped Brush-Finch and Red-faced Guan and finally Laguna Pozuelos and the road there for Horned Coot and Rufous-throated Dipper respectively.

The North East - includes the famed Iguazú falls for many rain-forest species and Iberá marshes for Strange-tailed Tyrant.

Cordoba highlands - for Cordoba endemics such as Olrog`s and Comechingones Cinclodes, Cinnamon Warbling-Finch and Cordoba Canastero. From Cordoba one can continue to Mendoza at the foot of the Andes, and a good base to search for Steinbach`s Canastero and Creamy-rumped Miner - the latter near the Chilean boarder.

Most people going to Argentina prefer to go between November & January, because of spring-summer in the south, but the north including Buenos Aires can well be visited during the northern hemisphere summer.