Argentine Republic

Salinas Monjita Xolmis salinarum ©Dubi Shapiro Website

Argentina is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of over 2,780,9000 km2 (c. 1,000,000 square miles), making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil and the eighth-largest country in the world. It has a population of around 46 million people. It shares the bulk of the Southern Cone with Chile to the west, and is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the northeast, Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south. Argentina is a federal state subdivided into twenty-three provinces, and one autonomous city, which is the federal capital. Buenos Aires is the largest city of the nation, with nearly 16 million inhabitants in the greater metropolitan area. The onlky other cities with populations over a million are Córdoba and Rosario.

Argentina’s highest point is Aconcagua in the Mendoza province (6,959 m (22,831 ft) above sea level), which is also the highest point in the Southern and Western Hemispheres. The lowest point is Laguna del Carbón in the San Julián Great Depression Santa Cruz province (−105 m (−344 ft) below sea level, which is also the lowest point in the Southern and Western Hemispheres, and the seventh lowest point on Earth). Some of the major rivers are the Paraná, Uruguay, which join to form the Río de la Plata, Paraguay, Salado, Negro, Santa Cruz, Pilcomayo, Bermejo and Colorado. These rivers are discharged into the Argentine Sea, the shallow area of the Atlantic Ocean over the Argentine Shelf, an unusually wide continental platform. Its waters are influenced by two major ocean currents: the warm Brazil Current and the cold Falklands Current.

Argentina is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world hosting one of the greatest ecosystem varieties in the world: 15 continental zones, 2 marine zones, and the Antarctic region are all represented in its territory. This huge ecosystem variety has led to a biological diversity that is among the world’s largest with 9,372 catalogued vascular plant species, 1,038 bird species, 375 mammals, 338 reptiles and 162 amphibian species.

The original pampa had virtually no trees; now some imported species are present along roads or in towns and country estates. The only tree-like plant native to the pampa is the evergreen Ombú. The surface soils are a deep black colour, rich with humus. This makes the region one of the most agriculturally productive on Earth; however, this is also responsible for decimating much of the original ecosystem, to make way for commercial agriculture. The western pampas receive less rainfall, this dry pampa is a plain of short grasses or steppe.

Lihué Calel National Park – ©Hardscarf CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

There are 35 National Parks of Argentina, which cover a very varied set of terrains and biotopes, from Baritú National Park on the northern border with Bolivia to Tierra del Fuego National Park in the far south of the continent. In general, Argentina has four main climate types: warm humid subtropical, moderate humid subtropical, arid and cold. all determined by latitude, altitude and relief features.

Birding Argentina

Argentina is home to over 1000 bird species occupying a wide variety of biomes. it projects from the cold and temperate climates of Patagonia up north, to the tropic of Capricorn. The Andes cordillera runs along the western edge, declining gradually to the east into the pampas plains to finally end on the extensive Atlantic coastline. About a dozen species are endemics and another thirty near endemic or endemic breeders. This can be added to several specialties for which Argentina is the best place to look, and the spectacular, not to be missed birds such as Rheas, Seriemas, Penguins, Tapaculos and numerous weird waders such as Diademed Plover, Painted Snipe, Magellanic Plover, Seedsnipes and Sheathbills. The tropical north holds Toucans, Trogons, Tanagers, Antbirds, Manakins and Hummingbirds.

Birding in Argentina is comparatively easy compared to other South American countries. It’s a totally modern country, slightly European in atmosphere, with good infrastructure and safe to travel in. The challenge is the sheer size of the country, and the birding strategy applied must always take this into consideration. In four-five weeks it is possible to include all corners of Argentina: Two weeks for the south, and the other divided between Northwest and Northeast. The choice would be highly dependent on the birder’s experience in the region, but it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that Argentina is perfect to start your South American list: within the diverse avifauna of the Neotropical region, most of the bird families and many genera are represented within Argentina’s diverse geography. So it’s ideal for learning the groups and working your way up north into other tropical countries, where too many species are sometimes overwhelming and difficult to retain.

Airlines cover the whole country and, alternatively, there is an extensive system of long-distance buses. Road conditions are generally good, but travelling distances are usually big and some of the best birding areas are only reachable with 4×4 vehicles, so, even low budget birding in Argentina turns out more expensive than in many other Latin American countries due to the generally higher cost of living. For people who prefer travelling in a group together with professional leadership, many of the top birding tour operators have years of experience in the country and visit all the main birding spots. Particularly in key areas, it’s convenient to have help from local birding specialists as they will save time by pinpointing the precise areas for certain species, which is certainly the case of the Endangered Hooded Grebe in Patagonia.

The southern summer is the right time for travelling to Argentina. Springtime between October and January is probably the best, but all the other months are fine for the northern half of the country. In contrast, you should avoid travelling to the south in wintertime.

Buenos Aires – The capital, is a great place to make base after a long flight, as there are excellent birding areas nearby, including the famous Costanera Sur Nature Reserve.

Buenos Aires seen from Costanera Sur Nature Reserve – ©Wikimedia Commons

The typical habitats are those of the Pampas plains and the nearby Plata and Paraná rivers. The woods and savannas of the adjacent province of Entre Rios are spectacular with Otamendi National Park conv eniently on the way. On the other hand, a 280 km trip to the south leads to San Clemente and Punta Rasa areas, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. A pelagic trip can be organized close by. The whole area is an excellent introduction to Argentina, with species such as Greater Rhea, Coscoroba and Black-necked Swans, Southern Screamer, Rosy-billed Pochard, Giant Wood-Rail, Olrog’s Gull, Painted Snipe, Chequered Woodpecker, Guira Cuckoo, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Rufous Hornero, Straight-billed and Curve-billed Reedhaunters, Spectacled Tyrant, Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch, Red-crested Cardinal, Great Pampa-Finch, Ultramarine Grosbeak, Scarlet-headed Blackbird. From here you will continue your trips to either south or north Argentina.

The South – The south includes the vast region of steppes and south-beech forest known as Patagonia, from Bahía Blanca on the coast and Bariloche in the Andes, down to Tierra del Fuego. The famous Valdes Peninsula and the Glaciers of Santa Cruz are here. Approximately half of Argentina’s endemics can be found in the region, as well as nearly 60 specialties which are only shared with adjacent Chile. Some examples of exclusively Patagonian birds are Patagonian Tinamou, Magellanic Penguin, Hooded Grebe, Imperial Shag, Black-faced Ibis, four species of Geese and all the Steamer-Ducks, Bronze-winged Duck, Chilean Hawk, Rufous-tailed Hawk, White-throated Caracara, Austral Rail, Blackish and Magellanic Oystercatchers, Magellanic Plover, White-bellied Seedsnipe, Snowy Sheathbill, Dolphin Gull, Chilean Pigeon, Austral Parakeet, Rufous-legged Owl, Austral Pygmy-Owl, Green-backed Firecrown, Striped Woodpecker, Chilean Flicker, Magellanic Woodpecker, Short-billed Miner, Dark-bellied Cinclodes, Des Murs’Wiretail, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, Austral Canastero, Black-throated Huet-huet, Chucao Tapaculo, Ochre-flanked Tapaculo, Magellanic Tapaculo, Patagonian Tyrant, Fire-eyed Diucon, Chocolate-vented Tyrant, Great Shrike-Tyrant, Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrant, Rufous-tailed Plantcutter, Austral Thrush, Patagonian Sierra-Finch, White-bridled Finch, Yellow-bridled Finch, Patagonian Yellow-Finch, Austral Blackbird, Black-chinned Siskin.

Endemic birds in this region include Chubut Steamer Duck, Sandy Gallito, White-throated Cacholote, Patagonian Canastero, Rusty-backed Monjita and Carbonated Sierra-Finch. Bahía Blanca and San Antonio Oeste are two key areas for finding endemics, typical of Monte scrub and grassland specialties such as Pampas Meadowlark, Chaco Pipit and Yellow Cardinal. Adjacent coastal habitats are good for gulls, terns and waders. Peninsula Valdés and Punta Tombo are probably the best-known areas in coastal Patagonia, as they hold the largest Magellanic Penguin colony and other excellent birding areas, as well as several marine mammals including Orcas, Southern Right Whales, Southern Sea Lions and Southern Elephant Seals. Bariloche is located at the same latitude but nestled in the Andes range. A city with a typical alpine atmosphere, it is a perfect base to explore the south-beech forest and high Andes habitats. Santa Cruz province comprises the extreme south of the continent and is home for some of the most sought-after birds, including the Hooded Grebe, discovered in 1974, the Austral Rail rediscovered in 1998, and the very elusive Patagonian Tinamou. On the island of Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia is an excellent birding area and the gateway to Antarctica, as many expedition cruises leave from there. It is therefore not uncommon for many Antarctica travellers to take advantage of the long trip and add some birding in Argentina before or after the cruise.

The North – Close to the tropic of Capricorn, a cross section from West to East cuts through an extraordinary succession of habitats, from the high Puna Altiplano in the northwest to the north-eastern Atlantic rainforest, and all that’s in between: the Yungas Cloudforest, the Monte Scrub, the Dry and Wet Chaco and the Iberá Marshlands. It’s not surprising then, that this is the country’s area with the highest diversity and building up a 500 species list is not uncommon on a three-week trip.

The North-West includes the Andes Altiplano, home of the Puna habitats and high Andean lakes, the mountain forest or Yungas Cloudforest and the dry valleys, home to the endemic Monte scrub. The area is particularly important for endemics, since all the following can be found in the area: Moreno’s Ground Dove, Sandy Gallito, White-browed Tapaculo, Buff-breasted Earthcreeper, White-throated Cacholote, Steinbach’s Canastero and Yellow-striped Brush-Finch. This region is also the best place to look for near endemic Tucuman-Mountain Finch, and the rare Rufous-throated Dipper and Red-faced Guan.

Rufous-throated Dipper – ©Dubi Shapiro

The North East comprises three areas where the bird diversity reaches its highest point: the massive wetland system of Iberá, the humid savannas of the Chaco and the rain forest of Iguazú falls on the border with Brazil. There are no endemics in the area, but several specialties and many spectacular birds, such as Jabiru Stork, Black-fronted Piping-Guan, five species of toucans, Black-collared Hawk, Yellow-breasted Crake, Large-billed Tern, Sickle-winged Nightjar, Spot-backed Antshrike, Speckle-breasted Antpitta, Spotted Bamboowren, Strange-tailed Tyrant, Blue Manakin, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow and numerous tanagers.

Tucuman province is usually the starting point of the trips to the northwest mountains, offering a good sample of forest, grasslands and dry valleys. Working your way north, you will pass through the beautiful landscapes of Salta province where one can virtually encounter all the habitats of the region: Yungas, Monte, Chaco and High Andes. Calilegua National Park is probably the best site for cloudforest species, as it ranges from 800m to 1600 m and you can encounter species from every different forest type. Humahuaca Gorge, a world heritage site in the northernmost Jujuy Province, is where you reach the Puna Altiplano, a magic place to look for plentiful passerines and the most fascinating water birds such as Horned and Giant Coots, James’s, Andean and Chilean Flamingos, Andean Goose, Puna Plover, Andean Avocet and many others.  Cordoba province is a great choice if you want to add some days previous to your north-western trip, as you can score three more endemics: Cordoba and Olrog`s Cinclodes and Salinas Monjita. The mountains and flatlands of the area hold excellent areas with plenty of habitats ranging from Chaco woodlands, desert scrub and highland grasslands, home to Spot-winged Falconet, Black-bodied Woodpecker, Chaco Puffbird, Chaco Owl, Scissor-tailed Nightjar and Black-and-chestnut Warbling-Finch. Mendoza province, although not commonly visited by the majority of birding trips, has the highest mountains in America, with the Aconcagua peak reaching 6962 m. A main highway leads directly into central Chile, which can be used not just for birding in both regions, but also for tasting some of the best wines in the world!

Iberá marshes are one of the greatest wetland ecosystems of the world. Comparable to the llanos of Venezuela and the Brazilian Pantanal, it is protected on most of its extension and holds an incredible and diverse wildlife. Jabiru Stork, Crested Doradito, Black-and-white Monjita, Strange-tailed Tyrant, Ochre-breasted Pipit, Saffron-cowled Blackbird and numerous Seedeaters of the enigmatic Sporophila group are some of the bird examples to look for here. The Grand Chaco is an area of woods and wet savannah where hard wood forests intermingle with palm groves, marshes and grasslands. The Chaco is an excellent place to look for a variety of birds on each of the mentioned environments. Red-legged Seriema, Black-hooded Parakeet, Chaco Chachalaca and Golden-green Woodpecker are some examples of typical Chaco denizens.

Iguazú FallsTomfriedel CC BY 3.0  via Wikimedia Commons

Iguazú falls and Misiones province holds the largest patch of Atlantic rain forest, an ecosystem which formerly spread continuously into neighbouring Brazil and Paraguay. This is, without doubt, one of the birder’s paradises of Argentina and an absolute must in South America. With a province list of 500 species and 400 just in the Iguazú national park, it would be difficult to choose the right bird examples, but perhaps a swarm of 5000 Great-dusky Swifts swarming above the roaring mist of the falls would give you an idea of the area’s potential? Other good birding areas lie south of the national park, which can be reached on a day trip or on a (highly recommendable) extended time in the area.

Top Sites
  • National and Provincial Parks

    Information
    - Argentina has many National and Provincial Parks dotted throughout the country. All of them are excellent for birding. Each park protects very different natural environments, assuring a wide variety of bird species. Most are also beautifully scenic. Touring these parks will take you to the cloudforests of Calilegua in the north-western province of Jujuy, the dry and wet regions of the Chaco, the andean forests near Bariloche and Esquel, the palm-belt near Colon in Entre R
  • Puerto Madryn

    InformationSatellite View
    Puerto Madryn, in Patagonia, is a good base from which to explore both the coast and the steppe. From here many tours offer day trips to Punta Tombo, the largest Magellanic Penguin colony, or to see the curious wildlife of the Vald
  • Rainforests of Misiones

    The rainforests of Misiones support a vast diversity of birds, while also offering a chance to see the spectacular Iguaz
  • Some Other Top Sites:

    Costanera Sur Nature Reserve, Otamendi Nature Reserve, Entre R
Contributors
  • Introduction - German Pugnali, Hernan Casañas & Patsy Wharton

    | op@seriematours.com

    Website
  • Gunnar Engblom [Top Sites]

    | kolibriexp@telefonica.net.pe

    Website
Number of Species
  • Number of bird species: 1043

    (As at May 2024)
Endemics
  • Number of endemics: 17 Plus seven 'breeding endemics'

    Non-Passerines:
    Chubut Steamer-duck Tachyeres leucocephalus
    Hooded Grebe Podiceps gallardoi
    Moreno's (Bare-eyed) Ground Dove Metriopelia morenoi
    Passerines:
    Sandy Gallito Teledromas fuscus
    White-browed Tapaculo Scytalopus superciliaris
    Cordoba Cinclodes Cinclodes comechingonus
    Olrog's Cinclodes Cinclodes olrogi
    Patagonian Canastero Pseudasthenes patagonica
    Steinbach's Canastero Pseudasthenes steinbachi
    White-throated Cacholote Pseudoseisura gutturalis
    Salinas Monjita Xolmis salinarum
    Rusty-backed Monjita Xolmis rubetra
    Yellow-striped Brushfinch Atlapetes citrinellus
    Monte Yellow-finch Sicalis mendozae
    Carbonated Sierra Finch Porphyrospiza carbonaria
    Cinnamon Warbling Finch Poospiza ornate
    Tucuman Mountain Finch Poospiza baeri
    Breeding Endemics:
    Olrog's Gull Charadriiformes Laridae
    Dinelli's Doradito Pseudocolopteryx dinelliana
    Straneck's Tyrannulet  Serpophaga griseicapilla
    Hudson's Black-tyrant  Knipolegus hudsoni 
    Black-crowned Monjita Xolmis coronatus 
    Lesser Shrike-tyrant Agriornis murinus
    Black-breasted Warbling-finch Microspingus pectoralis
Checklist
  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in Argentina , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.
  • Wikipedia

    Annotated List
    This is a list of the bird species recorded in Argentina. The avifauna of Argentina has 1043 confirmed species, of which 18 are endemic, nine have been introduced by humans, 68 are rare or vagrants, two are thought to be extinct, and four and possibly a fifth have been extirpated. An additional 58 species are hypothetical.
  • eBird

    PDF Checklist
    eBird Field Checklist
Useful Reading

  • Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Argentina

    | By Juan Mazar Barnett & Mark Pearman | Lynx Edicions | 2001 | 164 pages, 3 b/w maps, tables | English & Spanish | ISBN: 9788487334320 Buy this book from NHBS.com
  • Birds of Argentina and Uruguay - A field guide

    | By Tito Narosky, Dario Yzurieta & Hector Rivarola | Vazquez Mazzini Editores | 2011 | Edition 16 | Paperback | 432 pages, colour photos, colour illustrations, colour distribution maps | English & Spanish | ISBN: 9789879132272 Buy this book from NHBS.com
  • Birds of Argentina and the South-West Atlantic

    | Mark Pearman & Juan Ignacio Areta | Helm | 2020 | Paperback | 480 pages, 199 plates with colour illustrations; 100 maps | ISBN: 9780713645798 Buy this book from NHBS.com
  • Illustrated Handbook of the Birds of Patagonia

    | (Argentine Antarctica and Islands of the Southern Atlantic) | CJ Kovacs, Ors Kovacs, Zsolt Kovacs & Carlos Mariano Kovacs | Museos Ornitologico Patagonico | 2005 | Hardback | 364 pages, Colour illustrations, maps | ISBN: 9789872248413 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birding Aps
  • Aves Argentinas

    Apple iOS | Android
    | Aves Argentinas | Requires Android 4.1 and up | 255.6 MB | Requires iOS 8 or later | Spanish |

    Aves Argentinas brings you this new application looking at some of the amazing aspects of life, courtship, migration, nesting, food and songs of the 365 most common and emblematic bird species of our country. 1500 photos, songs, information and maps.
  • The Birds of Argentina

    Apple iOS |
    Designed for iPad - n The Birds of Argentina all species of birds regularly found in Argentina (>1,000) are described, and their approximate size given in inches and tenths of inches.

Useful Information
  • National Bird

    Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus
Organisations
  • Aves Argentinas

    Website
    La Argentina posee climas y ambientes naturales diversos, desde selvas h
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

Guides & Tour Operators
  • BirdQuest

    Tour Operator
    Birdquest’s Southern & Central Argentina birding tours are a classic South American birding experience.
  • Birdfinders

    Tour Operator
    This tour covers a huge range of habitats from the northern Caatinga, Chaco and Salinas to the southern coasts, estuaries and Pampas and the xerophytic plains of the Valdes Peninsula and high Patagonian steppes on the extension. As well as species such as White-headed Steamerduck, Black-bodied Woodpecker, Lesser Rhea, Hooded Grebe and Magellanic Penguin.
  • Birding Buenos Aires

    Tour Operator
    Welcome to BIRDING BUENOS AIRES, a website meant to give you the most important information and tips about birdwatching and nature highlights of this amazing city and its surroundings, offering you the opportunity of touring the area with the best birding guides.
  • Birding Direct

    Tour Operator
    Our Argentina birding tours take you to the very best birding sites that this diverse country has to offer.
  • Birding Ecotours

    Tour Operator
    Argentina is blessed with some amazing scenery and birds to go with it. The northwest has some fantastic birding, with high Andes Puna down to cloud forest, where several endemic and regional specialties can be found, like Moreno
  • Birds Argentina

    Tour Operator
    In this website you will find usefull information about one of the world’s finest birding destinations. Join our tours or let us help you plan your dream trip, with the expertise that only a local expert can provide. It’s time for birding in Argentina!
  • Buenos Días Birding

    Tour Operator
    Buenos Días Birding offers everything you need in order to plan your own tailor-made birding trip. We have taken care to create itineraries that include every one of southern South Americaʼs diverse eco-regions, so that no matter where you want to go or what you want to see, weʼve got you covered. Learn more about our readymade itineraries here.
  • Fieldguides

    Tour Operator
    Our adventure through Southern Argentina blends an extraordinary diversity of landscapes, habitats, and birds with comfortable accommodation and delicious food.
  • Francisco Cornell - Jujuy Birding

    Tour Operator
    Francisco, is a local birding guide based in Jujuy (near the Bolivian and Chilean borders), who can take you to the best birding sites in the Argentina's North West, as well as help you find and identify the birds of this region. The Argentina's NW hosts very different and contrasting life zones such as the dry Chaco, the Yungas cloud forest (eg. Calilegua NP), the Monte, the Puna (eg. Lake Pozuelos), and the High Andes, counting over 600 bird species, so it offers great opportunities for birding. Mailto:franciscocornell@gmail.com
  • Magellanic Nature Tours

    Tour Operator
    Our Target is to give you everything you need to be able to see and photograph your favorite birds in Argentina. I offer Birdwatching tours and photographic safaris in Buenos Aires, Corrientes (Marshlands), Misiones (Iguazu Falls), Chubut, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego. Develop tailor-made programs
  • Naturalist Journeys

    Tour Operator
    Naturalist Journeys is pleased to offer Argentina birding tours and Argentina nature tours. Get in touch with one of our travel planners to find out more about our Argentina tours. We also offer many other South American birding tours and South American nature tours.
  • Naturetrek

    Tour Operator
    Argentina is a vast country – the second largest in South America – embracing such a variety of scenery and climate that it has been dubbed the ‘land of six continents’.
  • Rockjumper Birding Tours

    Tour Operator
    Argentina encompasses an incredible array of habitats, ranging from lowland rainforests to alpine deserts, Pampas grasslands to thorny woodlands, and the vast Iber
  • Seriema Nature Tours

    Tour Operator
    Seriema Nature Tours is company based in Argentina, which focuses in Birding Tours and Natural History Tours. Since 1991, our directors and guides have been leading and organizing trips throughout southern South America
  • Trogon Tours

    Tour Operator
    Trogon Tours is the official nature travel company of Birding Argentina, the leading birding and nature specialists for southern South America since 2001
  • Tropical Birding Tours

    Tour Operator
    From the lush yungas forest with its distinctive avifauna, to the dramatic cactus-studded Andean deserts, to the high altiplano with its flamingo-studded lakes, this tour offers a fascinating variety of habitats and birds
Trip Reports
  • 2015 [07 July] - Catherine McFadden - Atlantic Forest

    Report
    At that time we had decided that we would return someday to bird the Atlantic forest region of eastern Brazil, a rapidly disappearing habitat that is home to an astounding 180 or so endemic species. Cathy's plans to attend an international conference near Sao Paulo in June 2015 now provided us with the perfect opportunity to tack on a two week birding trip plus a visit to Iguazú Falls, a site we'd long wanted to see. Early July (mid-winter in the southern hemisphere) is not, however, the optimal time to bird the Atlantic forest. Many species are not calling prior to the start of the breeding season, some endemics (Swallow-tailed Cotinga, Black-legged Dacnis, Frilled Coquette) are absent, and others (White-bearded Antshrike, Slaty Bristlefront) simply don’t seem to respond to tape at this time of year. On the plus side, the temperatures are very pleasant (especially along the coast where it can be beastly hot in summer), and the weather is supposed to be dry. Or so we were told.
  • 2015 [10 October] - Luis Segura - Northern Argentina

    PDF Report
    ...Walking along the riverside and the lakeshore, wemanaged to find some wonderful birds including Straneck’sTyrannulet, White-tipped Pluntcutter, Blue-crownedParakeet, Tawny-headed Swallow, White-wingedMockingbird, Checkered Woodpecker and great views ofCrested Gallito. A small marshy patch was home to WattledJacana and a Plumbeous Rail pair with two chicks. Finally,Black-necked Swan, Great Grebe and White-tufted Grebewere also present on the lake...
  • 2015 [11 November] - Andrés Vásquez - Northwest Argentina

    PDF Report
    Northwest Argentina is an incredible place and a wonderful birding destination. It is one of those locations you feel likeyou are crossing through Wonderland when you drive along some of the most beautiful landscapes in South Americaadorned by dramatic rock formations and deep-blue lakes. So you want to stop every few kilometers to take picturesand when you look at those shots in your camera you know it will never capture the incredible landscape and thebreathtaking feeling that you had during that moment....
  • 2016 [10 October] - Pablo Petracci

    PDF Report
    ...we got our first good views of Buff-winged Cinclodes, Rufous-fronted Thornbird, Brown-capped Whitestart and Rusty-browed Warbling Finch and very close views of Rufous-throated Dipper....
  • 2017 [02 February] - Marcelo Padua & John Coons - Chile & Argentina

    Report
    Our tour produced some great avian treats, such as Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper, Many-colored Chaco-Finch, White-fronted Woodpecker, and some nice Argentine endemics such as Sandy Gallito, Band-tailed Earthcreeper, and Steinbach’s Canastero.
  • 2017 [09 September] - Birding Ecotours - Chris Lotz

    PDF Report
    My friend Bill Heck and I liked the idea of heading to Argentina for some birding, so why not? It really was that easy: we booked our flights, and the next thing we were there in Argentina, birding (it’s as simple as that). Our schedule did have some constraints, though – we only had about two weeks available, so we chose a manageable part of this large country, the northwest. And we were only able to do this in September due to other commitments later in the year; while this meant missing some of the more widespread migrants (too early), and thus a shorter overall bird list, we nevertheless managed to see the large majority of the “real” targets, i.e. the localized birds tough to find outside of northwest Argentina and southern Bolivia. We started the trip in Tucuman and finished it in San Salvador de Jujuy. We traversed the famous wine-growing region of Argentina, with its amazingly diverse and spectacular scenery. Since we had to fly via Buenos Aires and had a few hours there before and after the main trip, we also saw quite a few of the species common around this huge city of 16 million people (but not occurring in north-west Argentina).
  • 2018 [05 May] - Dick Meijer

    PDF Report
    The perfectly organized Jaguar–safari in the Pantanal – professionally guided by Ben Freitas (benbirder@gmail.com), an excellent birder – was obviously the highlight of our trip producing Jaguar and Ocelot and 17 other species of mammal, as well as 189 species of bird.
  • 2018 [10 October] - Willy Perez

    Report
    This trip offered many opportunities, with a fantastic landscape and a big variety of habitats, and we were able to bird in all of them with no complications. In the Altiplano, Pozuelos was full of birds, with the 3 Flamingos, Andean Avocets and the busy Puna Plover, all for nice looks.
  • 2022 [01 January] - Daniel Branch - Yungas & Andes

    PDF Report
    ...The species that we feared would require the most effort was the Rufous-throated Dipper Cinclus schulzii, but the birds are known to breed near the road at the top of the valley, so this was the area we searched...
  • 2022 [02 February] - Rob Jansen

    PDF Report
    Argentina – Atlantic Coast Bird & Mammal
  • 2022 [03 March] - Rob Jansen - NE Argentina

    PDF Report
    ...The main targets here are Straight-billed Reedhaunter and Curve-billed Reedhaunter. The latter was found quite easily on the first 100m after the curve...
  • 2022 [04 April] - Dick Meijer - NW Argentina

    PDF Report
    ...We succeeded in finding all seven endemic species possible in our itinerary: Bare-eyed or Moreno’s Ground-Dove, Sandy Gallito, White-browed Tapaculo, White-throated Cacholote, Steinbach’s Canastero, Yellow-striped Brushfinch and Monte Yellow-Finch and three of the six possible endemic breeders: Straneck’s Tyrannulet, Black-crowned Monjita and Whitebanded Mockingbird. Despite considerable efforts the also possible endemic breeders Lesser Shrike-Tyrant, Chaco Sparrow and Cinnamon Warbling-Finch could not be found...
  • 2022 [07 July] - Gilles Delforge - NW Argentina

    PDF Report
    ...Based on the information available (ebird and Birds of Argentina), it seemed that most of the endemics or near-endemics were theoretically present in winter on the classic NW itinerary (with a few exceptions like Rotschild’s Swift, Dinelli’s Doradito or Hudson’s Black Tyrant)...
  • 2022 [09 September] - Eduardo Ormaeche - Brazil & Argentina

    PDF Report
    During this fantastic two-week birding tour, we recorded numerous fantastic species including Hyacinth Macaw, Sungrebe, Sunbittern, Greater Rhea, Jabiru, Roseate Spoonbill, Agami Heron, Zigzag Heron, Helmeted Manakin, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Green-headed Tanager, Black Jacobin, Great Dusky Swift, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Rufous-capped Motmot, Surucua, Black-throated and Blue-crowned Trogons, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, White-eyed Foliage-gleaner, Black-fronted Piping Guan, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Common and Great Potoos, Toco Toucan, Whiterumped and Fulvous Shrike-Tanagers, and many others. In addition to our birding encounters, we had a variety of mammals, including four of Brazil’s ‘Big Five’: Jaguar, Giant Anteater, Lowland Tapir and Giant (River) Otter. This was a superb trip for birders, wildlife enthusiasts and adventurous travelers alike.
  • 2022 [10 October] - Colin Reid - Buenos Aires & Iguazu

    PDF Report
    ...No obvious pickup at the airport so I wandered outside for a smoke and saw a Variable Hawk soaring around pretty low immediately overhead - I think it was a juvenile. There were a few Hirundine sp, which I think were probably either Grey-breasted or Brown-chested Martins but the light was pretty shit so sp not called...
  • 2022 [10 October] - Jacob Roalef - Northwest Argentina

    PDF Report
    The tour was very successful as it connected with many endemic and near-endemic species along with regional specials and migrants, summing up to a great trip list. Avian highlights included Red-legged Seriema, Red-faced Guan, Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, Sandy Gallito, Moreno’s Ground-Dove, Spot-backed Puffbird, Black-crowned Monjita, White-browed Tapaculo, Steinbach’s Canastero, White-throated Cacholote, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Montane Forest Screech-Owl, James’s, Chilean and Andean Flamingos, Tucuman Mountain Finch, Cream-backed Woodpecker, Giant Coot, Red-tailed Comet, Rufous-throated Dipper and Andean Tinamou.
  • 2022 [11 November] - Jeff Hopkins - Northern Pamp[as

    PDF Report
    ...After that, the lifers came in fast and furious. Marcelo heard a Bay-capped Wren-spinetail, and while looking for that a Warbling Doradito* popped up. After that we saw a little grey flycatcher which a little bit of tape confirmed as a White-crowned Tyrannulet*. Right after that, a pair of Screaming Cowbirds* flew by. Marcelo pointed out a distant Brownand-Yellow Marshbird*...
  • 2022 [12 December] - Hans Matheve - Northern Argentina

    Report
    ...The remaining part of the morning was spent here and we managed to find several of its specialties: Black-legged Seriema (several heard and eventually one seen...
  • 2023 [03 March] - Peter Cartwright - Strobel Plateau

    PDF Report
    ...This compromised the birding, but we still saw 10+ Lesser Rhea, a Black-faced Ibis, 2 Variable Hawk, a Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, 8 Least Seedsnipe, c43 Tawny-throated Dotterel, 2 Short-billed Miner (and many Miner sp. probably also this species), 3 Scale-throated Earthcreeper, a Cordilleran Canastero, a Cinnamon-bellied Ground Tyrant, a Greater Yellow or Patagonian Yellow Finch (that I couldn’t identify to a species given the brief view), and a Diuca Finch; as well as 75+ Guanaco, and a Greater or Patagonian Armadillo (that I couldn’t identify to a species)...
  • 2023 [11 November] - Chris Lotz - Iguazú & Pantanal

    PDF Report
    Some of the many highlights of this trip were five Jaguar (two close-up pairs during boat trips and one at night from the lodge), three Giant (River) Otter, good views of a Giant Anteater, playful Lowland (Brazilian) Tapir, the planet’s largest parrot, Hyacinth Macaw and five parakeet species, a day-roosting Great Potoo with its baby, eleven hummingbird species, many of them close-up at a hummingbird garden, Sungrebe, Sunbittern, a great many waterbirds including some charismatic ones like Boat-billed Heron (mini shoebill!), some close-up owls, all five kingfisher species, numerous woodpeckers, Toco Toucan, Red-legged Seriema, closeup Bat Falcon, confiding Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Plush-crested Jay, luminously dazzling Orange-backed Troupial, numerous spectacular tanagers, and lots more...
  • 2023 [11 November] - Rob Jansen - Birds & Mammals

    PDF Report
    ...Just northwest of Abrapampa is a lagoon located next to the road. This is a nice place to get many high altitude species, including Andean Negrito, Andean Avocet, many duck species, Band-tailed Sierra-finch and James’s Flamingo. It took a while, turning over many Slender-billed Miners, Puna Miners, Common Miners, and trespassing some land before we finally found Puna Pipit...
  • 2024 [03 March] - Greg Butcher

    PDF Report
    ...Then we were back in the Andes and condors, plus Olive-crowned Crescentchest and good looks at Zimmer's Tapaculo. We ended the day with good looks at Sandy Gallito...
Other Links
  • Aves Pampeanas

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  • Photographer - Alec Earnshaw

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    Welcome to my site! Check out my photos of birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies, other insects, etc. Also check out my trip reports, paintings & videos. Thank you for visiting!
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  • Photographer - James Lowen

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    Here are a selection of my photographs, all taken since 2005. Most are of wildlife, taken in the UK, the Seychelles, Antarctica or - our new home - South America

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