Autonomous City of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South America’s southeastern coast. ‘Buenos aires’ is Spanish for ‘fair winds’. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha global city, as, by population it ranks 13th in the world. The city of Buenos Aires is neither part of Buenos Aires Province nor the Province’s capital; rather, it is an autonomous district. The Greater Buenos Aires conurbation, which also includes several Buenos Aires Province districts, constitutes the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas, with a population of nearly 16 million people.
The city of Buenos Aires lies in the pampa region, with the exception of some areas such as the Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve, the Boca Juniors (football club)’s “sports city”, Jorge Newbery Airport, the Puerto Madero neighbourhood and the main port itself; these were all built on reclaimed land along the coasts of the Rio de la Plata (the world’s widest river). The region was formerly crossed by different streams and lagoons, some of which were refilled, and others tubed.
Buenos Aires has over 250 parks and green spaces, the largest concentration of which are on the city’s eastern side in the neighbourhoods of Puerto Madero, Recoleta, Palermo, and Belgrano. They include Parque Tres de Febrero, the Zoological Gardens, the Botanical Gardens and the Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens (the largest of its type in the world, outside of Japan).
Puerto Madero – ©Deensel, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Buenos Aires has a humid subtropical climate, but, as a result of maritime influences from the adjoining Atlantic Ocean, the climate is temperate with extreme temperatures being rare. Because the city is located in an area where the Pampero and Sudestada winds pass by, the contrasting air masses make the weather variable. Summers are hot and humid. The warmest month is January, with a daily average of 25 °C and heat waves are common during summers. However, most heat waves are of short duration (less than a week) and are followed by the passage of the cold, dry Pampero wind which brings violent and intense thunderstorms followed by cooler temperatures. Winters are cool with mild temperatures during the day and chilly nights. Highs during the season average 16.6 °C while lows average 8.3 °C. Relative humidity averages in the upper 70s%, which means the city is noted for moderate-to-heavy fogs during autumn and winter. Spring and autumn are characterised by changeable weather conditions. Cold air from the south can bring cooler temperatures while hot humid air from the north brings hot temperatures. The city gets about 50 inches of rain a year.
Birding Buenos Aires City
Here we refer to just the greater metropolitan area of the capital city – there is a separate page for the state of the same name. Having so many distinctive natural regions, Argentina offers very interesting birding opportunities. The wide latitudinal range includes tropical rainforests the north to the vast wind-swept Patagonian steppe in the south. The central pampas and hills, the Andes mountains along the western border with Chile and the eastern seacoast complete the basic picture of the country.
Argentina is still mostly wild and unspoilt, so visitors will be fascinated by the wide expanses, the great views and the chance to bird in solitary and remote places. In contrast, Buenos Aires is a large city. Even so, there are a number of nature reserves, which are good for birding. Of outstanding interest is the Costanera Sur Nature Reserve, due to its immediate proximity to the city centre, making it very convenient. Other nearby sites, described below, are also of interest.
Costanera Sur Nature Reserve – ©Roberto Fiadone, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Many farms close to Buenos Aires offer day visits to see the pampas. Some are geared as a show of traditional gaucho activities (dances, rodeos, etc. plus the incomparable asado barbecue,); but others do offer good birding outings, which will typically take you out on the grasslands, through native or implanted forests and past swampy lagoons. To get further afield, tour operators provide excellent day trips and longer excursions to spot some of Argentina’s more than 1,000 bird species.
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NR Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve (Costanera Sur Nature Reserve)
InformationSatellite ViewAlso known as Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, is a 865-acre (3.50 km2) tract of low land on the Río de la Plata riverbank located on the east side of the district of Puerto Madero. A number of trails leading to the river are perfect for birdwatching. -
Parque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte
WebsiteSatellite ViewRibera Norte is an excellent place for birding. If your are visiting Buenos Aires, birding at Costanera Sur is a must due to its proximity and greater avian diversity, but Ribera Norte has its singular attractions too… -
Reserva de Vicente Lopez
BLOGSatellite ViewIt is a small place with short but attractive walks around a lagoon, crossing a swamp. Good for seeing Spot-flanked Gallinule, Southern Lapwing (in nearby playingfield) and White-browed Blackbird (in summer) There is a Visitor Center, with posters, small reference library, restroom, warden (not permanent). Good security provided by permanent police patrol. Open: 9am to 5pm (winter) and 9am to 6pm (summer) Phone: (5411) 4795-7445
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Number of bird species: 404
(As at August 2024)
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Avibase
PDF ChecklistThis checklist includes all bird species found in Buenos Aires, Autonomous city of , 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.
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Birds of Argentina and the South-West Atlantic
| By Mark Pearman & Juan Ignacio Areta | Helm | 2020 | Paperback | 480 pages, 199 plates with colour illustrations, 3 plates with black and white illustrations, colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780713645798 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
Birds of Buenos Aires
| By Tito Narosky, Dario Yzurieta and Christian Henschke | Vazquez Mazzini Editores | 2005 | paperback | 120 pages, colour photos, colour illustrations | out of Print | ISBN: 9789879132128 Buy this book from NHBS.com
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Museo Argentina de Ciencias Naturales (MACN)
WebsiteThe Museo Argentina de Ciencias Naturales (MACN) has on display many stuffed animals including a large collection of birds with rarities such as a Harpy Eagle. The museum is an important center of study and stores an important collection of bird skins. Address: Av. Angel Gallardo 470 -
Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata
WebpageAnother interesting museum in the city of La Plata, has some displays with stuffed birds.
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Administración de Parques Nacionales
WebsiteThe National Parks organization of Argentina. The interesting web site has information on every National Park and other reserves. Address: Santa Fe 690 - (1059) – Buenos Aires Phone: [5411] 4311-0303 [Website in Spanish only] -
Aves Argentinas
WebsiteNow 85 years old, is the first NGO in Argentina created to address environmental issues. It is the local partner of Birdlife International. It promotes conservation of the wild bird population, runs many courses, encourages studies and runs several conservation projects. Address: 25 de Mayo 749
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NP Parque Natural Municipal Ribera Norte
WebsiteSatellite ViewThe last bit of wilderness between the town and the river Acassuso, San Isidro (northern suburbs of Buenos Aires city), Argentina. -
NR Reserva Costanera Sur - Buenos Aires
WebsiteSatellite ViewThe top birding site in the city -
NR Reserva Natural Puerto de la ciudad de Mar del Plata
WebsiteSatellite ViewThe Puerto Mar del Plata Nature Reserve is an environment with unique characteristics in Mar del Plata that functions as a buffer between industrial, tourist and residential areas. In it, different ecosystems are represented: wetland, dune, beaches, lagoons and pastures. -
NR Reserva de Vicente Lopez
WebsiteSatellite ViewRight by the American Lincoln School in La Lucila, who shares in the running of the place. Small place with short but attractive walk around a lagoon, crossing a swamp. High tides have just knocked down the longer of two elevated walkways over the lagoon. Hopefully this will be restored by December 2002. Good for seeing Spot-flanked Gallinule, Southern Lapwing (in nearby playingfield) and White-browed Blackbird (in summer)Address: Where Parana Street meets the Rio de la Plata Coast. Parking space. Enter grounds and walk between costline and playing field to the fenced-in protected area. There is a Visitor Center, with posters, small reference library, restroom, warden (not permanent). Good security provided by permanent police patrol. Open: 9am to 5pm (winter) and 9am to 6pm (summer) Phone: (5411) 4795-7445
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eBird
Sightings
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Alec Earnshaw
Tour OperatorAlec Earnshaw is available to guide you around Ribera Norte Nature Reserve and on daytrips to all the hotspots in the BA area. He can also supply maps, plans, bird lists, photos, opening times, etc. Do the illustrated virtual trail walk now! See photos of birds, native plants, etc. -
Birding Buenos Aires
Local Tour OperatorWelcome 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. -
Buenos Aires Birding
Local GuideI am a specialized birding guide fluent in English, providing quality birding tours in Buenos Aires and its surroundings since 1984. -
Buenos Días Birding
Local Tour OperatorWe'll find the huge Iberá wetlands, subtropical grasslands, Chaco forests, kind of dry forest, and the Atlantic Rainforests, Amazonian domain. -
Diego Gallegos
Local GuideI am Diego Gallegos, a professional birding guide in Buenos Aires since 1984. I provide birding tours in Buenos Aires and all over Argentina. -
Sandpiper Birding Tours
Tour OperatorIf you wish to travel to a particular destination, write to us at info@sandpipertours.com and we will take your request into account when putting together the calendar -
Seriema Nature Tours
Tour OperatorSeriema Nature Tours is a company based in Argentina, which focuses on Birding Tours and Natural History Tours. Since 1991, we have been leading and organizing trips throughout the area we know best: Southern South America. -
Trogon Tours
Tour OperatorThese tours give you a starting point for what your trip to Argentina could entail.
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2016 [02 February] - Alan Tate - Buenos Aires to Los Angeles Cruise
ReportSo at the end of February we arrived in Buenos Aires, the day before our huge cruise liner was due to sail. A quick look at Costanera reserve was in order, but sadly "progress" has reared it's ugly head in the ten years since our previous visit. Most of the same species are still there, but the trails have been widened, the marsh area is much more vegetated and difficult to view. Whilst this is obviously better for birds the trails are now in use to a large extent by joggers and cyclists, so many birds are now staying hidden that used to be easily viewed. -
2022 [04 April] - Dick Meijer
PDF ReportBuenos Aires & Entre Rios -
2022 [11 November] - Colin Reid
PDF Report...Creamy-bellied Thrush (4) in the main square and a Harris’s Hawk near the main cemetery which one of the other ‘tourists’ pointed out. The view was a bit shit, but happy with it. Also had great views of Monk Parakeet (20 in the La Boca area) but had seen them, as an established introduced species, in Athens, Greece... -
2023 [07 July] - Marc Cronje
PDF ReportOur exciting birding trip of Argentina begun as soon as we landed in Buenos Aires. We collected our luggage and found a local guide Javier. Birding started straight away. Our first stop was Costanera Sur Reserve conveniently located just a few blocks away from Buenos Aires city centre- regarded as one of the best birding urban reserves in the entire world.
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Buenos Días Birding
WebpageIf you are planning to visit Buenos Aires, don't miss a birding trip in the city of the birds, which can take half a day or the whole day
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Photographer - Alec Earnshaw
GalleryIncludes 500+ of his own photos of Argentine birds - great stuff [as well as information on some birding places in the BA area. Alec is available as a guide to drive you out to the best hotspots].