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From the Atacama Desert and the Puna grasslands below the snow-mantled peaks of the highest Andes, to the rich waters of the Humboldt Current and the ancient forests of Nothofagus beech, and on to the wilds of Patagonia and the Strait of Magellan--Chile is a land of extraordinary beauty and home to an avifauna largely restricted to the southern latitudes of South America, from the reigning Andean Condor to the endemic Crag Chilia.
Chile has a broad appeal to both first-time and veteran birders in South America. To veterans, the attraction is, of course, Chile's endemics. To novices, it is a comfortable and spectacularly beautiful place to experience many typical Neotropical families--without being overwhelmed. Chile is also a wonderful country in which to travel. The capital, Santiago, has been called the most attractive city in South America, and smaller cities and towns throughout the country--from modern seaside resorts to little pueblos in the interior--are clean and safe. The international and local airlines are as fine as we have found anywhere. A model national park system spanning the country's entire (4200 km!) length preserves a complete range of natural habitats. We will visit a number of Chile's twenty-two major parks and reserves as we bird each of the distinctive vegetational and altitudinal zones from near the Peruvian-Bolivian borders to Tierra del Fuego the tip of the continent.
Our tour will record approximately 270 species of birds, a manageable number even for those new to the Bird Continent. Among these are widespread southern species, but also several in the ranks of the most unusual on the continent and many others that are little known or of very local distribution, such as Lesser Rheas (of both races/species?), Chilean Tinamou, Giant Coot, Rufous-chested Dotterel, Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, Magellanic Plover, Chilean Pigeon, Slender-billed Parakeet, White-sided Hillstar, Chilean Woodstar, the huge Magellanic Woodpecker, Creamy-rumped Miner, White-throated, Patagonian Forest earthcreepers, Des Murs' Wiretail, Black-throated and Chestnut-throated huet-huets, Moustached Turca, White-throated Tapaculo, Cinnamon-bellied Ground-Tyrant (and seven other breeding ground-tyrants), Patagonian Tyrant, Ticking Doradito, Rufous-tailed Plantcutter, Greater Yellow-Finch, and White-throated Sierra-Finch.
Waterfowl are a highlight of southern South America, and we should see a lot of Black-necked Swans and smaller numbers of Coscorobas, as well as Andean, Ashy-headed, Ruddy-headed, and Upland geese, Flightless and Flying steamer-ducks, Red Shoveler, Torrent Duck, and many more. We'll also take a boat trip into the pelagic waters of the Humboldt Current, one of the world's top seabirding destinations, where we may see several species of southern albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, and other oceanic birds.
Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.
Client comment
"Willy is a fantastic personality and a dynamic guide. When energy, good humor, professional conduct, interest in guests, and natural history knowledge are distilled in a guide, you get a Willy Perez. Host, story-teller, and bird finder -- that is Willy. Whenever possible, I will preferentially seek tours with Willy and Field Guides. Although this is only my second tour with Willy, it will not be the last. "Chile with Willy" was a top-drawer experience. Field Guides ranks at the top compared to my experience with other organizations and companies." L.S., CHILE