DAY 1 - BUENOS AIRES & COSTANERA SUR ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

Typically, overnight flight arrives early morning. After arrival, birding in Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve within the city limits of Buenos Aires. This excellent reserve includes 350ha of pampas grassland and wetlands as well as lagoons and the shores of the Rio de la Plata. Among the many interesting species found there are Black-necked Swan, Coscoroba Swan, White-tufted Grebe, Guira Cuckoo, Green-barred Woodpecker, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Spectacled Tyrant, Masked Gnatcatcher, Patagonian Mockingbird, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Black-and-rufous Warbling Finch, Great Pampa-Finch, and Golden-billed Saltator. Night at a hotel in Buenos Aires.

DAY 2 - TRELEW, PUERTO MADRYN, & PUERTO PIRAMIDES

Morning flight to the city of Trelew. From there drive through Patagonian steppe habitat to Puerto Piramides on Valdes Peninsula, birding en route. This day will be an introduction to the many special birds of the Patagonian steppe habitat.En route expect to see Elegant-crested Tinamou, unusually easy to see for a tinamou, and hopefully the unusual Burrowing Parakeet. The semi-scrub habitat of the peninsula is also home to specials such as White-throated Cacholote and Carbonated Sierra Finch. Visit the Southern Sea Lion colony at Punta Piramide. Night at a hotel in Puerto Piramides.

DAY 3 - VALDES PENINSULA

All day will be devoted to birding the Valdes Peninsula. At the salt flats of Salina Chica possible birds include Chilean Flamingo, Magellanic Oystercatcher, Magellanic Penguin, Magellanic Cormorant, Chimango Caracara, Scale-throated Earthcreeper, and Rusty-backed Monjita. The coastal area of Caleta Valdes may produce Upland Goose, Ashy-headed Goose, Flying Steamer-Duck, Chiloe Wigeon, Snowy Sheathbill, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Brown Skua, Olrog's Gull, Snowy-crowned Tern, Cordilleran Canastero, Sharp-billed Canastero, White-tipped Plantcutter, Austral Negrito, and Hellmayr's Pipit. Much of afternoon birding Punta Loma Natural Reserve. Interesting birds there include Lesser Rhea, Upland Goose, Snowy Sheathbill, Olrog's Gull, Patagonian Canastero, Austral Negrito, Chilean Swallow, Patagonian Mockingbird, Austral Thrush, and many more. Night at a hotel in Puerto Madryn.

DAY 4 - LAS GRUTAS

Morning transfer to Las Grutas north of Trefew. Afternoon birding around Las Grutas looking for specialty birds such as Burrowing Parakeet, Sandy Gallito, Lesser Shrike-Tyrant, White-banded Mockingbird, Carbonated Sierra Finch. Night at a hotel in Las Grutas.

DAY 5 - SAN ANTONIO OESTE & TRELEW

Morning birding around San Antonio Oeste and Las Grutas. The main target species is the endangered Yellow Cardinal, now reliable at very few sites due to the impact of the cage bird trade. Other possibilities of interest include Brown Cacholote, White-throated Cacholote, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Straneck's Tyrannulet, Black-crowned Monjita, Gray-bellied Shrike-Tyrant, and Cinnamon Warbling Finch. day-day transfer to Trelew. Night at a hotel in Trelew.

DAY 6 - ISLA ESCONDIDA & PUTO TOMBO

This day will be devoted to birding Isla Escondida and Punta Tombo south of Trelew. Isla Escondida is a beach with very few tourists where Southern Elephant Seals come ashore to breed during the austral summer months from mid-December to early February. Notable birds there include Southern Giant-Petrel (offshore), Band-tailed Earthcreeper, Scale-throated Earthcreeper, Patagonian Canastero, Chocolate-vented Tyrant, Gray-bellied Shrike-Tyrant, Lesser Shrike-Tyrant, Carbonated Sierra Finch, and Patagonian Yellow-Finch. Punta Tombo features a colony of Magellanic Penguins, which breed from September to February. Other birds possible there include Flying Steamer-Duck, White-headed Steamer-Duck, Red Shoveler, Lake Duck, Chilean Skua, Brown Skua, Sharp-tailed Canastero, Austral Negrito, and more. Night at a hotel in Trelew.

DAY 7 - LOWER CHUBUT RIVER VALLEY

Most of the day will be devoted to birding the lower Chubut River Valley, a transition zone between arid Patagonian shrub steppe and wetlands of the valley. One of the key locales is Ornithologist's Lagoon. Among the possibilities this day are Patagonian Tinamou, Spectacled Duck, Chilean Pigeon, White-sided Hillstar, White-throated Hummingbird, Austral Rail, Snowy Sheathbill, Rufous-chested Dotterel, Magellanic Snipe, White-throated Hawk, Nanday Parakeet, Sandy Gallito, Rufous-banded Miner, White-throated Treerunner, Des Murs's Wiretail, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, White-tipped Plantcutter, Rufous-tailed Plantcutter, Ticking Doradito, Fire-eyed Diucon, Black-chinned Siskin, and Yellow Cardinal. Late afternoon flight to Buenos Aires. Night at a hotel in Buenos Aires.

DAY 8 - PAMPAS & SAN CLEMENTE DEL TUYO

Drive south birding the Argentine pampas, stopping the many marshes, grassland fields, and ponds en route. Numerous species are possible in this bird-rich region. Among these are Greater Rhea, Spotted Nothura, Gilded Hummingbird, Giant Wood-Rail, Dot-winged Crake, Maguari Stork, Checkered Woodpecker, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Wren-like Rushbird, Curve-billed Reedhaunter, Spectacled Tyrant, Masked Gnatcatcher, Brown-and-yellow Marshbird, Red-crested Cardinal, Black-and-rufous Warbling Finch, and Great Pampa-Finch. Night at a hotel in San Clemente del Tuyo.

DAY 9 - SAN CLEMENTE DEL TUYO

All morning will be devoted to the natural reserve at Punta Rasa north of town. The afternoon will be spent there or other locales including wetlands outside town. The tidal mudflats, salt marshes, and sand dunes of Punta Rasa adjacent to Samborombon Bay is a major wintering area of Palearctic migrant shorebirds. It's also home to the scarce and secretive Pampas Deer. Among the birds there are the difficult Dot-winged Crake, South American Painted-Snipe, Olrog's Gull, Firewood-gatherer, Hudson's Canastero, Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail, Warbling Doradito, White Monjita, White-browed Meadowlark, numerous wintering shorebirds, and more. Night at a hotel in San Clemente Tuyo.

DAY 10 - SAN CLEMENTE DEL TUYO & BUENOS AIRES

Morning birding the San Clemente area looking for any birds missed the preceding days. Mid-day transfer back to Buenos Aires. There should be time after arrival and check-in at our hotel for exploring the pedestrians-only Lavalle and Florida streets. Night at a hotel in Buenos Aires.

DAY 11 - FLIGHT TO EL EL CALAFATE

Morning flight to El Calafate in the far south. Afternoon birding Lago Argentino outside town. The main target bird is the scarce Magellanic Plover, now placed in its own family. Numerous other wetland birds are also present there. Night at a hotel in El Calafate.

DAY 12 - LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK

All day will be devoted to birding Los Glaciares National Park and Hoya del Cunigue. The national park features impressive views of the Perito Moreno Glacier and offers fine forest birding. The best view of the glacier is down a moderately steep walkway. Most of the birding is along level roads. Birds of interest in the national park include Austral Pygmy-Owl, Magellanic Woodpecker, Chilean Flicker, Austral Parakeet, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, Rufous-tailed Plantcutter, White-browed Ground-Tyrant, Great Shrike-Tyrant, Patagonian Tyrant, Austral Blackbird, and Patagonian Yellow-Finch. Night at a hotel in El Calafate.

DAY 13 - FLIGHT TO USHUAIA

Morning flight to Ushuaia. After arrival, birding around the town, mainly the hotel grounds and nearby coastline. The town dump is a likely place to find the scarce and local White-throated Caracara. Other nootable birds possible this day include Flying Steamer-Duck, Flightless Steamer-Duck, Magellanic Plover, Chilean Skua, Dolphin Gull,, and more. Night at a hotel in Ushuaia.

DAY 14 - BEAGLE CHANNEL & USHUAIA

After breakfast, cruise the Beagle Channel on a large catamaran. The waters of the channel are generally quite calm, unlike the rough seas of the open ocean. During the cruise we'll be looking for pelagic birds such as Kelp Goose, Snowy Sheathbill, Chilean Skua, Gentoo Penguin, Magellanic Penguin, Black-browed Albatross, Campbell Albatross, and Southern Fulmar, along with less likely species such as King Penguin, Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Cape Petrel, White-chinned Petrel, Westland Petrel, and Magellanic Diving-Petrel. Night at a hotel in Ushuaia.

DAY 15 - TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK

All day birding the Southern Beech Forest of Tierra del Fuego. The main target bird is the scarce Magellanic Woodpecker. Also possible are Austral Parakeet, White-throated Treerunner, Blackish Cinclodes, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, Austral Canastero, White-throated Treecreeper, Austral Thrush, and Patagonian Sierra Finch. There are also lakes and rivers where possibilities include Flying Steamer-Duck, Spectacled Duck, and Great Grebe. Overhead there are good chances of seeing the majestic Andean Condor. Night at a hotel in Ushuaia.

DAY 16 - HARBERTON RANCH & ISLA MARTILLO

After a short drive to Harberton Ranch, we'll travel by Zodiac to the penguin colony on Isla Martillo. Large numbers of Magellanic Penguins and Gentoo Penguins breed there. Also possible are King Penguins. Other birds that may be seen this day include Magellanic Snipe and Chilean Skua. Night at a hotel in Ushuaia.

DAY 17 - USHUAIA & FLIGHT TO BUENOS AIRES

Morning flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, arriving mid-afternoon. End of tour at airport in Buenos Aires. Overnight international flight home.

DAY 18 - END OF TOUR

Arrive home.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFO
(Not on Menu Above)

• Country Map
• Accommodations
• Photos from Past Tours
• Travel Information

BIRDING LOCALES

• Caleta Valdes
• Chubut River Valley and Chubut
• Costanera Sur Reserve
• El Calafate
• Isla Escondida
• Isla Martillo
• Las Grutas
• Los Glaciares National Park
• Puerto Harberton
• Puerto Madryn
• Puerto Piramides
• Punta Loma Natural Reserve
• Punta Piramide - Valdes
• Punta Rasa
• Punta Tombo
• Salina Chica
• San Antonio Oeste
• San Clemente del Tuyo
• Tierra del Fuego National Park
• Trelew Area
• Ushuaia Area