Birdwatching in the North

Terms and conditions | Inscription | Required equipment | Difficulty | Testimony

The northern zone of the country is characterized by the altiplano, which gathers a great quantity of exotic birds, such as the Peruvian Sheartail (Thaumastura cora), the Puna Hawk (Buteo poecilochrous) and the Creamy-brested Canastero (Thripophaga dorbignyi). In the coastal valleys it is also possible to find beautiful birds, such as the Vermilion Elycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) and the Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris). On the altiplano you will also find the famous "salar" (desert of salt), which gathers 3 out of the 5 species of flamingos in the world. These characteristics make of the northern part of the country an excellent place for birdwatching.

Day 1. From Arica:

In the Afternoon, we will go to the Azapa valley, where we will appreciate a great quantity of birds like the Vermilion Elycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris), the Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus) and the Slender billed Finch (Xenospingus concolor) among others. We will spend the night in Arica.

Day 2 :

In the morning we will have a walk along the coast in order to observe marine birds, like the Chilean Pelicans (Pelecanus thagus) and several species of petrels. Then in the afternoon, we will leave for Putre, passing through the Lluta Valley, in order to arrive at the end of the day to our destination. We will spend the night in Putre.

Day 3 :

This day we will walk in the surroundings of Putre, watching some mountain birds, like the Mountain Parakeet (Bolborhynchus aurifrons) and the Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis).

Day 4 :

Early in the morning we will leave for the Lauca National Park. On the way, we will stop in the Parinacota meadows, where we will watch different flamingo species, Andean Goose (Cloephaga melanoptera) and the Puna Ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi). We will also stop in the ravines to watch the nests of the Andean Flicker (Colaptes rupicola). Arriving to the Chungará Lake, we will observe the biggest coot in the world, the Giant Coot (Fulica gigantea). In the evening, we will go back to Putre to sleep.