Birding in the Argentine Northwest From the cloud forests to the Andes
- Duration: 12 days
The northwest of Argentina is a region of great natural contrasts, stretching from Chaco’s thorny scrub to the Puna or Andean plateau, at over 3,300 metres above the sea level, the dense tropical cloud forest known as “Yungas”, and the high Andes, through valleys and ravines where the gigantic cacti known as “cardones” grow.
In brief, a region that offers lots of ornithological surprises and lots of endemic species, making it a veritable paradise for birdwatchers.
The high-altitude grasslands host the Tucuman mountain-finch, the White-tailed shrike-tyrant, and the Buff-breasted earthcreeper, while the mountain rivers are the habitat of the Torrent duck and the Rufous-throated dipper. Another ecosystem we plan to visit at the thick cloud forests or Yungas, home of Red-faced guans, Alder parrots, Mitred parakeets, Blue-crowned trogons, Slender-tailed woodstars, Giant antshrikes and Swallow tanagers, among dozens of other species.
The Puna or Andean plateau hosts a great number of species, endemic to these extreme environments, such as the Andean avocet, the Puna plover, Puna teal, James’ and Andean flamingos, Horned coots, Mountain caracaras, the rare Diademed sandpiper-plover and Mountain parakeets, just for mentioning a few species we will spot around Pozuleos Lake National Monument. The Prepuna habitats, a transitional area between the Altiplano and the lower valleys that will add new interesting species to our list, in special shinning hummingbirds, such as the Red-tailed comet.
In a word, a paradise for birdwatchers, wildlife photographers and nature lovers alike.
