This program will start in the northern coast to gradually climb up the Pacific slope of the Andes to end birding at elevations around 4.500 m (14.700 ft.), in the vast and stunning Puna or Altiplano, the high Andean plateau. In the process we will bird environments as diverse as coastal marshes, Polylepis forests, Pre-puna Shrubbery, salt flats or high Andean bogs, all bustling with Andean Pacific Slope specialties, like Oasis Hummingbird, Chilean Woodstar, Greyish Miner, Straight-billed Earthcreeper, White-winged Cinclodes, Creamy-breasted Canastero, Canyon Canastero, Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant, White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant, Dorbignyi´s Chat-Tyrant, Peruvian Thick-knee, Andean Swift, Andean Lapwing, Giant Coot, Mountain Parakeet, Andean Flicker, Black-throated Flowerpiercer, Slender-billed Finch and Tamarugo Conebill, among many others.
6 Days / 5 Nights
Throughout the year.
Price
Meet and depart
Arica or Santiago.
Dates:
From Sat Oct 19,2024 To Thu Oct 24,2024
Today we fly from Santiago to Arica. Upan arrival we go birding Lluta River Mouth looking for main targets like: Band-tailed Gull, Elegant Tern, West Peruvian Dove, Croaking Ground Dove, Vermilion Flycatcher, Cinereous Conebill, Peruvian Meadowlark, Chestnut-throated Seedeaterand, Hooded Siskin and Slender-billed Finch, among many others. Night in Arica.
Pelagic trip to the Humboldt Current. A 5 hours pelagic trip searching for Markham´s Storm-Petrel, Elliot's Storm-Petrel, Pink-footed Shearwater, Peruvian Diving-Petrel, Humboldt Penguin, Peruvian Booby, Guanay Cormorant, Red-legged Cormorant, Grey Gull and Inca Tern, among others. Then, we drive east and investigate the rich valleys of Lluta for Peruvian Thick-knee, Andean Ibis, Croaking Ground-Dove, Peruvian Pygmy Owl, Andean Swift, Peruvian Sheartail, Oasis Hummingbird, Grayish Miner, Bran-colored Flycatcher, Peruvian (White-crested) Elaenia, Groove-billed Ani, Blue-black Grassquit, Chestnut-throated Seedeater and Slender-billed Finch. Drive to the Pre-puna zone. Night at Putre (3.500 m / 14.000 ft.).
We look today for Ornate Tinamou, Spot-winged Pigeon, Bare-faced Ground-Dove, Andean Hillstar, Sparkling Violetear, Mountain Parakeet, White-throated Earthcreeper, Straight-billed Earthcreeper, Cream-winged Cinclodes, Black-throated Flowerpiercer, Golden-billed Saltator, Blue-and-Yellow Tanager, Canyon Canastero, White-browed & D'Orbigny's Chat-Tyrant, Chiguanco Thrush, Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch and Band-tailed Seedeater, among others. Night at Putre.
Today we´ll visit the amazing Lauca National Park (UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) with breathtaking views of Paranicota 6.319 m (20.731 ft) & Pomerape 6.248 m (20.498 ft) Volcanos and the famous Chungara Lake. We’ll l bird at heights between 4.200 m (13.779 ft) and 4.600 m (15.091 ft) looking for high altitude and target birds such as Giant Coot, Andean Coot, Andean Lapwing, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Puna Tinamou, Puna Rhea, Andean Silvery Grebe, Puna Ibis, Andean Goose, Puna Teal, Puna Plover, Andean Avocet, Chilean Flamingo, Andean Flamingo, Puna Flamingo, Mountain Caracara, Andean Gull, Andean Flicker, Puna Miner, Puna Ground-Tyrant, White-fronted Ground-Tyrant, Andean Negrito, White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant, Giant Conebill, White-winged Diuca-Finch, Black-hooded Sierra-Finch and Black Siskin. Back to Putre. Night in Putre.
This morning we leave the high altitudes and drive back to Arica. On the way back we´ll make several stops looking for species not yet located, to later visit Azapa and Chaca Valleys looking for the breeding endemic and very elusive Tamarugo Conebill and the endemic (and sadly critically endangered) Chilean Woodstar. Before dinner, we´ll focus on the endemic Seaside Cinclodes + the chance to see the uncommon Marine Otter (the smallest marine mammal in the world). Night in Arica.
Time permitting, we spend the morning looking for species not yet located. Flight to Santiago. End of the trip.
Cargando . . .