16 - 31 January 1997
by David O. Matson
This description of our trip falls into three parts, according to the three bases we had during our stay. In all, we spent three nights in Santiago, with 1 day of birding, six nights in Puerto Varas (just north of Puerto Montt), and four nights in Maitencillo (north of Vina). We drove from Santiago to Puerto Varas in 1 .5 days with an overnight in Temuco. Returning on a Sunday we completed the drive in 12 hours. This is not recommended for birding, but was indispensable for transportation. We were two families, four in one car and five in the other.
The roads in Chile are good but the economy is booming and the two-lane Pan American highway is no longer suitable for the bus and truck traffic on it, let alone the variety of under-motored vehicles inching along. From Linares to Puerto Montt the highway is two-lane, which added about three hours to our driving. Leaving early Sunday morning and putting most of the two-lane behind us before traffic picked up, and missing the heavier traffic of a weekday, made a big difference.
The key point is that any driving utilizing the Pan American will be longer than you would predict looking only at miles. Anticipate about 40 miles per hour overall driving rate.
Altogether, I identified about 130 species, of which 25 were new for me, 32 new for me in South America, and 52 new for me in Chile.
SANTIAGO
Central Chile is in the midst of a drought. Birding sites such as the Lampa marshes are dry. Birds common around Santiago such as the Yellow-winged Blackbirds I saw in December, 1993, now were missing. The Lampa marshes also are under development pressure. When we went to see them trucks with fill were continually entering and dumping. The Lampa area is becoming a Yuppie suburb.
Our only birding in Santiago was to Farellones, a ski resort east of the city. The resort is reached by proceeding east on Avenido Kennedy which transects Santiago east-west. As you reach the foothills on the eastern edge of Santiago the road enters the upper Mapucho valley. The sign to Farellones is obvious_the right fork leading up the hill. A further several miles leads along a valley then the route to Farellones takes a sharply upward course. Again, the sign is obvious. From this point, 48 hair-pin turns bring you to the ski resort.
Habitat is xeric scrub for most of this trip. About a third of the way up is a gravel road off to the left to the park on the upper reaches of the Yerba Loca. This sign is obvious, with an arch over the road. We birded here a half day seeing a variety of birds, including STRAIGHT-BILLED EARTHCREEPER, ANDEAN LAPWING, MOUSTACHED TURCA, BAND-TAILED SEEDEATER, and ANDEAN CONDOR. After lunch, we headed further up hill to the ski resort. Vistas near the top are extraordinary as you cross a high altiplano. ANDEAN CONDOR (about 20 in all) and MOUNTAIN CARACARA were common, as were RUFOUS-BANDED MINER, GREATER YELLOW-FINCH, and WHITE-BROWED GROUND-TYRANT. CREAMY-RUMPED MINER was near the top of the road.
Sanitago Species list
S/B # = Sibley/Monroe Number
| COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | S/M # |
| Rock Dove | Columba livia | 0313.1 |
| Eared Dove | Zenaida auriculata | 1103.0 |
| Black-winged Ground-Dove | Metriopelia melanoptera | 4092.0 |
| Southern Lapwing | Vanellus chilensis | 1091.0 |
| Andean Lapwing | Vanellus resplendens | 4085.0 |
| Red-backed Hawk | Buteo polysoma | 4041.0 |
| Mountain Caracara | Phalcoboenus megalopterus | 5093.0 |
| Chimango Caracara | Milvago chimango | 5095.0 |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | 0360.0 |
| Andean Condor | Vultur gryphus | 4031.0 |
| White-crested Elaenia | Elaenia albiceps (modesta) | 4569.0 |
| Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant | Muscisaxicola maculirostris | 4646.0 |
| White-browed Ground-Tyrant | Muscisaxicola albilora | 5703.0 |
| Rufous-tailed Plantcutter | Phytoma rara | 5771.0 |
| Creamy-rumped Miner | Geositta isabellina | 5377.0 |
| Rufous-banded Miner | Geositta rufipennis | 5378.0 |
| Straight-billed Earthcreeper | Upucerthia ruficauda | 5389.0 |
| Bar-winged Cinclodes | Cinclodes fuscus | 4373.0 |
| Moustached Turca | Pteroptochos megapodius | 5596.0 |
| Austral Thrush | Turdus falcklandii | 5795.0 |
| Chilean Mockingbird | Mimus thenca | 5799.0 |
| Sedge Wren | Cistothorus platensis | 0724.0 |
| Blue-and-white Swallow | Notiochelidon cyanoleuca | 1619.0 |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | 0688.2 |
| Black-chinned Siskin | Carduelis barbata | 5980.0 |
| Rufous-collared Sparrow | Zonotrichia capensis | 1912.0 |
| Grey-hooded Sierra-Finch | Phrygilus gayi | 5906.0 |
| Patagonian Sierra-Finch | Phrygilus patagonicus | 5907.0 |
| Band-tailed Sierra-Finch | Phrygilus alaudinus | 5913.0 |
| Common Diuca-Finch | Diuca diuca | 5921.0 |
| Greater Yellow-Finch | Sicalis auriventris | 5947.0 |
| Band-tailed Seedeater | Catamenia analis | 4946.0 |
| Long-tailed Meadowlark | Sturnella loyca | 5958.2 |
| Austral Blackbird | Curaeus curaeus | 5962.0 |
PUERTO VARAS
Our base in the south was Puerto Varas. We took an all-day boat trip on Lago Todos los Santos, drove the La Ensenada road twice, owled the La Ensenada road, drove the shore of Lago Llanquihue to Puerto Octay, drove the northern slope of Volcan Colconchagua, checked the harbor at Puerto Montt (fabulous dining), crossed the ferry to Chiloe and drove along the northern coast of the island from Chacao to Ancud (fabulous dining), and followed the Maullin River from Lago Llanquihue to its mouth. En route from Santiago to Puerto Varas and back we saw about 20 species of roadside birds, easily seen away from the road.
The La Ensenada road is lined by fairly intact forest. This is where I saw PATAGONIAN TYRANT. Owling here was disappointing. Although all the elements were right, perhaps the season was not. The same techniques that have worked for owls in the U.S., Mexico, Panama, and Peru failed this evening. I had tapes of RUFOUS-LEGGED OWL, but we heard nothing. A BAND-WINGED NIGHTJAR crossed the road in front of us twice and one was found dead on the northern slope of Volcan Colconchagua. The ferry to Chacao was a short, cheap (i.e., free) in-shore pelagic, with many MAGELLANIC PENGUIN, one ANTARCTIC GIANT-PETREL, three SOOTY SHEARWATER, one PARASITIC JAEGER, BLUE-EYED CORMORANT, a pair of FLYING STEAMER-DUCK, and one BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS. BLACK-NECKED SWANS and CHILEAN FLAMINGO were present in large numbers at an estuary half-way between Chacao and Ancud, with MAGELLANIC and BLACKISH OYSTERCATCHERs. SLENDER- ILLED PARAKEET (only two seen on the trip) were present on the slopes of Volcan Colconchagua, but small groups of AUSTRAL PARAKEET were seen several times. MAGELLANIC WOODPECKER was on the road to Lago Todos los Santos, east of La Ensenada. BLACK-FACED (aka BUFF-NECKED) IBIS, SOUTHERN LAPWING, GRASSLAND YELLOW-FINCH, and LONG-TAILED MEADOWLARK were common in the fields.
Puerto Varas Species List
S/B # = Sibley/Monroe Number
| COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | S/M # |
| Lake Duck | Oxyura vittata | 5085.0 |
| Black-necked Swan | Cygnus melanocorypha | 5067.0 |
| Flying Steamerduck | Tachyeres patachonicus | 5075.0 |
| Yellow-billed Pintail | Anas georgica | 4026.0 |
| Red Shoveler | Anas platalea | 5080.0 |
| Chilean Flicker | Colaptes pitius | 5362.0 |
| Magellanic Woodpecker | Campephilus magellanicus | 5372.0 |
| Ringed Kingfisher | Megaceryle torquata | 0390.1 |
| Austral Parakeet | Enicognathus ferrugineus | 5181.0 |
| Slender-billed Parakeet | Enicognathus leptorhynchus | 5182.0 |
| Green-backed Firecrown | Sephanoides sephanoides | 5286.0 |
| Band-winged Nightjar | Caprimulgus longirostris | 4156.0 |
| Rock Dove | Columba livia | 0313.1 |
| Chilean Pigeon | Columba araucana | 5162.0 |
| Eared Dove | Zenaida auriculata | 1103.0 |
| White-winged Coot | Fulica leuoptera | 5126.0 |
| Red-gartered Coot | Fulica armillata | 5125.0 |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | 0265.0 |
| Blackish Oystercatcher | Haematopus ater | 5141.0 |
| Magellanic Oystercatcher | Haematopus leucopodus | 5140.0 |
| Southern Lapwing | Vanellus chilensis | 1091.0 |
| Parasitic Jaeger | Stercorarius parasiticus | 0037.0 |
| Black Skimmer | Rhynchops nigra | 0080.0 |
| Dolphin Gull | Larus scoresbii | 5151.0 |
| Kelp Gull | Larus dominicanus | 5154.0 |
| Brown-hooded Gull | Larus maculipennis | 5152.0 |
| Andean Gull | Larus serranus | 5153.0 |
| Franklin's Gull | Larus pipixcan | 0059.0 |
| South American Tern | Sterna hirundinacea | 5155.0 |
| Snowy-crowned Tern | Sterna trudeaui | 0068.0 |
| White-tailed Kite | Elanus leucurus | 0328.0 |
| Cinereous Harrier | Circus cinereus | 4032.0 |
| Red-backed Hawk | Buteo polysoma | 4041.0 |
| Crested Caracara | Polyborus plancus | 0362.0 |
| Chimango Caracara | Milvago chimango | 5095.0 |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | 0360.0 |
| Aplomado Falcon (enroute) | Falco femoralis | 0359.0 |
| White-tufted Grebe | Rollandia rolland | 5030.0 |
| Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | 0006.0 |
| Great Grebe | Podiceps major | 5032.0 |
| Neotropic Cormorant | Phalacrocorax brasilianus | 0121.0 |
| Imperial Shag | Phalacrocorax atriceps | 5061.0 |
| Red-legged Cormorant | Phalacrocorax gaimardi | 5060.0 |
| Cocoi Heron | Ardea cocoi | 1014.0 |
| Great Egret | Casmerodius (Egretta) albus | 0196.0 |
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | 0197.0 |
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | 0200.1 |
| Chilean Flamingo | Phoenicopterus chilensis | 5064.0 |
| Black-faced Ibis | Theristicus melanopis | 5063.1 |
| Peruvian Pelican | Pelecanus thagus | 4015.1 |
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | 0326.0 |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | 0325.0 |
| Magellanic Penguin | Spheniscus magellanicus | 5058.0 |
| Antarctic Giant-Petrel | Macronectes giganteus | 0085.0 |
| Sooty Shearwater | Puffinus griseus | 0095.0 |
| Black-browed Albatross | Diomedea melanophrys | 0082.2 |
| White-crested Elaenia | Elaenia albiceps (modesta) | 4569.0 |
| Tufted Tit-Tyrant | Anairetes parulus | 4586.0 |
| Patagonian Tyrant | Colorhamphus parvirostris | 5681.0 |
| Fire-eyed Diucon | Xolmis pyrope | 5686.0 |
| Patagonian Negrito | Lessonia rufa | 5708.0 |
| Rufous-tailed Plantcutter | Phytoma rara | 5771.0 |
| Grey-flanked Cinclodes | Cinclodes oustaleti | 5396.0 |
| Seaside Cinclodes | Cinclodes nigrofumosus | 5399.0 |
| Thorn-tailed Rayadito | Aphrastura spinicauda | 5408.0 |
| Andean (Dusky) Tapaculo | Scytalopus megallanicus | 4557.0 |
| Austral Thrush | Turdus falcklandii | 5795.0 |
| Patagonian Mockingbird | Mimus patagonicus | 5802.0 |
| Chilean Mockingbird (enroute) | Mimus thenca | 5799.0 |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | 0721.0 |
| Chilean Swallow | Tachycineta meyeni | 5774.0 |
| Blue-and-white Swallow | Notiochelidon cyanoleuca | 1619.0 |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | 0688.2 |
| Black-chinned Siskin | Carduelis barbata | 5980.0 |
| Rufous-collared Sparrow | Zonotrichia capensis | 1912.0 |
| Patagonian Sierra-Finch | Phrygilus patagonicus | 5907.0 |
| Common Diuca-Finch | Diuca diuca | 5921.0 |
| Grassland Yellow-Finch | Sicalis luteola | 1901.0 |
| Long-tailed Meadowlark | Sturnella loyca | 5958.2 |
| Austral Blackbird | Curaeus curaeus | 5962.0 |
| Shiny Cowbird | Molothrus bonariensis | 0496.1 |
MAITENCILLO
Maitencillo lies on the coast about two hours north of Santiago. Intense sun is offset by the largest outdoor air-conditioning system I've encountered_the Humboldt Current. The continuous breeze from the ocean makes the temperature absolutely perfect_with no mosquitoes! Low clouds and mist off the ocean provide moisture for coastal scrub forest that becomes xeric scrub just a few miles inland. Here, we birded a small river valley, adjacent hillsides, a lagoon formed just behind the shore, and the ocean. Friends arranged for us to take a fishing boat about five miles off-shore.
Maitencillo Species List
S/B # = Sibley/Monroe Number
| COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | S/M # |
| Chilean Tinamou | Nothoprocta perdicaria | 5015.0 |
| California Quail | Callipepla californicus | 0294.0 |
| Striped Woodpecker | Picoides lignarius | 5354.0 |
| Chilean Flicker | Colaptes pitius | 5362.0 |
| Giant Hummingbird | Patagona gigas | 5280.0 |
| Austral Pygmy-Owl | Glaucidium nanum | 5225.0 |
| Rock Dove | Columba livia | 0313.1 |
| Eared Dove | Zenaida auriculata | 1103.0 |
| Picui Ground-Dove | Columbina picui | 4091.0 |
| Spot-flanked Gallinule | Gallinula melanops | 4082.0 |
| Red-gartered Coot | Fulica armillata | 5125.0 |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | 0265.0 |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | 0255.0 |
| Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus mexicanus | 0226.0 |
| Collared Plover | Charadrius collaris | 1092.0 |
| Southern Lapwing | Vanellus chilensis | 1091.0 |
| Pomarine Jaeger | Stercorarius pomarinus | 0036.0 |
| Band-tailed Gull | Larus belcheri | 0054.2 |
| Grey Gull | Larus modestus | 1094.0 |
| Kelp Gull | Larus dominicanus | 5154.0 |
| Franklin's Gull | Larus pipixcan | 0059.0 |
| South American Tern | Sterna hirundinacea | 5155.0 |
| White-tailed Kite | Elanus leucurus | 0328.0 |
| Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle | Geranoaetus melanoleucus | 4039.0 |
| Red-backed Hawk | Buteo polysoma | 4041.0 |
| Chimango Caracara | Milvago chimango | 5095.0 |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | 0360.0 |
| White-tufted Grebe | Rollandia rolland | 5030.0 |
| Peruvian Booby | Sula variegata | 4015.0 |
| Neotropic Cormorant | Phalacrocorax brasilianus | 0121.0 |
| Rock Shag | Phalacrocorax magellanicus | 5059.0 |
| Red-legged Cormorant | Phalacrocorax gaimardi | 5060.0 |
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | 0197.0 |
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | 0200.1 |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | 0202.0 |
| Peruvian Pelican | Pelecanus thagus | 4015.1 |
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | 0326.0 |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | 0325.0 |
| Humboldt Penguin | Spheniscus humboldti | 5057.0 |
| Pink-footed Shearwater | Puffinus creatopus | 0091.0 |
| Sooty Shearwater | Puffinus griseus | 0095.0 |
| Wilson's Storm-Petrel | Oceanites oceanicus | 0109.0 |
| White-crested Elaenia | Elaenia albiceps (modesta) | 4569.0 |
| Tufted Tit-Tyrant | Anairetes parulus | 4586.0 |
| Fire-eyed Diucon | Xolmis pyrope | 5686.0 |
| Patagonian Negrito | Lessonia rufa | 5708.0 |
| Rufous-tailed Plantcutter | Phytoma rara | 5771.0 |
| Thorn-tailed Rayadito | Aphrastura spinicauda | 5408.0 |
| Dusky-tailed Canastero | Asthenes humicola | 5455.0 |
| Austral Thrush | Turdus falcklandii | 5795.0 |
| Chilean Mockingbird | Mimus thenca | 5799.0 |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | 0721.0 |
| Chilean Swallow | Tachycineta meyeni | 5774.0 |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | 0688.2 |
| Black-chinned Siskin | Carduelis barbata | 5980.0 |
| Rufous-collared Sparrow | Zonotrichia capensis | 1912.0 |
| Common Diuca-Finch | Diuca diuca | 5921.0 |
| Long-tailed Meadowlark | Sturnella loyca | 5958.2 |
| Austral Blackbird | Curaeus curaeus | 5962.0 |
| Shiny Cowbird | Molothrus bonariensis | 0496.1 |
BOOKS
The Birds of Chile, by Araya and Chester was indispensable. The spiral-bound color plates that are purchased separately (and not included UNLESS purchased separately) were handy for showing things to my non-birding hosts and were a nice gift to them when we left. [The second copy is at home!]
Birds of the High Andes by Fjeldsa and Krabbe came in handy for a richer treatment of some species, but was not needed. I had used this as my "Chile" bird guide on the 1993 trip, but the Araya and Chester book has more distribution information and probably a more complete coverage of species.
Similarly, Seabirds, by Peter Harrison, helped for discussion of some seabirds, but I could have done without for what I saw. Next time, when I take the freighter to Mas Afuera, I'll certainly need it.
Finally, The Essential Guide to Birding in Chile by Pearman was nice to have, and would have been more important for my trip if I'd been there solely to bird.
David O. Matson, M.D., Ph.D.
Suffolk, Virginia
matson@picard.evms.edu