Argentina

Iguazú rainforest and Iberá Marshes

Subtropical north-east Argentina is unique in its biodiversity. Here the famous Iguazú falls thunder over a 400 m (240 ft) drop, surrounded by the imposing Atlantic forest which extends southwards through most of Misiones Province. There are numerous nature reserves where the better stands of this endangered forest are safe-guarded, Iguazú National Park being one of the better examples, together with the Urugua-í and Moconá Provincial Reserves.

These forests are home to two of the largest mammals – the Tapir and the Jaguar, but also Brown Capuchin Monkeys, Agoutis, three species of Brockets and Coatis. In this area it is possible to find some 400 species of birds which include the Solitary Tinamou, Black-fronted Piping-Guan, Great Dusky Swift, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Spot-backed Antshrike, five species of toucans and numerous woodpeckers, manakins, tanagers and hummingbirds.

In the mountainous centre of the province one can find vestigial stands of the formerly extensive Araucaria woods, centenarian specimens where Vinaceous-breasted Parrot, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail and Canebrake Groundcreeper live almost exclusively.

Further south, in the province of Corrientes, the forests give way to savannahs locally known as “campos”, where one finds the immense system of the Iberá marshes, a vast wetland surrounded by grassland, savanna and the thorny woods of the Espinal. The million hectares of the Iberá marshes are protected as a provincial nature reserve.

Here the Marsh Deer, Capybaras and two species of Cayman, as well as Neotropical Otter, Yellow Anaconda and endangered Manned Wolf all live. Some species of birds are really spectacular such as the Giant Wood-rail, Southern Screamer, Anhinga, Savanna Hawk, Jabiru Stork, Black-capped Donacobius, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Yellow-rumped Marshbird and Scarlet-headed Blackbird.

Secretive species that inhabit the denser and quieter parts of these marshes include: Pinnated and Stripe-backed Bitterns, Rufous-sided and Yellow-breasted Crakes, Azure Gallinule and Crested Doradito . Here too we may encounter several species of rare or endangered birds such as the Sickle-winged Nightjar, Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Sharp-tailed Tyrant, Back-and-white Monjita, Strange-tailed Tyrant, Ochre-breasted Pipit, and several species of seedeaters, such as Rufous-rumped, Marsh, and Chestnut.