Birding the Pampas & Entre Rios

This itinerary covers the main sights of the Pampas of Argentina, a flat region originally covered by grasslands and marshes, nowadays a main cattle and agriculture centre. It starts with a visit to Costanera Sur, a reserve just 10 minutes away from down town Buenos Aires, which serves as an introduction to birding in the area, with marshes, fresh water lakes and woodlands. Black-necked and Coscoroba Swans, ducks and several species of passerines, including Rufous Hornero, Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch and Masked Gnatcatcher can be seen in a short visit. An early departure next morning will take us to the Otamendi Reserve, 80 km north of town.

This mixture of grasslands, marshes and gallery forest holds specialities such as both Curve-billed and Straight-billed Reedhaunters, Sulphur-bearded Spinetail, Many-coloured Rush-tyrant and Diademed Tanager. The stunning Scarlet-headed Blackbird is also present. Later on, in Entre Rios we will reach a completely different environment, the Espinal. Its light woodlands are home to Brown Cacholote, Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper, Short-billed Canastero and Little Thornbird.

South of Buenos Aires is the small beach town of San Clemente. From here we will explore Punta Rasa and estancias located inland. The estuarine habitats are a feeding station for hundreds of waders, terns, skimmers, gulls (including Olrog’s), as well as Hudson’s Canastero, Bay-capped Wren-spinetail and the elusive Dot-winged Crake. In the marshes and open grasslands of the San Clemente area we will come across Southern Screamer, a variety of wildfowl (including Black-headed Duck), Correndera Pipit, Firewood Gatherer and the secretive South American Painted Snipe. After making the most of that day, the tour returns to Buenos Aires, stopping en route if possible for Tufted Tit-tyrant and Blue-and-yellow Tanager.