Monday 18 May 2020

Chile 6th January 2020

Having arrived the previous evening, we were up early and into Altos de Lircay National Reserve just up the road from our accommodation. Our main targets here were the tapaculos. We were very lucky to come across Chucao Tapaculo and Chestnut-throated Huet-huet very quickly in a near dry stream bed right beside the trackway. Between their secretive behaviour and the low early morning light, they proved very challenging to photograph. Great birds all the same. We later managed to pick up a Magellanic Tapaculo at very close quarters beside a forest trail. Very mouse-like with their tiny size, all dark plumage and the creeping around in the ground. Ebird checklist. RN Altos de Lircay

In the afternoon we birded around the Lake Colbún area. Highlights here were probably the many Burrowing Parrots (mostly all in flight) and small numbers of Bronze-winged Ducks on the Maule River which runs into the lake. No sign of any Torrent Ducks despite suitable fast flowing rocky sections of the river. Summary of species seen around Lake Colbún.


Species Count
Bronze-winged Duck (Speculanas specularis) 4
Chiloe Wigeon (Mareca sibilatrix) 200
Yellow-billed Pintail (Anas georgica) X
Yellow-billed Teal (Anas flavirostris) X
Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) X
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 4
Great Grebe (Podiceps major) 1
Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) 1
Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) X
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 20
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 3
Red-gartered Coot (Fulica armillata) X
Chilean Pigeon (Patagioenas araucana) 13
Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) 4
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Variable Hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma) 1
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) 1
Peregrine Falcon (South American) (Falco peregrinus cassini) 1
Chilean Swallow (Tachycineta leucopyga) 1
Burrowing Parrot (Cyanoliseus patagonus) 31
Austral Parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus) 3
Tufted Tit-Tyrant (Anairetes parulus) 2
Chilean Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps chilensis) 2
Black-chinned Siskin (Spinus barbatus) 6
Common Diuca Finch (Diuca diuca) 1

Variable Hawk

Chilean Hawk

Chilean Hawk
Chimango Caracara

Chimango Caracara

Chimango Caracara

Chimango Caracara
Bronze-winged Duck

Bronze-winged Duck

Bronze-winged Duck

Bronze-winged Duck

Bronze-winged Duck

Bronze-winged Duck

Austral Pygmy Owl
California Quail

California Quail

California Quail

California Quail

California Quail
Chilean Flicker

Chilean Flicker

Chilean Flicker

Chilean Flicker

Green-backed Firecrown

Green-backed Firecrown
Austral Parakeet

Austral Parakeet

Austral Parakeet

Austral Parakeet

Austral Parakeet
Magellanic Woodpecker

Magellanic Woodpecker

Magellanic Woodpecker

Magellanic Woodpecker

Magellanic Woodpecker

Magellanic Woodpecker

Magellanic Woodpecker

Magellanic Woodpecker
Chestnut-throated Huet-huet

Chestnut-throated Huet-huet

Chestnut-throated Huet-huet

Chestnut-throated Huet-huet
Chucao Tapaculo

Chucao Tapaculo

Chucao Tapaculo

Chucao Tapaculo
White-throated Treerunner

White-throated Treerunner

White-throated Treerunner

White-throated Treerunner

White-throated Treerunner

White-throated Treerunner

White-throated Treerunner

White-throated Treerunner
Thorn-tailed Rayadito

Thorn-tailed Rayadito
Chilean Elaenia

Chilean Elaenia

House Wren

House Wren

House Wren