Birding the Pampas of Buenos Aires & Entre Rios

San Clemente, Paraná River Delta & the Espinal Woodland

4 days / 3 nights

Best introduction to Argentina's birds: The Pampas and Entre Ríos province.
Expect: 250-300 species, good accommodation, easy to moderate terrain, some long drives, temperate to hot climate.
Trip report and wildlife checklist available.
Departures anytime from January to December.

This tour is probably one of the the best introductions to Argentina’s bird diversity. It covers the main sights of the world famous Pampas flatlands, north and south of Buenos Aires, birding at several Important Bird Areas, a region of vast expanses of wild landscapes, agricultural fields and the Atlantic sea shore.

An early departure will take us birding south of Buenos Aires towards grasslands, marshes, fresh water lakes and woodlands home of Black-necked and Coscoroba Swans, ducks and several species of passerines, including Rufous Hornero, Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch and Masked Gnatcatcher. In the afternoon we arrive at the small beach town of San Clemente which will be our base for two days. From here we will explore the migratory bird reserve of Punta Rasa and “estancias” (ranches) 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 other passerines. 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.

On the third day we retrace our way back to Buenos Aires, stopping en route for Tufted Tit-Spinetail, Blue-and-yellow Tanager and Red-crested Cardinal, and continue on to the Otamendi Nature Reserve. Here we will find a mixture of grasslands, marshes and gallery forest hosting specialties such as both Curve-billed and Straight-billed Reedhaunters, Sulphur-bearded Spinetail, Many-colored Rush-tyrant and Diademed Tanager. On the last day, before returning to Buenos Aires, we’ll go across the Parana River delta towards Entre Rios, looking for a completely new set of birds typical of the “Espinal” woodland: Brown Cacholote, Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper, Short-billed Canastero, Xenopsaris and many others.

Spectacled Tyrant, Hernan Rodriguez Goni

Gallery

Departure details

Date

Country

Starts/Ends

Status

Upon request

Argentina

Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires

Space available

Request

See all tours by date

Itinerary

Day 1
Morning depart to San Clemente and Punta Rasa, birding the pampas grasslands en route.
Day 2
AM and PM birding at Punta Rasa migratory bird reserve
Day 3
Early departo to Buenos Aires birding some estancias en route, and continue to Otamendi Natural Reserve.
Day 4
Early visit to Otamendi Nature Reserve and continue to Entre Rios until the afternoon, returning to Buenos Aires in the evening
(The sites described and itinerary can change slightly. Contact us for complete details, or for customizing this tour)

San Clemente, Paraná River Delta & the Espinal Woodland