Birdwatching

(Phrygilus patagonicus) The Patagonian Sierra-Finch is an endemic species of Patagonia and one of the most colorful birds in this region. It belongs to the Thraupidae family and is strongly linked to the Andean-Patagonian forest. It lives on Nothofagus and Araucaria forests and its borders, up to 1,500 m high. They feed on seeds and fruits of bushes of the Berberis genus, insects, and nectar of tubular-shaped flowers such as Fire-Bush (Embothrium coccineum) and Fuchsia magellanica.   In winter they form big mixed flocks with Rufous-collared Sparrow, Black-chinned Siskin,...

Pillán Mahuiza Geopark, in San Martín de los Andes, Patagonia, Argentina, spans over an area of 4,847 km2 on the Neuquén departments of Aluminé, Catán Lil, Collón Curá, Huiliches, Lácar and Los Lagos. This geopark has been conceived by a group of local geologists following the UNESCO guidelines for the Global Geoparks Network, applying for being the first geopark in Argentina and to join the incipient Latin-American Geoparks Network. The area proposed for this first Argentinian geopark comprises the southwest of the Neuquén province, in the geological province known as Northern Patagonian...

(Podiceps occipitalis) This sublime diver and swimmer is found in almost all Argentina, especially in Andean lagoons and wetlands in Patagonia and the pampas. Also on the sea coasts and in the Falklands Islands. Its distribution range follows the Andes on Chile, Bolivia, Perú, Ecuador and Colombia. The southern populations of the occipitalis sub-species migrate north or to the sea coasts while the juninesis sub-species is a permanent resident of the high Andean lagoons up to 4,500 m.   It feeds on insects and their larvae, fish, small crustaceous and plants. During the winter...

Woodpeckers are a group of birds of the Picidae familiy found in almost all forest areas of the world. They feed mainly on insects and larvae living under barks or in wood, drilling the trees to reach the prey and extracting it with their long tongue. Some of them feed also in the ground. Their habitat and way of feeding determine some surprising adaptations and behaviours.       The bill's tip is chisel-shaped and is kept sharp by the pecking against the wood. It is made of three different layers designed to absorb the mechanical stress produced by the violent...

La Payunia is a 25,000 km2 volcanic area located southeast of the Argentinian province of Mendoza, at the foot of the Andes and between rivers Atuel and Colorado. It is one of the regions with more density of volcanoes in our planet, with more than 800 cones of different sizes and eruption styles. These quantity and density make La Payunia one of the most important volcanic districts on Earth. Its landscape, made by vast lava plains with many volcanic cones, basalt flows and pyroclastic fields looks like a different planet, making the visit to La Payunia a wonderful experience. The area is candidate...

El Tromen Natural Protected Area is located on the north of Neuquén province, on the Chos Malal and Pehuenches departments, 38 km NE of the town of Chos Malal. It belongs to the Neuquén province jurisdiction, with category of provincial park. It was created in 1971, with an area f 30,000 has.   It management plan, of 1999, defines as conservation goals: - Preserve the natural characteristics and representative samples of the different ecosystems of the area. - Preserve, evaluate and spread the geomorphological and physiographic features of the area. - Protect the populations...

Like every year by mid-May the Patagonian forest is bursting in autumn colors, as lengas, ñires and other Nothofagus trees are turning into yellow, orange and fire-red on the mountain slopes. Last year in San Martín de los Andes area we had the Calbuco volcano eruption, and the forest was partly covered in grey ashes, but this year the fall is being as spectacular as it used to be. As in the north hemisphere spring is starting to melt the ice and the snow, warming the weather and making the minds dream about the prospect of summer holidays, here down south days are turning shorter and shorter,...

BARN OWL The barn owl (Tyto alba) is one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, with presence on the five continents. An efficient predator of rodents and small birds, it has a preference to settle in areas with human presence, using abandoned buildings, churches and attics. It has a slender look, with long legs feathered in white, a bulky head and a white heart-shaped face with a dark outline. The eyes are deep black and the bill is prominent and light-coloured. The plumage in the back is grey, splattered in ochre and white, while the ventral parts are white or ochre and slightly...

After writing on previous posts about some of the diurnal birds of prey of Patagonia, namely the Accipitridae family, this time we will discuss the nocturnal raptors. These belong to an order within the Aves class called Strigiformes (from the latin word Strix, meaning owl), that includes all birds with the shape and features of the owls. This order is made only of two families, Tytonidae and Strigidae.   Owls are very specialized birds, with extraordinary sight and hearing. Sublime hunters, generally nocturnal and solitary, they feed mainly of small mammals, insects and other birds....

One of the best tours off the beaten track you can do from San Martín de los Andes is going to Villa Pehuenia 200 km north of San Martín and a gem still hidden from the massive tourism. Villa Pehuenia lies in the middle of the Pehuen District, one of the best touristic circuits of the Neuquén province. Some tour agencies in San Martín de los Andes do it as a day tour, but we think is much better to spend at least one night in Villa Pehuenia, so you have enough time to enjoy the place and als go thorough the so-called "Pehuenia circuit", one of the main attractions of the area.    The...