Birding in Argentina: the Valdés Peninsula |
This is the latest in Martin Eayrs’s series on birding in Argentina. Previous installments include Buenos Aires City, Bañado La Estrella in Formosa, and Parque Nimez in Patagonia.
Jutting into the Atlantic like a beckoning finger, the Valdés Peninsula is one of the most remarkable wildlife areas in the Southern Hemisphere. This semi-desert region in northern Patagonia is perhaps best known for its whales and orcas, but for birdwatchers it offers an equally compelling mix: marine cliffs crowded with penguins and cormorants, saltpans dotted with Chilean flamingos, and a wide sweep of Patagonian steppe populated by rheas and endemic passerines. The whole area is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding biodiversity and marine mammal colonies.
In birding terms, Valdés is three habitats in one. Along the coast of Golfo San José and Golfo Nuevo you’ll find beaches, cliffs and rocky points that support colonies of Magellanic penguins, several cormorant species, terns and gulls, plus a rotating cast of pelagic visitors. Coastal hotspots such as........