East Wetlands

Eastern Wetlands Tour

4 nights

Uruguay brings on several features that make birdwatching activity very enjoyable and productive. In short distances many different environments are involved, resulting in a great diversity of birds. The wetlands that we will visit on this tour are protected and take part in the RAMSAR Convention. They are very important for migrant species that arrive every year during summer and winter, from North and South of the continent. The hotspots for birdwatching on this tour are the Important Bird Areas (IBAs -BirdLife International) Wetlands of Maldonado, José Ignacio Lagoon, Castillos Lagoon and the Wetlands of Rocha; and the Santa Teresa National Park. In this areas are found endangered species like the Marsh Seedeater, Black-and-white Monjita, Saffron-cowled Blackbird and Stright-billed Reedhaunter. After 5 days on tour can be seen up to 160 bird species of the 455 that occur in Uruguay.

Some of the birds that can be seen: Black-necked Swan (Cygnus melancoryphus), Great Egret (Ardea alba), Snowy Egret (Egretta thula), Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi), Bare-faced Ibis (Phimosus infuscatus), Roseat Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), Plumbeous Ibis (Theristicus caudatus), Great Grebe (Podiceps major), White-tufted Grebe (Rollandia Rolland), Snail Kite (Rosthramus sociabilis), White-winged Coot (Fulica leucoptera), Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata), Plumbeous Rail (Pardirallus sanguinolentus), Collared Plover (Charadrius collaris), American-golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica), Blackish Oystercatcher (Haematopus ater), American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates), Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus), White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis), Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica), Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca), Wattled Jacana (Jacana jacana), Brown-hooded Gull (Chroicocephalus maculipenis), Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), Snowy-crowned Tern (Sterna trudeaui), Yellow-billed Tern (Sternula superciliaris), Black Skimmer (Rhyncops niger), Sulphur-bearded Spinetail (Cranioleuca sulphurifera), Wren-like Rushbird (Phleocryptes melanops), Spectacled Tyrant (Hymenops perspicillatus), Sooty Tyrannulet (Serpophaga nigricans), Gray-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea), Brown-chested Martin (Progne tapera), Blue-and-white Swallow (Pygochelidon cyanoleuca), White-rumped Swallow (Tachycineta leucorrhoa), Chilean Swallow (Tachicyneta mayeni), Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicoterus chilensis), Olrog´s Gull (Larus atlanticus) (in austral winter), Blue-and-yellow Tanager (Thraupis bonariensis), Diadimed Tanager (Stephanophorus diadematus) and Sayaca Tanager (Thraupis sayaca). Other species that can be seen here are the Harris´s Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris), Southern Caracara (Caracara plancus), Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango), Narrow-billed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes angustirostris), Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), Tropical Screech-Owl (Megascops choliba), Tropical Parula (Parula pitiayumi), Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) and the Rufous-thighed Hawk (Accipiter striatus), Black-and-white Monjita (Xolmis dominicanus), Marsh Seedeater (Sporophila palustris) and Saffron-cowled Blackbird (Xanthopsar flavus). Other interesting birds are the Spotted Rail (Pardirallus maculates), Rufous-sided Crake (Laterallus melanophaius), Red-and-white Crake (Laterallus leucopyrrhus).