ABRA PAMPA & LAGUNA DE LOS POZUELOS & LIST
ARGENTINA
Region (Compass)
Lat:00o00´S/00o00´W ha topography msl
Protected/registered status
Best Time for visit (7-8th August, 2005)
Birding Site Guide
Laguna de los Pozuelos is a high altitude lake (over 3600m) which is excellent for puna and high Andean species. It can be reached by public transport from Abra Pampa where there is basic accommodation and restaurants. The bus leaves for Rinconada about 11am (except Sundays) and passes the Guardaparque. From here it is about 5km to the edge of the lake. The house is next to a small river which can be followed all the way along and has excellent birding. This takes longer and the more direct track is on the far side of the river. Thousands of flamingos are present on the lake although they are far and difficult to see well. A few individuals come up the river. The bus arrives after midday and returns about 3:30 in the afternoon which doesn't give enough time to walk to the lake and back. There is also another one at 6pm although it didn't pass until about 7:30pm and left me worrying about freezing to death. A few birds can be seen near the town of Abra Pampa towards a place called Huancar, 3km back along the highway towards Jujuy. I saw 30 species including 13 lifers.
Species seen
- Lesser Rhea Rhea pennata Near-threatened
- Puna Ibis Plegadis ridgwayi
- Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis Near-threatened
- Puna Flamingo Phoenicopterus jamesi Near-threatened
- Andean Goose Chloephaga melanoptera
- Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris
- Crested Duck Anas specularioides
- Puna Teal Anas puna
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
- Variable Hawk Buteo polyosoma
- Mountain Caracara Phalcoboenus megalopterus
- American Kestrel Falco sparverius
- Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis
- Giant Coot Fulica gigantea
- Andean Avocet Recurvirostra andina
- Puna Plover Charadrius alticola
- Andean Gull Larus serranus
- Rock Dove Columba livia Introduced species
- Golden-spotted Ground-Dove Metriopelia aymara
- White-winged Cinclodes Cinclodes atacamensis
- Cordilleran Canastero Asthenes modesta
- Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant Agriornis montana
- Andean Negrito Lessonia oreas
- Mourning Sierra-Finch Phrygilus fruticeti
- Band-tailed Sierra-Finch Phrygilus alaudinus Seen near Abra Pampa
- Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch Phrygilus plebejus
- Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch Sicalis uropygialis Seen near Abra Pampa
- Citron-headed Yellow-Finch Sicalis luteocephala Seen near Abra Pampa
- Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Author: Charles Hesse
www.birdingsiteguide.com
