Edwin French
Birding Guide
Edwin is a serious birder and is involved in several projects related to this endeavour. As an active member of the Chilean NGO Red de Observadores de Aves de Chile (ROC) he is a volunteer managing membership credentials for the organization. Edwin is also an eBird-Chile hotspot reviewer.
He is also the national co-coordinator of the Neotropical Waterbird Census, organized by the ROC and Wetlands International (with Heraldo Norambuena). He will nonetheless, get out to the field to perform the census for the O'Higgins region just south of Santiago. Another project he is involved in is the bi-annual Chilean Condor census as a volunteer, collecting important information that can help preserve this enigmatic species.
He is an English native speaker and the son of a hunter and avid fly fisher he spent much of his youth outdoors, developing his love for nature. Edwin is an IT professional and as such needs to get out and breathe some air, so nothing better than to go chasing birds! This has led him to travel most of Chile's long and diverse geography in search of our feathery friends.
He is very enthusiastic about sharing the remarkable experience of birdwatching in Chile.
Find out more about the guide
When did your interest in birds and wildlife begin?
As a boy I would go hunting and fishing with my father. That is where I developed my love for the outdoors and nature. Now I capture them with my camera and scope.
Why did you decide to work as a birding and wildlife guide?
I love birding and I care for the wilderness of my country, so why not show it to people that have a genuine interest in it.
What do you enjoy the most of guiding a tour?
I enjoy birding with a purpose, and that would be to watch our customers get excited with the new birds, places, vegetation and scenery they encounter in the outing.
What tour would you recommend for a visit to Chile?
The Andes mountains, with all that it beholds.
Which is your favorite species? And why?
The Andean Condor would come in first place. The magnificence of its flight, just makes me stare with my mouth open in amazement and wonder every time.
Are you involved in any research or conservation projects?
I´m an active member of the Red de Observadores de Aves (ROC), a Chilean NGO that has projects related to bird conservancy. I’m the national coordinator of the Neotropical Waterbird Census organized by Wetlands International. Also doing bird surveys (who would have guessed) for several ROC projects, such as the Migratory Shorebird Project (MSP) and Condor census. I’m also a hotspot editor for eBird in Chile.
What do you do when you are not guiding?
I work as a full time IT specialist, so that takes up most of my time. So, if I´m not guiding I still need to go out and breath some air, go for a walk or some cycling do the trick.
What dish or drink would your recommend visitors to try?
If you are here visiting and enjoying a birding vacation, I would say try as many different things as you can. Though, after a warm and long day birding, do not miss a cool and refreshing Mote con Huesillo.
Tell us a little about your interest in astronomy
I guess I just like looking up. Up at the birds by day and stars by night. I’ve always been interested in the different sciences (forget literature), so astronomy, flight and space have always been my interests.
What do you enjoy the most about outdoor living?
As an IT specialist I work in a closed office surrounded by computers. I need to get out!
What I most enjoy, is the warm afternoon breeze and the spectacular sunsets we get in Chile.
¿Wine or beer?
Yes, thank you.
Well, I´m not really a beer type, so I have plenty of research to do with the superb Chilean wines.
