Punta Arenas is the main port on the Magellan Straight and a stop on many cruises passing through the southern cone. The coastline and forests south of the city are a great introduction to the birds of these latitudes. On this tour we’ll reach the end of the road (literally) on the southernmost stretch of the continent.

Shortly after leaving the city, on the coast we can find the first Magellanic (Rock) Cormorants, Dolphin Gulls, Magellanic Oystercatchers, Black-browed Albatrosses, and Flying andFlightless Steamer Ducks. Moving south, we find several lagoons and creeks, ideal habitat for Upland Goose, Ashy-headed Goose, Black-faced Ibis, Dark-bellied Cinclodes, Crested Duck, Chiloé Wigeon and the beautiful Long-tailed Meadowlark.

Reaching the Sub-antarctic Forest (Nothofagus) Patagonian Sierra-Finches sing in the canopies and Thorn-tailed Rayadito and White-throated Treerunner scurry along their branches. These forests are also home to the Magellanic Woodpecker and Austral Parakeet.

Roughly 60 kilometers south of Punta Arenas we’ll reach the San Juan Reserve, a protected area destined to conserve a breeding population of the endangered Ruddy-headed Goose, that migrates every winter to coastal Argentina.

This itinerary is quite flexible, ideal for people with limited time in Punta Arenas.

If you have more time, this day trip can easily be extended to a more comprehensive tour of Patagonian birds.