Wildlife Watching

Endowed with pristine landscapes of particular beauty, Argentine Patagonia is home to the most incredible and varied wildlife. A perfect blend of steppe, semi-arid mount, forests, endless plains, and an extensive coastline, it is the setting for some unique spectacles that nature displays in all its splendor. Bird and wildlife watching is an exciting experience in Patagonia. Its National and Provincial Parks and reserves, the excellent state of preservation of its species, and the climatic conditions make the region a paradise for hundreds of mammals and birds that can be seen in their natural habitat. The birdwatching experience can be enriched at nature interpretation and research centers. One of these is the Ecocenter, in the city of Puerto Madryn in Chubut. Overlooking the imposing blue ocean, this research center offers educational and recreational activities to learn to understand and care for the Patagonian marine ecosystem and marine life.

Whales, a moving encounter

Between June and December, the arrival of the southern right whale in the province of Chubut dazzles all visitors with the simplicity of a unique natural spectacle. Declared a Natural Monument for its preservation, this magnificent mammal shamelessly displays its gigantic tail, which it beats energetically on the waters of the “Golfo Nuevo”. An astonishing display that invites you to experience Argentine Patagonia. Various excursions depart from Puerto Pirámides on the Valdés Peninsula—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—to witness the charms of this unparalleled spectacle. “El Doradillo,” just 15 km from Puerto Madryn, is considered one of the best places in the world to see whales, where they can be observed from the coast.

These magnificent specimens can also be observed on the coasts of Río Negro. Departing from the East Port or Las Grutas, the nautical tours last 2.5 hours and offer a chance to see the area’s marine life, which during the months of August, September, and October features the Southern Right Whale.

The charm and variety of the Patagonian marine fauna

Elephant seals and sea lions also enjoy prominence in Patagonia, along with colonies of imperial cormorants and elephant seals. Reserves, protected natural areas, and National Parks ensure their protection. In Chubut, marine fauna is an endless spectacle: acrobatic dolphins and Commerson’s dolphins display their magic from specially adapted vessels. Sea lions and elephant seals can be seen from the cliffs, imposing killer whales can be seen from the coast of “Punta Norte,” and thousands of penguins invade “Punta Tombo” and “Cabo Dos Bahías” starting in September, where they remain until April to lay their eggs and raise their chicks. This combination makes this site unique in Argentine Patagonia. “Monte León” National Park, along the Atlantic coast in the province of Santa Cruz, invites you to observe extraordinary examples of Patagonian marine coastal fauna. Also in Santa Cruz, you can see the only Patagonian breeding colony of the rockhopper penguin in the “Isla Pingüino” Interjurisdictional Marine Park. In the southern part of the province, in the Cape Virgenes Provincial Wildlife Reserve, you will find the southernmost Magellanic penguin breeding colony on the Argentine mainland and the third largest in the country in terms of number. In the province of Río Negro, there is the “Punta Bermeja” Protected Natural Area, created to preserve a section of the coast that is home to the first colony of Patagonian sea lions.

Deer in full bloom in the Patagonian wilderness

Getting up close to deer is a unique opportunity offered by nature in Argentine Patagonia. Doing so during the rutting season—when the males emerge to woo their females—is even more impressive. Dawn or dusk are the ideal times to see deer running under the immensity of the Patagonian skies. A privileged setting is the “Parque Luro” Nature Reserve in the province of La Pampa, just 35 km from Santa Rosa. The only reserve in the world of the Caldén forest, it is the habitat of large populations of red deer that can be seen during the rutting season.

Perfect habitat for birds

Argentine Patagonia is a real orchard for birds. Four biogeographic regions offer highly favorable conditions for watching a wide variety of birds in the province of Neuquén: to the east, the Patagonian steppe and the semi-arid mount; to the west, the Magellanic forests and high Andean steppes. Neuquén is home to more than 250 bird species in excellent preservation status. Choiques in the steppe, and grebes, mallards, diving ducks, and cauquenes inhabit lakes and lagoons, along with forests populated by woodpeckers and hummingbirds. Condors in flight, vultures, and black-backed eagles are some of the birds that can be seen on guided tours led by professional ornithologists in Neuquén. Also in the province of La Pampa, 250 species of birds, including gray falcons and yellow cardinals, can be seen at the Lihué Calel National Park and the “Parque Luro” Nature Reserve.

The province of Río Negro is home to more than 121 species of marine, coastal, and land birds, including Antarctic pigeons, cormorants, terns, northern eagles, great bustards, partridges, martineta tinamou, and rheas, among others. The world’s largest colony of cliff parrots is also located here.

In Chubut, in the Andean corridor, a large number of birds coexist in the area, inviting visitors to live unique experiences by observing them in their habitat. You can see a large number of aquatic species such as ducks, flamingos, cormorants, and the beautiful, black-necked swans. There is also a diversity of steppe species, such as choiques and martineta tinamou, some of which are native to the Patagonian Andean Forest, such as the Huet Huet and the curious Chucao, as well as numerous other diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey. Birdwatching on the Chubut coast is also possible on the “Isla de los Pájaros” (Bird Island), located in the Valdés Peninsula National Park. This island has great biological value, as it is a breeding ground for ten species of marine and coastal birds, including the kelp gull, crag cormorants, cormorants, great egret and black-crowned night heron, and Magellanic Penguins. In Trelew, you can enjoy birdwatching in the Chubut River valley, with numerous species of aquatic and land birds.

In Santa Cruz, you can spot one of the continent’s largest species and a symbol of indigenous cultures. It is the Andean condor, numerous specimens of which can be observed from the “Mirador del Cóndor” in the area of 28 de Noviembre. Also notable in the province are the hooded grebe, an endemic species considered critically endangered worldwide and found primarily at the Patagonia National Park.

Further south, in Tierra del Fuego, the waters of the Beagle Channel, the “Isla de los Estados”, and its nature reserves are privileged places where you can observe everything from southern stilts and flamingos to swallows and petrels. In San Antonio Bay, migratory birds—plovers and sandpipers—stop over on their journey between Tierra del Fuego and the Northern Hemisphere. These beaches have been declared a Site of International Importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Network.