Birds

Abstract

The Mar Chiquita wetland is characterized by a rich and diverse bird fauna; for this reason, it has been declared a Site of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. A total of 148 strictly aquatic species have been recorded in the area. Of them, 37 are long-range migrants from North America, Northern South America, High Andes, and Patagonia. This chapter includes a review of the most abundant species together with the complete list of those present in the area. Additional information is provided regarding species of special interest. Of the six species living in the world, three occur in Mar Chiquita: the Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis), the Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus), and the Puna flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi). Mar Chiquita is the main breeding site of the Chilean flamingo in its entire distribution range. Mar Chiquita is also one of the most important sites in South America in terms of inland shorebird diversity and abundance, with 30 recorded species. Of them, the Wilson’s phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), a northern hemisphere migrant adapted to saline wetlands, uses Mar Chiquita as one of its main wintering areas in South America, where record numbers of between 250,000 and 500,000 individuals were reported in some years.