A trip to Northern Argentina encompasses two starkly different eco-regions. These regions are so distinct ecologically that it often felt as if we were on a completely different trip. After saying goodbye to the dry woodland Chaco habitat, we were on our way to the lush Paraná rainforest.
Our journey included a ten-hour drive as we transitioned from the northwest to the northeast. While it would’ve been nice to relax and zone out during the long drive, we kept our eyes glued to the sky in search of the elusive Chaco Eagle, which can be spotted along the route. Although we didn’t find it, we did have a few productive stops, adding Quebracho Crested-Tinamou, Crested Hornero, Lark-like Brushrunner, and Plain Tyrannulet to our list.
Despite traveling with a one-year-old—who naturally makes everything slower—we somehow found ourselves two full days ahead of schedule. This early arrival allowed us to meet Nestor, a park ranger at Reserva Natural Rincón de Santa María, on October 11th to try for Sickle-winged Nightjar. Since most of the park is closed to the public, a ranger’s guidance is required to access the more restricted areas. Nestor and his wife study the nightjars and are willing to meet travelling birdwatchers wanting to see the birds.
That evening, the weather was cold, windy, and the trails were soaked from recent rains. Not a great combo, or so we thought. However, just minutes into our drive, we spotted two Sickle-winged Nightjars swirling around us. Incredibly, we were still within sight of the parking lot when this happened! Nestor told us we were quite lucky to encounter them so close to the entrance, as they’re usually farther into the park. We were back at our hotel before Roger’s bedtime—a rarity during birding trips!
That evening, Ross looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and asked, “What if we visited Iguazú Falls since we’re so ahead of schedule?” Seeing one of the natural wonders of the world? Count me in! This spontaneous decision meant reshuffling the rest of our itinerary and heading into areas Ross hadn’t thoroughly researched.
After some discussion, we decided to work our way slowly towards the falls and rocket back afterward. Our updated route became: San Pedro → Cruce Caballero → Iguazú Falls → Iberá → Buenos Aires.
San Pedro: Windy Weather and a Surprise Sighting
We arrived in San Pedro, a small town in Misiones Province, around midday. With the weather cold and windy, I decided to give Roger some much-needed playtime at the hotel while Ross headed to Parque Provincial Araucaria on the outskirts of town. Birding conditions were tough, and Ross later admitted, “I saw more birds in the last 20 minutes than in the first 3 hours combined.” Still, he managed to spot a few highlights, including Robust Woodpecker, Bertoni’s Antbird, and Diademed Tanager.
The real highlight of his outing, however, wasn’t a bird—it was an ocelot! While taping in the Bertoni’s Antbird, Ross caught movement out of the corner of his eye and was stunned to see this elusive mammal in his binocular field. It was a lifer for him, and I was thoroughly jealous to have missed it!
A Stygian Owl Success
The next day, we ventured to Cruce Caballero in hopes of finding Southern Bristle-Tyrant and Helmeted Woodpecker. Before heading to the park, we tried for Stygian Owl around the outskirts of San Pedro. Ross had tried the previous night but was thwarted by high winds. Stygian Owl had been a nemesis bird for us for years—we’d heard it on past trips but never managed to see it.
Just before dawn, Ross heard a faint response to the tape. Frantically scanning with the thermal scope, he managed to locate the owl just as night turned to day. With Roger asleep in the car, we finally laid eyes on a Stygian Owl—one of the world’s most incredible owls. Success at last!
Cruce Caballero and Araucaria: Great Birds, Missed Targets
The rest of the morning was spent meandering the trails at Cruce Caballero. While neither we nor a large group of Argentine birders that we bumped into managed to find the Southern Bristle-Tyrant or Helmeted Woodpecker, we still had a productive outing. Highlights included Purple-crowned Plovercrest, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Vinaceous-breasted Parrot, Planalto Tapaculo, Lesser Woodcreeper, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, and Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher. The trails at Cruce Caballero were wide, and the forest on either side was a treat. We thoroughly enjoyed walking the trails and talking with the Argentine birders we met
That afternoon, Ross returned to Parque Provincial Araucaria for another shot at the Southern Bristle-Tyrant, but again, luck wasn’t on his side.
Parque Provincial Urugua-í: A Morning Well Spent
The next morning, we departed early for Parque Provincial Urugua-í, arriving right at dawn. Once again, Southern Bristle-Tyrant was the main target, but it continued to elude us. Still, we enjoyed many other great birds, including Black-fronted Piping Guan, Tufted Antshrike, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Greenish Elaenia, and White-browed Warbler.
By the afternoon, we reached Puerto Iguazú, the gateway to Iguazú Falls. Unfortunately, finding a hotel proved more challenging than expected because it was Mother’s Day weekend, and most accommodations were fully booked. Eventually, we found a place, ready to rest up for the next leg of our adventure: one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls.
This birding occurred October 12-14th, 2023
eBird checklist from Cruce Cabello HERE and PP Urugua-í HERE
So jealous of the epic Stygian Owl sighting and photo!! Great write up 😀 Doug Reitz
wonderful…..keep “em coming. Hank Kaestner