NW Argentina June 2015 Birding Trip Report by Nathan Terzaghi

Colaptes rubiginosus Golden-olive Woodpecker, Rio Los Sosa I visited northwest Argentina for 2 weeks as part of a larger trip of over 2.5 months to South America, during which I spent the first month mostly as an observer in 2 consecutive hospitals as part of my medical studies. This being my first time ever in South America, I was naturally looking forward to go birding, and obviously most of the birds I saw here were new for me. I have no idea what my whole 2.5-month trip to South America cost, but it certainly amounts to quite a few thousand USD. Hopefully I can pay my parents back after I get my MD. Transportation From Concordia, Entre Ríos, where the second hospital was located, I took a night bus to Córdoba followed by a connection to Tucumán. The whole trip took about 20 hours. In Tucumán I took a taxi to the airport where I rented a car with Localiza. The daily rate for the cheapest vehicle available, a Chevrolet Celta, was a bit over 60 pesos (at the time the official exchange rate was around 8 pesos to 1 USD). Having rented 2 other cars in Argentina and having searched a while on internet, this seems to be about a as good a deal as you can get. I had « booked » a vehicle for around 45 pesos per day with National via Kayak which sent me to another similar site which did not require me to give credit card information. This sounded a bit too good to be true, and indeed when I arrived at the airport National said that no reservation had been made. Unfortunately I ended up paying much more than the daily rate multiplied by the 13 days of rental. The car took a bit of a beating on the numerous, often long and rocky unpaved roads that I took in that time. The ground clearance was not great and several times I badly scraped the underside of the car ; however this should not have been visible when the car was inspected after my having returned it, and in fact Localiza made no mention of any damage to the underside. However they did charge me 5000 pesos (I believe this is the limit that they can charge) for damage to other parts of the car, the cause of which I cannot imagine given that I suffered no collisions, be it with another vehicle or an immobile obstacle. Aside from the underside, I never hit the car against anything, but I do think that rocks were occasionally flung against it by vehicles I crossed; I suppose this could have resulted in the alleged damage.

All in all the driving was pretty relaxed, except for the major cities, where my GPS came in handy. Accommodation I mostly spent the night in small and cheap hotels, but I did go camping twice. The first time, in Tafí del Valle, I was under-equipped and barely slept owing to the biting cold. Sometime before 6, I gave up, packed up the tent, which was coated with frost on the inside, to go sit in the car with the heating on to warm up. The second time was in La Estrella where no accommodation was available nearby and I decided to ask a family if could camp in front of their house. They accepted, stared at me while I pitched the tent, but did not seem threatening, and the constant coming and going of truckers, while noisy, is also quite comforting. Though I still kept worrying that someone was trying to enter the tent when a gust of wind made loose parts flap. I do not think a single one of the hotels I stayed at had any heating, and consequently I was usually quite cold in the rooms and needed many covers to stay warm while sleeping; often not enough were provided and I would sleep badly as a result. I bought a blanket in Abra Pampa which served its purpose several times, though it would not be as useful in Brazil. Argentina is suffering from high inflation, which has led to the existence of an unofficial exchange rate that precedes the official one. At the time the offcial exchange rate was about 8 pesos to 1 US dollar, and the unofficial one, while obviously variable, could be as high as 12 to 1. So while prices will naturally rise significiantly from one year to the next, I think it still might be useful to give an idea of prices as long as one takes care to take the issue of inflation into account. I tried to make the effort of writing down the prices of the hotels, hostels, guest houses or campgrounds I stayed at, with the aim of sparing any expense-averse readers the time it took me to search every night for acceptable accommodation. Unfortunately I often could not remember the name of the place I was staying at; if the name is missing I may try to give instructions. Sometimes I would get a discount on account of my being a student, so the prices listed may be inferior to the standard ones. Weather I experienced more overcast than expected, my time in Yala, Calilegua and surprisingly even in the chaco to the east being marred by constant low cloud, turning to intermittent drizzle from time to time, and even frank rain in the chaco. I am quite sure that I missed various species of birds as a consequence of these unfavorable conditions. Food Eating was not much of a problem; I often ate at a restaurant in the evening, because despite the extra expense it was much more practical and healthy than trying to make a meal out of supermarket-bought items, especially since I did not have a portable stove. In the morning some hotels offered breakfast which I always declined because it was not practical for me, and because I usually am not hungry in the morning. To alleviate any hunger during the day I typically bought some junk food that I would consume as necessary until the evening meal. I did also buy some healthier food once, after having bought a knife and fork that made eating various canned goods a lot easier, and after accepting to ingest the various unknown substances that doubtlessly coated the vegetables that I did not wash. Accessories A few useful accessories I had with me or acquired, and which one might not spontaneously think of, include: earplugs, sleeping mask, flashlight, gumboots, insect repellent, headphones, adapter, spare battery for phone, external battery, charger that fits in car’s cigar lighter. When I went for walks I would always bring my binoculars, my smartphone, and a backpack containing food, water, my bird guides, and my electronic equipment bag in case the phone or camera battery died. I had a spotting scope with me too but rarely used it. I did not have much medication and made little use of what I had; I did get several vaccines back in Geneva before leaving. At any rate I did not get sick during the trip. Camera I brought a camera with me, a Lumix DMC TZ70. It is very small and can fit in my pocket, and yet magnifies to 720mm, and digitally zooms a lot more still. Unfortunately it is not really fit for avian photography, not just because of its small size, but more importantly still because of focusing issues. In particular, regarding autofocus – a necessity in many cases - the function whereby the camera focuses on a specific target on the screen instead of deciding for you was only available on certain modes. Unfortunately in these modes the camera has a very long shutter speed if the lighting was poor, which renders any picture appallingly blurry. In another mode the shutter speed could be shortened, yielding pretty good results even in dense forest before sunrise, but then the camera would usually focus on the wrong thing. Another purpose of this camera, which would later, in Brazil, take on more importance than plain photography, was to record bird vocalizations which I did not recognize, with the intention of later trying to identify them at leisure. However, now 2 months after having returned, I have not yet gone through most of them, and am rapidly

forgetting vocalizations which will make the task more difficult. I recorded probably about 2 hours of bird vocalizations in hundreds of mostly brief videos. Unfortunately I did not manage to record many vocalizations that I would have wished to. The camera did not have a strap for wearing around the neck, so I kept it in my pocket, which meant that I needed to keep it turned off. When I heard a bird I needed to turn on the camera, wait for it to be able to start recording, and still suffer a lag of about 2 seconds between the time it said it started recording and the time it actually started. (Strangely, the 2 seconds preceding the moment that I pushed the button to end the recording were also eliminated). All in all between the time I heard a bird and the time I could start recording I had to wait a good 15 seconds, by which time the bird had likely shut up. Vocalization recordings I spent a lot of time trying to learn bird songs. Before leaving home, I had bought Birds of the Southern Cone by Bernabe López-Lanus and Birds of Brazil by Peter Boesman, in view of my subsequent travels in Brazil. Some species in the area I visited were absent from either collection, so I downloaded some of their vocalizations from Xeno-Canto ; again this was quite time-consuming. Now for learning the songs : I did not have much time to study them before my trip, so I had to learn a lot during the trip. If I had the time, I would listen to songs in the evening, or, with headphones, in public situations, such as on a bus or in a restaurant. Ideally, from a “productivity”-oriented perspective, I would have spent several months beforehand studying my recordings, though I am not sure I would have had the patience; it’s not that fun an activity, but then it is satisfying in the field to recognize by voice most of the species. Previous reports I downloaded several trip reports to the region onto my smartphone. I found John van der Woude’s and Clayton Burne’s reports to be quite useful insofar as they provided detailed information about the sites they visited. I relied largely on the Birdquest report for knowing what species I might see where, since they have a reputation of being very successful, and provide a thoroughly annotated species list.

Metriopelia morenoi Bare-eyed Ground-Dove, El Infiernillo

Daily account Please forgive me for referring to birds by their scientific names; I realize that it probably less convenient for most

readers, and in fact in does cost me a little extra effort to use them. I insist nonetheless on using scientific names because it is such a more rational, orderly, and well, scientific, nomenclature. The bird list accompanying this report gives both names side by side, so you can always refer to the list to find the common name.

14.06: Arrived in Córdoba from Concordia, bus from Córdoba to Tucumán. Rented car at Tucumán airport and drove to Monteros. Night at the hotel Congreso in Monteros for 260 pesos.

15.06: I drove towards Tafí del Valle on the road that largely follows the course of the Río los Sosa, stopping at

several places at different altitudes. The first stop in the lowlands was productive because I happened upon a mixed flock. Later I did not see much until I reached the deciduous forest zone, where in particular I got one good mixed flock. Atlapetes citrinellus seems quite common at this level. I stopped at various places to scan the river for Cinclus schulzi but saw none. Made it to Tafí around noon and kept going all the way to Infiernillo, where it was very windy; apparently this is the typical state of affairs at this time of day. Walked up the hill on the left side of the pass for a few hundred vertical meters. This is what I refer to in the list as "above Infiernillo". At the beginning here there is a narrow gully ("quebrada") that curves around the steep ridge. Despite the wind I did see various species, though nothing I did not see later. In the late afternoon I drove back to the upper Río los Sosa to try for Cinclus again, but no luck. At night I ended up going to the municipal campground in Tafí (may be hard to find; I suggest asking around if this is the case) whic cost 100 pesos. Alas the freezing temperatures precluded any chances of getting proper sleep.

16.06: I arrived before dawn at the flat area just upstream to Dique la Angostura, the big reservoir downstream

from Tafí del Valle which is visible from the main road but not accessible from there. With a good scope it should however be possible to identifiy quite a few waterbirds from the main road; I managed to identify the easy ones the previous day from there. To get to this morning's site I followed Clayton Burne's instructions which may not be very clear if you have no map; luckily I had got one from the information center. The road follows the stream that feeds the reservoir for several kilometers and this holds quite a few waterbirds. Unfortunately the road never brings you to the lakeshore which seems to hold a lot more birds. To get there you must either cross by foot (or 2-wheeled vehicle) a bridge across the stream and then walk towards the lake for a few km, or if you can wade across the stream if you have gumboots, or with a bit of gumption cross barefooted. I hestitated doing the latter but decided against it on the grounds of wanting to get early to the Infiernillo area; probably a wise decision. GPS coordinates for turnoff to Dique la Angostura: 26°51'29"S 65°42'41"W. This morning I stopped at a few small quebradas that cross the road a few km before reaching the pass; these are a famous site for Compsospiza baeri, Scytalopus superciliaris, and Metriopelia morenoi and melanoptera, which I all saw. The quebradas are fenced off so you can not walk into them; all you can do is look from the road. Then I stopped again at the pass and this time walked down a bit into the nearby quebrada, but being less vegetated it is probably less good for the above-mentioned species, though I did see the Scytalopus and had seen M. morenoi the previous day. Later I stopped at several more or less random spots on the road as it goes down towards Amaicha. The most productive one was a dirt road that goes off to the left across the river to a small settlement at the foot of a steep largely rocky face. Here I saw the only Muscisaxicola maculirostris and Phrygilus gayi of the trip. Further down you cross the cactus zone and finally a zone of low open thorny woodland which is well-known for Teledromas fuscus and Pseudoseisura gutturalis. I chanced upon a pair of the latter in the early afternoon heat, and this was a stroke of luck because overall it was very quiet here. Just a bit further west you reach the main road which is mostly surrounded by dense riparian vegetation which would not be good for these species. A bit further on is the "ruinas de Quilmes", the restored site of the main town/fortress of the Quilmes people, who apparently resisted the Spanish invaders for over a hundred years before being deported to the Buenos Aires region and giving name to the town now famous for its beer. I visited the site for an hour, walking up to the south citadel which offers a great view over the valley; not many birds though. Surprisingly the actual village of Quilmes which I drove through upon leaving was actually the birdiest place in the valley. Just before sunset I drove back towards Amaicha, hoping for Teledromas. I did hear at least 2 in the end but saw none. At night drove to Cafayate, spending the night at Hostal La Morada in a nice room for 150 pesos, down from 250.

17.06: Before dawn I reached the area 7 km east of Cafayate (on the road to Salta; determined by odometer), which is a known site for monte/chaco species. The habitat is actually quite similar for a few km before this

point and at least 1 km past it: rather dense low woodland. Walking out to the right, the woodland quickly and abruptly gives way to a zone of alternating patches of scrub and expanses of open sandy ground, which was excellent for Teledromas fuscus and Asthenes pyrrholeuca, which I suspect is mostly a winter visitor here. Looking on Google Earth, it seems that one can reach similar habitat by walking out to the left of the road, although it is a bit further. It also seems that the road actually goes through the same kind of habitat after bending to the right. By mid-morning I set off on the long drive to Cachi, which is connected to Cafayate by a gravel road. At one point the road passes through some very picturesque and austere limestone formation which reminds me of the sceneries of alien planets occasionally depicted in Calvin and Hobbes. Not many birds except for 2 Pseudasthenes steinbachi and 2 Psilopsiagon aymara. However much of the way the road goes though riparian vegetation and cultivated areas where I only saw a few common species. Approaching Cachi it crosses through a cactus zone like around Amaicha or in Los Cardones NP. I spent the night in Cachi at a guest house at the W end of the northernmost street in town, for 100 pesos.

18.06: In early morning stopped at Los Cardones "headquarters" in Payogasta to ask if permission was needed to enter park. The answer is no, the main, public road to Salta bisects it. I did well to stop though because I saw the only few Sturnella loyca of the trip here. Going up and east from Payogasta the road quickly enters the cactus zone where, a bit unexpectedly, Teledromas fuscus was quite common, and if I am not mistaken, also rather surprisingly, so was Pseudasthenes steinbachi. Above the cactus zone is an undulating plateau where Birdquest got 2 good Charadiiformes, but all I saw of note was 2 Muscisaxicola capistratus. Beyond, the vegetation changes in páramo-like grassland and then the road quickly begins its steep descent into the valley where it is known as Cuesta del Obispo. The vegetation here is a mix of grassland, and shrubs, which are largest and most numerous in the various little quebradas that the road crosses. Despite arriving in the early afternoon (I spent a lot of time looking for the Charadriiformes), there was lots of avian activity here. I saw many finch-type birds and various furnariids, and heard one of the local specialties, Scytalopus zimmeri. I heard at least one in the last and likely largest quebrada, where one can actually scramble up the riverbed. GPS coordinates : 25°11’10”S 65°48’09”W. Just a bit past that site I drove past a Saltator rufiventris accompanying a mixed flock, but when I stopped I could not locate it again. I did not try hard as I was badly parked and there seems to be a constant flow of tourist vehicles on this road; this is the only place where this seemed to be the case. Continuing on to Salta I did not see much; the road crosses a yungas zone that could be good if there was any place to stop. I wanted to find a place to sleep north of Salta to get to the Cornisa road early tomorrow, and Vaqueros seemed like a good place; unfortunately I did not go far enough and ended up in a shady peripheral barrio that did not have any kind of accommodation. Thus I went back to Salta at a hotel whose name I do not remember for 150 pesos. If I had actually made it to Vaqueros (and not the place I went to, which my GPS called Vaqueros) I would have found abundant accommodation, though likely more pricey.

19.06: Today I wanted to do the Cornisa road, which is the old road from Salta to Jujuy which winds through forested hills. From Salta, the first few tens of kms go pass through residental and agricultural areas and are not very interesting for birding. I forgot to turn on my alarm clock so I woke up later than planned. Got to Cornisa road well after dawn. Luckily there was still good activity for another 2 hours or so. I saw quite a few Yungas species here, though mostly the more common ones. Among the best was 1 Eriocnemis glaucopoides which I saw when I came through here on the way back south. The northern part of the road passes through somewhat drier forest, here I saw 1 Xiphocolaptes major on the way back. Then I drove past through Jujuy on the way to the Salinas Grandes, making a small detour in Tilcara to tank up (there is no gas between Jujuy and the Salinas). On the way to the Salinas the road crosses over a high pass, the Abra de Potrerillos. Just before, the road makes a series of hairpin turns collectively known as Cuesta del Lipán. Here I encountered a very large mixed flock; in fact all the birds mentioned in the list for this site were more or less part of it. Got to the salinas in the late afternoon, and a guy offered (for a certain price) to guide me to a group of little natural pools in the salinas. Glad I did it; I think it would have been risky to venture out in the salinas on my own; the guide said that near the shore one risks breaking through the salt crust.

I managed to find a room that was rented by a lady in Tres Pozos on the W side of the Salinas. There is no sign; I just had to ask. Price was 100 pesos. Drove out at night to look at the stars; spectacular view of galactic core.

20.06: Took the dirt road passing W of the Salinas on the way to Abra Pampa. Unfortunately got stuck almost immediately when I got to a point where the track seemed sandy and I ventured off the track onto what seemed like firmer ground. In reality that was just a crust, whereas the track, while covered in sand, was hard underneath. Placed the tent and the air mattress (which I predictably ripped) under the wheels to get out; was about two thirds out when another vehicle came by and whose occupants pushed me out. The driver, who lives in Jujuy, then invited me to the big party-and-soccer-game at a village further down the track. I stayed for a while, waited for a long time and listened to some speeches and eventually played soccer for all of 5 minutes before I felt I had sufficiently dragged down my team (foreigners vs. villagers). Near this village the road passes by the Laguna Guayatayoc, which is the part of the Salinas Grandes which has not dried up. There quite a few Flamingos here, mostly P. chilensis, 2 juv. P. jamesi by the shore, and a group of ad. P. andinus/jamesi. On the way to Laguna de Pozuelos I had to almost go past Abra Pampa, and took for a few km the road to AP to look at some roadside ponds, seeing several species which I would again see later. The road from Abra Pampa to Pozuelos passes through some hills where I saw several species typical of rockier areas. I did not really have any instructions on how to visit Laguna de Pozuelos. I had figured I might need to leave the car by the road and walk a few km to the shore. Luckily, driving along the road on the southern side of the lake, I came across a sign for access to the lagoon, which is reached by following a dirt track for I think 7 km (quite long). I had to open 2 gates to get to the lagoon, and never managed to close the first one again. From the parking lot at the end you still have to walk a few hundred meters to reach the shore. At Pozuelos waterbirds were abundant and quite diverse; alas no Fulica gigantea, and no Phoenicoparrus andinus here or anywhere else. I saw 1 Anthus correndera here, which was the only pipit I was to see during my entire time in Argentina (including Buenos Aires and Entre Ríos). I left at sunset, and drove at night to la Quiaca, seeing a seemingly large owl on the way. Stopping on the road to look at stars, I was accosted by another vehicle whose two inebriated occupants wanted to know if all was well and then offered be a swig, the first of which I accepted. They then invited me to follow them to La Quiaca, where we talked (surprisingly the driver actually was an (ex-?)engineer) and I watched them drink. They wanted to invite me to some kind of event the following day and I gave them my (swiss) phone number; luckily they never called back. Night at Hosteria El Sueño (near the bus station), 130 pesos.

21.06: I spent the whole day to the east of la Quiaca, at Yavi and in the Sierra Santa Victoria. Yavi is supposed to be a good site for several uncommon species, including several with a mainly Bolivian range and that just make it into Argentina. However I missed many of these and the only specialties I saw were Metriopelia ceciliae and Gallinago andina (I am not sure if the latter can be reliably expected here as I have not heard others making mention of it). The Sierra Santa Victoria is reached by a dirt road leads to the distant village of Santa Victoria. If I remember correctly there is a sign to Santa Victoria at the only fork in the road E of Yavi (where you should fork right, which is actually just straight). The road goes over a pass that is about 4500 meters high, and then stays near that altitude for quite some ways. After the pass, at the first dip into a small valley, there is a smaller dirt track which goes down to Abra Lizoite, which I took on the way back after having followed the road to Santa Victoria for some distance. The road to Santa Victoria, which stays at high altitude for quite a while, is good for Phrygilus dorsalis and Muscisaxicola cinereus and supposedly other species too but I again missed quite a few species that Birdquest tours saw here. The road to Abra Lizoite descends along the stream and quickly reaches areas of Polyepis scrub and human-modified orchard-like vegetation. The road to Santa Victoria probably eventually reaches similar habitat. Here I saw the only Haplochelidon andecola and Poospiza hypochondria of the trip (latter normally quite easy on Cuesta del Obispo). In the evening returned to La Quiaca and stayed at Hotel Frontera, right next to El Sueño, for 100 pesos.

22.06: Today I drove south from la Quiaca. My first main stop was at Laguna Runtyoc, a few km north of Abra Pampa on the east side of the road. I had to climb across one fence to reach the shore. Quite a lot of birds here though nothing I had not seen at Pozuelos aside from a Circus cinereus. South from Abra Pampa I stopped by a house which stands between the road and a small parallel river. This was surprisingly good, with a group of 4 Metriopelia aymara and 1 Muscisaxicola rufivertex. Coordinates: 22°53’37”S 65°36’54”W.

In Humahuaca I decided to take a road that leads east over the mountain range towards Santa Ana, rather similarly to the Santa Victoria road, in the hope of seeing some species that I missed on the latter. This turned out to be the road leading to what is probably the most famous tourist sight of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, namely the view of the Serranía del Hornocal. Not many birds of note aside from some more Metriopelia aymara. At night drove to Yala, drove up road to the lakes for some ways, hoping to hear some owls, but nada. Spent night in the "Refugio", which offers camping, dormitories, and private rooms. I wanted to camp but discovered than that my mattress was broken and did not want to sleep on hard ground or in car (at the time I thought I would not be able to sleep sitting, but I managed to do so on one occasion in Brazil, after having taken several more night buses) so ended up sleeping in dormitory (where I was alone) for 100 pesos.

23.06: This morning drove back up the road to the lakes all the way to the top, walked around some ways along the road. Unfortunately I was in thick cloud the whole time. Still got 1 Myiotheretes striaticollis; likely heard Phacellodomus maculipectus (definitely heard something very similar to a Phacellodomus) but idiotically I erased the recording when, after playing the video, I thought my camera had stopped recording sound when in fact I had just put it on mute. Later went back down, hoping for Cinclus schulzi, and saw one in flight where the river joins the road. Then walked a while searching for it, drove a bit further down, walked out again and finally found a pair, and a pair of Merganetta armata. At this point starting to feel nauseous and wondering if last night's chicken empanadas or latent altitude sickness were to blame, I drove off towards Calilegua, stopping in Jujuy to try to fix mattress (closed for lunch). Stopped again in San Pedro and the tyre guy there said it was unfixable so I bought a new one. Spent night at a guesthouse in Calilegua village, for 200 pesos. Do not remember name but according to Google Earth it is on calle San Lorenzo, near the northern end. Big group of Ramphastos toco in tress across the street. Felt nauseous and had big chills in the evening, hoped I did not have dengue, but next morning I was fine.

24.06: I spent the whole day in Calilegua National Park, driving all the way to the exit at the top and back down. Unfortunately it was cloudy again today, the bottom of the layer situated at about 900 meters and the top at about the altitude of the exit, 1700 meters, so I got a peek at some blue sky. At an early morning stop at the beginning of the trail "called" Selva Pedemontana at a hairpin bend in the road, I came across a very large and diverse mixed flock containing many species I had not seen until then. Driving on a walking some ways along a few trails I saw various other interesting species. Near the top one certainly notices the difference in species composition as many species absent at lower levels are common here; overall there seems to be less diversity, but each species is on average more abundant. Overall there were lots of mixed flocks calling quite a lot, but many species I was hoping to at least hear, such as Grallaria albigula and Trogon curucui, were silent (or at any rate did not sing; I may have overlooked any calls). At dusk however I was lucky enough to see a Momotus momota fly past and land on a nearby branch, just right at the entrance to the park. The turnoff to Calilegua is not clearly indicated; there is a sign before the bridge on the N side of Gral San Martin, but which gives an erroneous distance. The turn-off is right after the bridge, and goes right through a zone of trash disposal. Here there are several roads; the one closest to the river is private and does not lead to the park; the correct road is intermediate between this and another more to the right. At night went to General San Martin to look for a cheaper place for the night. The hotel I stayed at (forgot the name) was more expensive at 260 reais but I stayed anyway because of the wifi that I needed to download photos of tyrannulets.

25.06: Arrived before daybreak in Calilegua hoping to hear some owls, but again no luck. This morning stayed in lower part, just below cloud (now more like at 700 meters), seeing mostly the same species as yesterday but also a few new ones. Feeling I was not going to see anything more, later in the morning I left Calilegua and ventured eastwards into the chaco, hoping for better weather (which was not to be). The chaco east of Calilegua seems to be more or less uncharted territory in the birding community, the Joaquin V. González area being the classic place to look for chaco specialties. I imagine this is because there are much better accommodation opportunities there, as well as the fact that it is easier to visit an area that has already been visited by other birders, who can then offer detailed information about the logistics and birding sites. However, looking on

Google Earth, it seemed to me that the chaco in the area of a little settlement some 80 km east of Calilegua called La Estrella was probably as least as good as what I could find around JV Gonzalez; it would not require any more of a detour from my main route either. The road east to Rivadavia in particular seemed to cross particularly pristine habitat, and it is in fact there that I saw most of the rarer chaco specialties. Anyway in the afternoon I drove all the way to La Estrella and ventured some 10 kilometers out onto the road to Rivadavia, stopping at various places along the way to look for birds. From Calilegua to the turnoff to Palma Sola the road is mostly paved but also has quite a lot of traffic. Afterwards the traffic is much lighter but the road is also in much poorer condition. The road to Rivadavia, though unpaved, is again better. La Estrella coordinates: 23°49'13"S 64°03'42"W In the evening I asked if there was any place to stay in La Estrella; there was none, the nearest place (in driving time) was Pichanal. Not wanting to drive 60 km to the north just to find a place to sleep I walked up to a house in La Estrella and asked the occupants if I could pitch a tent in front of their property; they agreed, and so I did. The dirt seemed a bit filthy, the trucks were noisy all night, and although I was assured it was safe I still was slightly nervous about this situation, though I do not think that my feelings were founded. I did meet some police cars on the road E to Rivadavia and apparently this is a smuggling route so to anyone keen on repeating my little adventure I would advise against sleeping by the road outside of La Estrella.

26.06: In the morning I drove on the Rivadavia road for about 35 km, stopping at various sites, before turning around. The first portion of the road goes through an area of low hills, with the chaco seeming slightly wetter on the highest ones. In this area I found Rhinocrypta lanceolata and Myrmorchilus strigilatus. Later, near where I finally turned around, I found a mixed flock holding several chaco specialties which I only saw there, including Furnarius cristatus. I saw a total of 6 Chunga burmeisteri along this road. In the only roadside settlement, I came across 2 Camplylorhamphus trochilirostris. Later I drove back west (and then south), past La Estrella and Palma Sola, seeing various interesting species en route. S of Palma Sola I drove through a small yungas reserve called Las Lancitas, and kept on driving a long way, past El Fuerte, where I saw large groups of Amazona tucumana. Upon reaching a zone of nice yungas forest at dusk, I decided I would try to camp by the side of the road. As I was pitching my tent I asked a car passing by if this was a good idea; the driver said no and offered to drive in front of me to guide me to Santa Clara. I suppose wanting to camp by the roadside probably a bit risky, but I think sleeping in the car would have been a lot safer. I accepted the man's help and drove to Santa Clara. At this point I was not really sure what I wanted to do tomorrow; when I got to Santa Clara I decided I wanted to go back through the Cornisa road tomorrow since I had to go south anyway to return the car in Tucumán. Thus I explained to the owner of the hostel that my "guide" had already found for me that I wanted to keep going, and drove all the way to El Carmen, near the northern end of the Cornisa road. I spent the night at a hostal whose name I again did not write down, for 150 pesos.

27.06: I drove south along the Cornisa road in the morning, again stopping at various sites. I encountered a guy with audio recording equipement and binoculars on the roadside, and, sure that this was a birder, stopped to say hi. This young man, Nacho, turned out to be an ornithologist from Salta who was here to record some Sappho sparganura; we talked about birds for a while, probably longer than he would have liked. He said that he was normally going to contribute to López-Lanus's Bird Sounds of the "Southern Cone", but decided to pull out due to disagreement with his methods; in particular he said that López-Lanus was a bit carefree and not meticulous about tracking down and fixing identification errors, and he disliked the way many recordings had been edited and filtered. A bit further down the road I drove by Nacho's photographer friend. After that, while driving south, I hesitated of going to JV González, eventually deciding against it and driving all the way back to Tucumán, returning the car 13 days after I picked it up. On the way I still saw several new species by the road.

Agriornis murinus Lesser Shrike-Tyrant, Cafayate

Bird list The bird list is arranged by taxonomic order but it might seem unfamiliar to some. Indeed this list deviates significantly from the "classic" sequence (although by now I am not too sure what that might be) to reflect recent discoveries in avian phylogeny borne by molecular research. Initially I starded by gleaning information from Wikipedia rather than by going directly to the source. Then I started to look for papers on avian phylogeny and arranged several clades based on these papers, and following the IOC list when no other source was available. However in the end I stumbled upon the TiF (taxonomy in flux) list, which is the very impressive accomplishment of a single man named John Boyd, who is not even a professional ornithologist. His list, which classifies all 10000 or so bird species on earth, essentially follows the same principles as I wanted for my list, and keeps up to date with the most recent findings; as such it is constantly updated, hence the "in flux". In the end I have decided to almost entirely follow the TiF list; a few times I do not follow it exactly if it appears that it should have been arranged differently based on the cladogram presented by Boyd for the group in question. In particular, when considering two sister clades, I consider the "derived" clade (which is the one to come after the" basal" clade) to be the one where occurred the most ancient split between surviving lineages within the clade. Boyd on the other hand will sometimes place a species-rich clade after a sister clade which is species-poor but has greater diversity of higher-level taxa. Mammal-wise I saw a group of wary Guanacos above Los Cardones, and regularly encountered small groups of Vicuñas on the altiplano. I recorded a total of 235 native species, and 683 over the course of my entire trip in Argentina and Brazil.

Crypturellus tataupa Tataupa Tinamou several heard singing together E of La Estrella Nothoprocta ornata Ornate Tinamou 1 flushed at Cuesta del Lipán not far from pass (Abra de Potrerillos). Eudromia elegans Elegant Crested-Tinamou group of around 10 at Los Cardones Merganetta armata Torrent Duck pair in lower Rio Los Sosa and several separate males higher up, and pair and 2 males in river at Yala Chloephaga melanoptera Andean Goose quite a lot at Angostura, a field beween Cafayate and Cachi, Pozuelos and Runtyoc and a few W of Abra Pampa Lophonetta specularoides Crested Duck some W of Abra Pampa and at Runtyoc and many at Pozuelos

Anas georgica Yellow-billed Pintail some at Angostura and at Pozuelos Anas flavirostris Speckled Teal regularly encountered Anas puna Puna Teal several W of Abra Pamapa and at Runtyoc and many at Pozuelos Anas cyanoptera Cinnamon Teal a few at Runtyoc Ortalis canicollis Chaco Chachalaca 2 together W of La Estrella, heard E of La Estrella, group E of Palma Sola Penelope obscura Dusky-legged Guan group in lower residential area at Yala, and group a bit out of Calilegua entrance Phoenicopterus chilensis Chilean Flamingo quite a lot at Guayatayoc and Pozuelos, multiple at Runtyoc Phoenicoparrus jamesi James's Flamingo 2 immatures at Guayatayoc, multiple and Pozuelos and Runtyoc Podiceps occipitalis Silvery Grebe quite numerous at Pozuelos Patagioenas picazuro Picazuro Pigeon regularly encountered in agricultural lowlands, chaco, and yungas, and 1 heard 7km E of Cafayate Patagioenas maculosa Spot-winged Pigeon several at 7km E of Cafayate, 1 heard on Cornisa road, and quite a few in Yavi and around Abra Lizoite Zenaida auriculata Eared Dove various sightings in lowlands and Andean valleys Leptotila verreauxi White-tipped Dove quite a few around Quilmes, some in Calilegua, common in Chaco Leptotila megalura Large-tailed Dove 1 glimpsed at top of road in Calilegua, and 1 seen slightly better at Las Lancitas Columbina picui Picui Ground-Dove various sightings from Cafayate to Cachi, in agricultural lowlands and in chaco Metriopelia melanoptera Black-winged Ground-Dove several tens in a quebrada a few km before Infiernillo pass, and numerous in Yavi and a few several km W of Yavi Metriopelia morenoi Bare-eyed Ground-Dove 2 and 4 (likely same) in quebrada right next to Infiernillo pass, and 2 with the previous species Metriopelia ceciliae Bare-faced Ground-Dove quite a few at Yavi Metriopelia aymara Golden-spotted Ground-Dove 4 at a stop south of Abra Pampa and quite a few in an inhabited area on Santa Ana road, when road already has been going down for a while Guira guira Guira Cuckoo various groups in chaco Crotophaga ani Smooth-billed Ani group of about 10 in Palma Sola Piaya cayana Squirrel Cuckoo 1 seen at Calilegua Eriocnemis glaucopoides Blue-capped Puffleg 1 male seen on Cornisa road Sappho sparganura Red-tailed Comet 1 female in Quilmes, 1 male glimpsed W of El Fuerte, several on Cornisa road pointed out by Nacho Amazilia chionogaster White-bellied Hummingbird several in Calilegua and on Cornisa Road Aeronautes andaecola Andean Swift several at Infiernillo and in Abra Lizoite valley Pardirallus sanguinolentus Plumbeous Rail 1 seen at Angostura, in ditch at foot of hill on the right Gallinula chloropus Common Moorhen several at Pozuelos. Sometimes the American forms are split to G. galeata. Fulica ardesiaca Andean Coot many at Pozuelos where nesting, quite a few at Runtyoc, and many distant Fulica at Angostura most likely this sp. Fulica gigantea Giant Coot a few at Pozuelos, mostly nesting pairs Himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt quite a few at Angostura, W of Abra Pampa, Pozuelos; maybe forgot to write down sightings at Runtyoc. The S S American form is sometimes split as H. melanurus Recurvirostra andina Andean Avocet some at Pozuelos Vanellus chilensis Southern Lapwing many at Angostura, various sightings between Cafayate and Cachi, and likely forgot to write down more sightings Vanellus resplendens Andean Lapwing several at Angostura ,in a field between Cafayate and Cachi and at Pozuelos Charadrius alticola Puna Plover quite numerous at Pozuelos Gallinago andina Puna Snipe 1 seen in Yavi. ID solely by range/altitude; barely saw it well enough to determine genus. Chroicocephalus serranus Andean Gull multiple at Angostura, road between La Quiaca and Abra Pampa, Runtyoc, and Santa Ana road Phalacrocorax brasilianus Neotropical Cormorant several seen from bus in rivers between Santiago del Estero and Tucumán Egretta thula Snowy Egret multiple at Angostura Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret 1 W of La Estrella and group E of Palma Sola Theristicus caudatus Buff-necked Ibis a few seen and heard in Calilegua, 2 together W of El Fuerte, 1 heard on Cornisa road, 1 or 2 seen near Salta and 1 on road back to Tucumán Plegadis ridgwayi Puna Ibis multiple W of Abra Pampa, at Pozuelos, and at Runtyoc Vultur gryphus Andean Condor 2 together at Infiernillo, 1 immature a bit past Infiernillo, 1 at Quilmes ruins, 2 together in sandstone between Cafayate and Cachi, 5 together at Cuesta del Obispo, separate adult and imm. On Sta Victoria road Coragyps atratus Black Vulture various sightings in lowlands and Andean valleys Cathartes aura Turkey Vulture commonly seen, with several even on altiplano Elanus leucurus White-tailed Kite 1 near Rosario de la Frontera Circus cinereus Cinereous Harrier 1 above Tafi and 1 at Runtyoc Buteogallus meridionalis Savanna Hawk 2 separate near Rosario de la Frontera Buteogallus urubitinga Great Black-Hawk 1 W of Palma Sola and 1 E of Palma Sola

Rupornis magnirostris Roadside Hawk 1 near Salta, 1 in Calilegua, quite a few in chaco and drier yungas including on road from Salta to Tucumán Buteo melanoleucus Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle 1 in flight at bottom of Cuesta del Obispo and 1 on roadside wire near Runtyoc Buteo polyosoma Red-backed Hawk common in higher Andes Athene cunicularia Burrowing Owl 1 above Tafi, pair about 10 km W of Amaicha, and 1 near Runtyoc Momotus momota Blue-crowned Motmot 1 seen at dusk at Caliegua entrance. This is a wide-ranging polytypic species which likely will be split in the future. Ramphastos toco Toco Toucan several tens in late PM in tree next to guest house in Calilegua town, several at Calilegua and in a group with Penelope obscura a bit outside of Calilegua, heard at Lancitas, 1 W of El Fuerte, 1 on Cornisa road Picumnus cirratus White-barred Piculet several in Calilegua and on Cornisa Road on both visits Picumnus dorbignyanus Ocellated Piculet 1 seen in Calilegua and at least 1 likely on Cornisa road. At these 2 sites Piculets were often heard but generally difficult to see well. The one in Calilegua was seen dorsolaterally and had spotted breast but seemingly plain abdomen. Melanerpes cactorum White-fronted Woodpecker quite a few in Amaicha valley, especially around Quilmes, and 1 on road from Salta to Tucumán Veniliornis frontalis Dot-fronted Woodpecker 1 on Cornisa road at least 2 separate females in Calilegua. Several more woodpeckers glimpsed in Calilegua were most likely this or the above species. Colaptes rubiginosus Golden-olive Woodpecker 1 very tame female on upper Sosa road, and about 2 separate in Calilegua Colaptes melanochloros Green-barred Woodpecker several heard in Amaicha valley with 1 seen in Quilmes, and at least 2 in Yavi Colaptes rupicola Andean Flicker several above Infiernillo, 2 separate above Tafí, 1 on Santa Victoria road, group of about 5 S of la Quiaca, 1 on Santa Ana road Campephilus leucopogon Cream-backed Woodpecker pair in Calilegua (with possibly more with it), double knocks (only made by Campephilus woodpeckers, and I suppose C. melanoleucos could have been possible) heard in several sites in chaco, and 1 male and 2 females together at Las Lancitas Cariama cristata Red-legged Seriema 1 seen just before Lancitas, many heard on Cornisa road in early morning Chunga burmeisteri Black-legged Seriema 3 and 2 and 1 seen E of La Estrella and 1 W of La Estrella Caracara plancus Southern Crested Caracara quite frequently seen at lower elevations Phalcoboenus chimango Chimango Caracara quite frequently seen in open habitats in Andes and a few in lowlands Phalcoboenus megalopterus Mountain Caracara 2 at a carcass just W of Cuesta del Obispo, and 2 + 2 on Santa Victoria road Falco sparverius American Kestrel commonly encountered in more open habitats Falco femoralis Aplomado Falcon 2 above Tafí, 1 on hillside next to Angostura, and 1 W of La Estrella Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 1 in yungas on Cachi to Salta road, and pair seen on both days in Calilegua, where there is a bend in road and the start of a trail in "selva pedemontana" (I will call this site SP), on prominent trees below, overlooking wide valley Psilopsiagon aymara Grey-hooded Parakeet 2 together in sandstone formation between Cafayate and Cachi, and a group in Abra Lizoite Psilopsiagon aurifrons Mountain Parakeet small group heard and glimpsed on Cuesta del Lipán at same place as Nothoprocta and a group of about 30 seen beyond the Abra de Potrerillos Myiopsitta monachus Monk Parakeet various sightings, mostly in groups, between Córdoba and Tucumán and in the chaco E of Calilegua, and 1 group N of Tucumán Pionus maximilani Scaly-headed Parrot several rather large groups from E of Palma Sola to Las Lancitas Amazona tucumana Tucumán Amazon several large groups around El Fuerte which apparently is an important site for this "vulnerable" species, and several groups in early morning on Cornisa road on second visit Amazona aestiva Blue-fronted Amazon group flying over at Sosa road 1st stop (ID by call and shape), a group heard on Cornisa road on first visit, a group seen well W of La Estrella, and several more groups heard in chaco Pyrrhura molinae Green-cheeked Parakeet 1 group heard on Cornisa road, 1 largish group at SP in Calilegua on first day, heard only on second day, and a group seen W of La Estrella Cyanoliseus patagonus Burrowing Parrot various groups seen in the Valles Calchaquíes, from near Amaicha to near Cachi Thectocercus acuticaudatus Blue-crowned Parakeet 1 seen E of La Estrella and a group at southern edge of Salta city Psittacara mitrata Mitred Parakeet group flying over at Sosa road 1st stop (ID by call and shape), and another group similarly seen on Cornisa road, where heard only on second visit Primolius auricollis Golden-collared Macaw heard in Calilegua and 2 together seen in Caimancito (on road from Calilegua to La Estrella) Myrmorchilus strigilatus Stripe-backed Antbird 1 heard singing in evening E of La Estrella and several heard singing nearby in the morning, phone did not make them come Taraba major Great Antshrike several heard and several males seen in La Estrella area Thamnophilus caerulescens Variable Antshrike multiple seen and heard at Calilegua and 1 seen and at least 1 heard on Cornisa road

Thamnophilus ruficapillus Rufous-capped Antshrike several heard including 1 seen on Cornisa road Rhinocrypta lanceolata Crested Gallito E of La Estrella, 1 heard and then seen with another after playing song on phone, and then several heard and 1 seen spontaneously the following morning Teledromas fuscus Sandy Gallito at least 2 heard together in evening about 10 km W of Amaicha, and quite a lot heard and several seen 7 km E of Cafayate Scytalopus superciliaris White-browed Tapaculo 2 heard including 1 seen around a quebrada a few km before Infiernillo and 1 heard and seen in quebrada next to Infiernillo Scytalopus zimmeri Zimmer's Tapaculo 1 heard in large quebrada at bottom of Cuesta del Obispo, unresponsive to phone Geositta punensis Puna Miner quite regularly encountered on the altiplano Geositta cunicularia Common Miner 1 on track to Pozuelos and 1 on Santa Ana road Geositta rufipennis Rufous-banded Miner 2 and 1 on Cuesta del Obispo, at least in large mixed flock at Cuesta del Lipán, 2 together beyond Abra de Portrerillos, 1 in gorge between Abra Pampa and Pozuelos Sittasomus griseicapillus Olivaceous Woodcreeper several seen in Calilegua, and likely heard without recognizing it in other yungas sites; unfortunately the typical song was missing from the collection on my phone Dendrocolaptes picumnus Black-banded Woodcreeper several together singing and 1 separate in Calilegua Xiphocolaptes major Great Rufous Woodcreeper 2 together at Lancitas and 1 on N Cornisa road Drymornis bridgesii Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper 2 together at FC site E of La Estrella Campylorhamphus trochilirostris Red-billed Scythebill 2 together at the first little settlement E of La Estrella Lepidocolaptes angustirostris Narrow-billed Woodcreeper several in Calilegua, various sightings in chaco, 1 at Lancitas, at least 1 on Cornisa road, 1 seen on road to Embalse Cabra Corral Xenops rutilans Streaked Xenops several in Calilegua and 1 at Lancitas Ochetorhynchus andaecola Rock Earthcreeper 1 with large mixed flock on Cuesta del Lipán, 1 in gorge between Abra Pampa and Pozuelos and 1 a bit before Ochetorhynchus ruficaudus Straight-billed Earthcreeper several above Infiernillo, 1 a bit above Cardones, 1 (not sure) on Cuesta del Obispo, 1 on Santa Victoria road, 1 at Metriopelia aymara site S of Abra Pampa Tarphonomus certhioides Chaco Earthcreeper 1 N of Tucumán Furnarius rufus Rufous Hornero several between Córdoba and Tucumán, in Quilmes, 1 on N Cornisa road, several in Jujuy area, at least 1 at FC site E of La Estrella, and at least 1 more in La Estrella area; likely overlooked Furnarius cristatus Crested Hornero at least 2 together about 35 km E of La Estrella (will name this site FC) Upucerthia validirostris Buff-breasted Earthcreeper quite a few above El Infiernillo, 1 in gorge between Abra Pampa and Pozuelos, multiple on Santa Victoria road Cinclodes albiventris Cream-winged Cinclodes I think quite commonly encountered in Andes, certainly so in the yungas zone along rivers Cinclodes atacamensis White-winged Cinclodes quite commonly encountered in the Andes near water, had some trouble separating this species from the following, only getting more certain towards the end Syndactyla rufosuperciliata Buff-browed Foliage-Gleaner quite common on Cornisa road, at Yala, in Calilegua and in Lancitas Leptasthenura fulginiceps Brown-capped Tit-Spinetail several together on upper Sosa road, 1 at 7 km E of Cafayate, 1 on lower Cuesta del Obispo, 2 separate at Yala Leptasthenura aegithaloides Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail several together above Infiernillo, 1 at 7 km E of Cafayate, 1 just above Cardones, at least 1 on Cuesta del Obispo, 1 on Abra Lizoite road, 2 and 1 on Santa Ana road Phacellodomus rufifrons Rufous-fronted Thornbird 1 seen in Palma Sola Phacellodomus sibilatrix Little Thornbird rather large noisy group E of La Estrella Phacellodomus striaticeps Streak-fronted Thornbird quite a few around Infiernillo and on Cuesta del Obispo, at least 1 between Abra Pampa and Pozuelos, several on Abra Lizoite road and at Metriopelia a. site S of Abra Pampa Asthenes dorbignyi Rusty-vented Canastero 2 singing in cactus habitat near pass S of Cachi, 1 seen and 1 heard in gorge between Abra Pampa and Pozuelos several on Santa Victoria and Abra Lizoite roads, 1 heard S of Abra Pampa, several on Santa Ana road Asthenes baeri Short-billed Canastero 1 W of La Estrella and 1 E of La Estrella Asthenes pyrrholeuca Sharp-billed Canastero quite a lot heard calling and 1 seen at 7 km E of Cafayate Asthenes modesta Cordilleran Canastero quite a few around Infiernillo, at Cuesta del Obispo, Cuesta del Lipán, Santa Victoria and Abra Lizoite roads, and Santa Ana road Coryphistera alaudina Lark-like Brushrunner several at FC site E of La Estrella, and a group a bit further W Cranioleuca pyrrhophia Stripe-crowned Spinetail several on Cornisa road and in Calilegua. I think it is likely that I at least heard this species without recognizing it in the chaco. Pseudasthenes steinbachi Steinbach's Canastero 2 separate in sandstone formation between Cafayate and Cachi, and apparently quite common at los Cardones with 1 just above los Cardones; Nacho said it was likely too high for this species, but tail seemed right and call distinctive (no recordings) Pseudoseisura gutturalis White-throated Cacholote 2 together W of Amaicha next to where a dirt road from the left joins main road, and 2 together at Los Cardones, all silent Pseudoseisura lophotes Brown Cacholote several at FC site E of La Estrella Synallaxis scutata Ochre-cheeked Spinetail quite a few heard and several seen in Calilegua

Synallaxis azarae Azara's Spinetail quite a few heard and several seen on Cornisa road and in Calilegua. A silent Synallaxis seen E of La Estrella was probably S. frontalis but I did not look at supercilium so ID would be based on habitat alone (and here the chaco was a bit wetter). Phytotoma rutila White-tipped Plantcutter a male and a female in Abra Lizoite Phylloscartes ventralis Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet quite common in yungas, with several sightings on lower Sosa road, Cornisa road, in Calilegua and in Lancitas Tolmomyias sulphurescens Yellow-olive Flatbill several seen and heard in Calilegua Poecilotriccus plumbeiceps Ochre-faced Tody-Tyrant several heard and seen in Calilegua at lower elevations Hirundinea ferruginea Cliff Flycatcher quite common in Valles Calchaquíes (Amaicha area to Cachi area), mostly in suburban or wooded agricultural areas Stigmatura budytoides Greater Wagtail-Tyrant 3 together W of Amaicha (and likely more heard in the area but did not yet know call), quite a few heard and 1 seen at 7 km E of Cafayate, several heard between Cafayate and Cachi, several groups W and E of La Estrella, 1 on road to Cabra Corral Xanthomyias sclateri Sclater's Tyrannulet several seen in Calilegua and 1 on Cornisa road. Spent a lot of time trying to identify tyrannulets in the canopy in Calilegua, and only based on visual characters as I suppose I did not realize it would be easier by voice Xanthomyias hellmayri Buff-banded Tyrannulet 1 seen a split second at Calilegua in canopy (largely pink bill, long pale supercilium) Tyranniscus burmeisteri Rough-legged Tyrannulet 1 seen close on Cornisa road (not very colourful, pale iris); likely more glimpsed and heard there and in Calilegua, as with all other tyrannulets Camptostoma obsoletum Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1 seen 7 km E of Cafayate, 1 seen and heard on access road to Calilegua (and finally learned the call, which made me realize that I had been hearing it regularly), multiple heard and 2 seen in chaco , 1 heard at Lancitas, 1 heard on Cornisa road, 1 on road to Embalse Cabra Corral Mecocerculus leucophrys White-throated Tyrannulet seen at several sites on Cornisa road and in Calilegua, often in small groups Anairetes flavirostris Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant 2 together in Quilmes and 1 at 7 km E of Cafayate Serpophaga griseicapilla Straneck's Tyrannulet various seen and heard in chaco in La Estrella area Serpophaga subcristata munda White-crested Tyrannulet several heard and 1 seen at 7 km E of Cafayate, and possibly some in chaco. This form used to be split from the yellow-bellied nominate subspecies. Suiriri suiriri Suiriri Flycatcher various seen in chaco in La Estrella area Casiornis rufus Rufous Casiornis 1 at Lancitas Myiarchus tyrannulus Brown-crested Flycatcher a few separate seen in Calilegua Machetornis rixosa Cattle Tyrant 2 and then 1 the next time on access road to Calilegua, and likely more sightings that I forgot to note Pitangus sulphuratus Great Kiskadee quite common in lowlands and Valles Calchaquíes Octhoeca oenanthoides D'Orbigny's Chat-Tyrant 3 separate on road beyond Infiernillo and 1 on Abra Lizoite road Contopus fumigatus Smoke-colored Pewee a few separate seen and heard in Calilegua Sayornis nigricans Black Phoebe several in Río Los Sosa and in Yala river Hymenops perspicillatus Spectacled Tyrant at least 3 males in a field between Cafayate and Cachi, where I saw Chloephaga group Knipolegus striaticeps Cinereous Tyrant 1 male E of La Estrella Knipolegus cabanisi Plumbeous Tyrant 1 female at Calilegua and 1 male and 2 pairs on Cornisa road Muscisaxicola maculirostris Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant 1 seen beyond Infiernillo near Agriornis montanus Muscisaxicola cinereus Cinereous Ground-Tyrant 1 on Santa Victoria road Muscisaxicola rufivertex Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant 1 S of Abra Pampa at Metriopelia aymara site Muscisaxicola capistratus Cinnamon-bellied Ground-Tyrant 2 together on plateau between Los Cardones and Cuesta del Obispo Xolmis irupero White Monjita several between Córdoba and Tucumán and 1 at Dique la Ciénaga S of Cuesta del Obispo on both occasions Myiotheretes striaticollis Streak-throated Bush Tyrant 1 heard and eventually seen at Yala Agriornis murinus Lesser Shrike-Tyrant 1 at 7 km E of Cafayate. Would like someone to confirm ID on the photo, because A. montanus also has dark bill and could thus seem very similar if not for tail which I did not really look at when it flew away. Agriornis montanus Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant 1 above Infiernillo, 1 past Infiernillo near a dirt road to the left of the main road that goes to a few houses close to a steep rocky hillside, 1 on Santa Ana road which at first thought was above species due to dark iris Cyclarhis gujanensis Rufous-browed Peppershrike a few seen on Cornisa and in Calilegua; at the time was wary of confusing this sp.'s song with Turdus rufiventris so likely was often heard but not written down Cyanocorax chrysops Plush-crested Jay common in the yungas Pygoochelidon cyanoleuca Blue-and-white Swallow group in lower Sosa valley and various seen in downtown Tucumán Orochelidon andecola Andean Swallow several groups on Abra Lizoite road Polioptila dumicola Masked Gnatcatcher quite common in chaco Troglodytes solstitialis Mountain Wren common in Calilegua at higher elevations and 1 seen on Cornisa road

Troglodytes aedon House Wren generally common in Valles Calchaquíes, in yungas and lowlands Mimus patagonicus Patagonian Mockingbird common in Valles Calchaquíes Mimus triurus White-banded Mockingbird 1 above Tafí, 1 on Cafayate to Cachi road, rather common in chaco, and several Mimus seen between Córdoba and Tucumán likely this sp. Mimus dorsalis Brown-backed Mockingbird a few separate on Abra Lizoite road, and 1 in Azul Pampa at N end of Quebrada de Humahuaca Cinclus schulzi Rufous-throated Dipper 2 together in river at Yala. Very quickly saw one at top of where river follows road, took a long time before I located presumed same one with another. Distinctive buzzy call not found on phone or on XC. Turdus rufiventris Rufous-bellied Thrush common in yungas Turdus nigriceps Andean Slaty Thrush several heard in Calilegua, W of El Fuerte, and on Cornisa road, with 1 seen in Calilegua and 1 on Cornisa road Turdus chiguanco Chiguanco Thrush often common from Upper Sosa valley to Cachi, and at least 1 seen in Abra Lizoite and several at Yala. Possibly heard in other areas without call being recognized Anthus correndera Correndera Pipit 1 at Pozuelos Euphonia chlorotica Purple-throated Euphonia at least one, probably several separate, heard in Calilegua, recognized by quality similar to Carduelis carduelis Sporagra magellanica Hooded Siskin large group on upper part of Sosa road, group on road from Cafayate to Cachi, small group in Yavi and in Abra Pampa Sporagra atrata Black Siskin 2 together on Cuesta del Lipán and group on Abra Lizoite road Rhynchospiza strigiceps Stripe-capped Sparrow several N of Tucumán at Tarphronomus site Chlorospingus venezuelanus Common Chlorospingus common in yungas Arremon flavirostris Saffron-billed Sparrow 1 on Sosa Road first stop, and several at Calilegua Arremon torquatus White-browed Brushfinch common in Calilegua at higher elevations and 1 seen lower down Zonotrichia capensis Rufous-collared Sparrow common in most habitats except open areas at high altitude Atlapetes fulviceps Fulvous-headed Brushfinch common at Yala and in Calilegua at higher elevations Atlapetes citrinellus Yellow-striped Brushfinch quite a few on Sosa road at mid- to upper elevations and 1 at Lancitas Piranga flava Hepatic Tanager pair near Quilmes, 1 male at 7 km E of Cafayate, 1 male in Calilegua, 1 male on access road to Calilegua, several in chaco in Estrella area, pair in N part of Cornisa road Pheucticus aureoventris Black-backed Grosbeak 3 or 4 separate on Cornisa road and 2 separate in Calilegua Cyanoloxia brissonii Ultramarine Grosbeak at least 1 male and female glimpsed on Sosa road 1st stop, pair E of Estrella, pair at Lancitas Rhopospina fruticeti Mourning Sierra-Finch at least 1 female on Cuesta del Obispo, group in Yavi, many on Abra Lizoite road, various groups on altiplano Rhopospina alaudina Band-tailed Sierra-Finch small group at Infiernillo pass and 1 female on road from Salinas Grandes to Abra Pampa Pipraeidea melanonota Fawn-breasted Tanager several seen on Cornisa road and 2 separate in Calilegua Pipraeidea bonariensis Blue-and-yellow Tanager several seen in chaco around Estrella Dubusia rufiventris Rufous-bellied Saltator 1 seen very briefly while driving at bottom of Cuesta del Obispo Paroaria coronata Red-crested Cardinal quite common in chaco around Estrella Tangara sayaca Sayaca Tanager 1 at Yala in lower part, group on access road to Calilegua, group and single in chaco around Estrella, group and 2 separate on Cornisa road Conirostrum speciosum Chestnut-vented Conebill 1 male seen at Calilegua Phrygilus gayi Gray-hooded Sierra-Finch group past Infiernillo at Muscisaxicola maculirostris site Phrygilus atriceps Black-hooded Sierra-Finch several just above Los Cardones and at Cuesta del Obispo, various sightings on altiplano, quite numerous in Yavi and on Abra Lizoite road Sicalis flaveola Saffron Finch a few females together in outskirts of Amaicha and a quite large group in Quilmes, and various sightings in chaco Sicalis olivascens Greenish Yellowfinch large group at Cuesta del Lipán, several groups between Abra Pampa and Pozuelos, and on Santa Victoria road, and 1 group at Metriopelia aymara site S of Abra Pampa Sicalis lutea Puna Yellowfinch at least 1 at Cuesta del Lipán, 1 between Abra Pampa and Pozuelos, several on Santa Victoria road, and several at Metriopelia aymara site S of Abra Pampa, always in groups of following species Diuca dorsalis Red-backed Sierra-Finch quite a few on Santa Victoria road Diuca diuca Common Diuca Finch 1 seen and at least 1 more heard W of Amaicha, and quite numerous at Cardones Geospizopsis unicolor Plumbeous Sierra-Finch a few together on Cuesta del Obispo Geospizopsis plebejus Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch common in the Andes above the treeline Catamenia inornata Plain-colored Seedeater group a little bit past Infiernillo, small group on Cuesta del Obispo, likely 1 male on Cuesta del Lipán, at least 1 S of Abra Pampa at Metriopelia aymara site Catamenia analis Band-tailed Seedeater group in Quilmes Hemithraupis guira Guira Tanager 1 male and 1 female nearby in Calilegua Coryphospingus cucullatus Red Pileated Finch common in chaco and in yungas-chaco transitional forest Saltatricula multicolor Many-colored Chaco-Finch several groups in chaco around La Estrella but near the end realized that if I did not look closely I tended to confuse them with Saltator aurantiirostris, so unsure about how many I really saw

Saltator aurantiirostris Golden-billed Saltator various sightings in Valles Calchaquíes, at Yavi, Abra Lizoite road, Yala, chaco, Cornisa road, and likely in other places where I forgot to write down sightings Embernagra platensis Great Pampa Finch 1 in Payogasta (between Cachi and Los Cardones) and several in Yavi Poospiza baeri Tucuman Mountain-Finch 1 at quebrada before Infiernillo at same site as Metriopelia melanoptera Thlypopsis sordida Orange-headed Tanager quite a few in Calilegua Thlypopsis ruficeps Rust-and-yellow Tanager 1 seen on Cornisa road Poospizopsis hypochondria Rufous-sided Warbling-Finch 1 on Abra Lizoite road Microspingus erythrophrys Rusty-browed Warbling-Finch 1 at mid-elevation on Sosa road, several on Cornisa road, quite a few in upper part of Calilegua Microspingus torquatus Ringed Warbling Finch 1 at 7 km E of Cafayate and a small group E of Estrella Microspingus melanoleucus Black-capped Warbling-Finch 1 on access road to Calilegua and several in chaco around La Estrella Sturnella loyca Long-tailed Meadowlark 1 singing male with 2 females, and around 2 more heard singing, at Payogasta Molothrus rufoaxillaris Screaming Cowbird 1 immature in a group of Agelaioides badius N of Tucumán Molothrus bonariensis Shiny Cowbird large group just above Tafí, and several groups on road from Cafayate to Cachi Agelaioides badius Baywing 1 near Quilmes, quite numerous in Yavi, and various groups in chaco in Estrella area and between Salta and Tucumán Icterus pyrrhopterus Variable Oriole several in chaco in Estrella area, single on in pairs Cacicus solitarius Solitary Cacique 2 at FC site E of La Estrella Cacicus chrysopterus Golden-winged Cacique at least one both each time on Cornisa road, at least 2 separate in Calilegua and at least 1 in Lancitas Psarocolius decumanus Crested Oropendola quite a few in Calilegua, mostly in groups Setophaga pitiayumi Tropical Parula common in yungas Myiothlypis bivittata Two-banded Warbler quite a few seen and heard in Calilegua and several heard and 1 seen on Cornisa road Basileuterus culicivorus Golden-crowned Warbler a few at Sosa road 1st stop Myioborus brunniceps Brown-capped Whitestart common in yungas

Mimus patagonicus Patagonian Mockingbird, Amaicha