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Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve

[edit] Overview

This reserve lies on the waterfront of the Rio Plata near downtown Buenos Aires. It is easy to access from all the important hotels in downtown Buenos Aires. In winter it is possible to count up to 80 species and this rises to 110 in summer.

[edit] Birds

A Gray-necked Wood Rail walks near one of the pedestrian paths. Photo by Gary Clark.

[edit] Notable Species

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[edit] Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

White-tufted Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Cocoi Heron, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Striated Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Maguari Stork, Bare-faced Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Southern Screamer, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Coscoroba Swan, Black-necked Swan, Yellow-billed Pintail, Speckled Teal, Red Shoveler, Cinnamon Teal, Silver Teal, Rosy-billed Pochard, Brazilian Teal, Ringed Teal, Black-headed Duck, Argentine Ruddy-Duck, Harris's Hawk, Snail Kite, Long-winged Harrier, Rufous-thighed Goshawk, Roadside Hawk, Southern Crested-Caracara, Chimango Caracara, Giant Wood-Rail, Gray-necked Wood Rail, Plumbeous Rail, Rufous-sided Crake, Red-gartered Coot, White-winged Coot, Red-fronted Coot, Common Gallinule, Spot-flanked Gallinule, Wattled Jacana, South American Painted-snipe, White-backed Stilt, Southern Lapwing, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalarope, Kelp Gull, Brown-hooded Gull, Snowy-crowned Tern, South American Tern, Picazuro Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Eared Dove, Picui Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, White-eyed Parakeet, Nanday Parakeet, Monk Parakeet, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Guira Cuckoo, Striped Cuckoo, Glittering-bellied Emerald., Gilded Sapphire, Field Flicker, Golden-breasted Flicker, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Bar-winged Cinclodes, Rufous Hornero, Sulphur-throated Spinetail, Wren-like Rushbird, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Chicli Spinetail, Freckle-breasted Thornbird, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Spectacled Tyrant, Blue-billed Black Tyrant, Streaked Flycatcher, Black-backed Water Tyrant, Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Cattle Tyrant, Yellow-browed Tyrant, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Bran-coloured Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Warbling Doradito, White-crested Tyrannulet, Grey-crowned Tyrannulet, Small-billed Elaenia, Grey-breasted Martin, Brown-chested Martin, White-rumped Swallow, Blue & White Swallow, Plush-crested Jay, House Wren, White-banded Mockingbird, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Masked Gnatcatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Golden-crowned Warbler, Masked Yellowthroat, White-lined Tanager, Diademed Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Golden-billed Saltator, Red-crested Cardinal, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Ultramarine Grosbeak, Blue-black Grassquit, Double-collared Seedeater, Rusty-collared Seedeater, Grassland Yellow Finch, Saffron Finch, Rufous-collared Sparrow, Cinnamon Warbling Finch, Black & Rufous Warbling Finch, Black-capped Warbling Finch, Great Pampa Finch, Hooded Siskin, Solitary Cacique, Epaulet Oriole, Screaming Cowbird, Shiny Cowbird, Bay-winged Cowbird, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Bonaparte's Blackbird, House Sparrow, Common Starling

[edit] Other Wildlife

Red-crested Cardinals frequent the trees along the river. Photo by Gary Clark.

To do

[edit] Site Information

This 865-acre (346-hectare) tract of low land is located on the Río de la Plata riverbank on the east side of the district of Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is used heavily by cyclists, walkers, runners, and picnickers, but still provides adequate solitude to allow quiet bird observation and photography. Early morning is the best time to visit for birding, before the crowds arrive. The area is built around several substantial pond/swamp areas, but these can be totally dry depending on season, rainfall, and water management priorities. If you are primarily interested in aquatic species, you should inquire as to the water situation.

[edit] History and Use

This reserve happened almost accidentally. In the 1970s, a huge land fill of construction waste was dumped here as a byproduct of highway construction. Sediment built up to form several large ponds and provide habitat of the native Llanura Pampeana ecosystem. Finally recognized as a significant resource in the 1980s, the government gave it official protection, and developed infrastructure such as pathways, plantings, and water management.

[edit] Areas of Interest

All the major paths are good for birding, and if there is water in the lowland areas, the wide sidewalk along the street outside the park boundary provides excellent views as well, even when the park is closed. Of especial interest are some popular picnic areas on the east edge next to the river, where birds are especially dense. These are accessed via small side roads that drop down from the main pathway on the east side.

[edit] Access and Facilities

A Glittering-bellied Emerald at the Reserve. Photo by Gary Clark.

There are two entrances:

• The main entrance is at the corner of Av. Brasil and Av. Tristan Achaval Rodriguez where you'll find a sculpture from Lola Mora called 'Las Nereidas'.
• At the corner of Viamonte street and Av. Tristan Achaval Rodriguez.

The reserve is closed on Mondays and Holidays! If closed, some worthwhile birding is sometimes possible along the western edge, on the broad pedestrian walkway. During the year it opens from 08:00 to 18:00 and in summer the opening hours extend to 19:00.

Security: This is part of a major city, so security might be a concern, but there are police officers at both entrances and park guards walking along the paths.

There are benches along the walkways for tired hikers. Parillas offer fast food and drink along the walkway west of the park boundary, and full restaurants are only a few blocks away.

[edit] Contact Details

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[edit] External Links

Here are two interesting webpages: Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

http://www2.medioambiente.gov.ar/recursos_acuaticos/ramsar/costanera_sur.htm

Content and images originally posted by Fritz73

[edit] Reviews