[Thomas Field]

Recently I was asked by a member of the BirdForum what are some of the most common birds seen around Santiago. Here is my list of the 20 most common ones, followed by a list of the next 50.

These first 20 are common in the city and surrounding suburbs of Santiago.

1. Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango)
2. Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis)
3. Rock Dove (Columba livia)
4. Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata)
5. Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)
6. Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides galeritus)
7. Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail (Leptasthenura aegithaloides
8. White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps)
9. Tufted Tit-Tyrant (Anairetes parulus)
10. Rufous-tailed Plantcutter (Phytotoma rara)
11. Chilean Swallow (Tachycineta meyeni)
12. House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
13. Austral Thrush (Turdus falcklandii)
14. Chilean Mockingbird (Mimus thenca)
15. Common Diuca-Finch (Diuca diuca)
16. Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis)
17. Austral Blackbird (Curaeus curaeus)
18. Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis)
19. Black-chinned Siskin (Carduelis barbata)
20. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Here are the next 50 most common birds found between Santiago and the coast. On almost any birding day, you can expect to see most if not all of these.

21. White-tufted Grebe (Rollandia rolland)
22. Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
23. Great Grebe (Podicephorus major)
24. Silvery Grebe (Podiceps occipitalis)
25. Peruvian Booby (Sula variegata)
26. Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus)
27. Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
28. Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi)
29. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
30. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
31. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
32. Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
33. Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
34. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
35. Red Shoveler (Anas platalea)
36. Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)
37. Chiloe Wigeon (Anas sibilatrix)
38. Speckled Teal (Anas flavirostris)
39. Yellow-billed Pintail (Anas georgica)
40. Lake Duck (Oxyura vittata)
41. White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)
42. Harris’s Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)
43. Variable Hawk (Buteo polyosoma)
44. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
45. California Quail (Callipepla californica)
46. Plumbeous Rail (Pardirallus sanguinolentus)
47. Spot-flanked Gallinule (Gallinula melanops)
48. Red-gartered Coot (Fulica armillata)
49. White-winged Coot (Fulica leucoptera)
50. Red-fronted Coot (Fulica rufifrons)
51. American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
52. Blackish Oystercatcher (Haematopus ater)
53. White-backed Stilt (Himantopus melanurus)
54. Collared Plover (Charadrius collaris)
55. Rufous-chested Dotterel (Charadrius modestus)
56. Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
57. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
58. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
59. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
60. Surfbird (Aphriza virgata)
61. Brown-hooded Gull (Larus maculipennis)
62. Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)
63. Grey Gull (Larus modestus)
64. Inca Tern (Larosterna inca)
65. Chilean Flicker (Colaptes pitius)
66. Dark-bellied Cinclodes (Cinclodes patagonicus)
67. Fire-eyed Diucon (Xolmis pyrope)
68. Patagonian Negrito (Lessonia rufa)
69. Yellow-winged Blackbird (Agelaius thilius)
70. Long-tailed Meadowlark (Sturnella loyca)

Best wishes,
Tom