Chile open new trek route (1 Viewer)

I know nothing about the country but it's long been on my 'must do' list. I wonder if this new route, makes aссess to any good species, a bit better?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45663960

Well, I would expect you would see a number of good birds if you walk 2,800km

I don't know the answer to your question, but Chile is definitely a good place to visit.

Niels

njlarsen said:

Well, I would expect you would see a number of good birds if you walk 2,800km

I don't know the answer to your question, but Chile is definitely a good place to visit.

Niels

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Perhaps I didn't phrase it properly? I wondered if it may make any currently, difficult species, more easy to get to now there seem to be some logistics in place?

Lots of people doing a 2,800 km walk might improve feeding conditions for Andean Condors a bit :-O

Nutcracker said:

Lots of people doing a 2,800 km walk might improve feeding conditions for Andean Condors a bit :-O

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Indeed, doubt that many would do the whole length.

We did 300km in Nepal and that took a month.

There is already good access to all the good species that I can think of. Would be a nice hike though.

What species are (currently) difficult in Chile (pure out of interest)?

temmie said:

What species are (currently) difficult in Chile (pure out of interest)?

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The ones I can think of are several penguin species that nest on hard to access islands off the coast of Tierra del Fuego - and, of course, a hiking route is not going to change this. Otherwise, perhaps Hooded Grebe, but this is more due to its sporadic occurrence in Chile and remoteness of some of the pools that it might occur ...again, can't see the hiking route making this any easier.

Maybe I am overlooking some species.

Hi Andy,

I've only spent a limited amount of time in southern Chile, but birds were abundant and not difficult to find. Access and infrastructure along large parts of the new route are already very good and includes all key habitats and species, so I don't think this makes a big difference. However, it's a fabulous legacy and will be an amazing experience for those with the time (and stamina!).

You may be interested in this as well: the so-called Bi-Oceanic Railway from Sao Paolo to Peru
https://www.plenglish.com/index.php...analyze-details-of-bi-oceanic-railway-project
https://www.railway-technology.com/...dor-a-new-railroad-to-rival-maritime-freight/

Cheers,
Joost

I agree with Joost's comment about the new route - it is more a legacy and a great experience waiting to happen for the motivated, than it is about access to new habitats/birds.

Ignoring birds that are hard to get on your Chile list, which is a very different discussion, globally hard birds and major Chilean targets that are genuinely hard would be:

Fuegian Snipe: this is one of the harder birds in S America. If a good and accessible stakeout were found it would be a major feat. I'd put my trekking shoes on if I knew I could see this species!

Rufous-tailed Hawk: kind of hard but there is usually a nest known and with a bit of time you will see one.
Blackish Cinclodes: readily gettable via a boat out of Ushuaia so doesn't quite make the cut for me.

Chilean Woodstar, Ticking Doradito, Horned Coot, Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, Ruddy-headed Goose, Magellanic Plover, and many others are certainly great birds but are not really that hard and sites are well known.

Hooded Grebe is essentially a vagrant to Chile as far as I understand, and is readily accessible in Argentina with proper preparation (and is one of the best birds in S America in my opinion, I was not prepared for how gobsmacked I was when I saw it).

Masafuera Rayadito is one of the hardest Chilean species, and certainly is one of the more logistically challenging species of note in S America but isn't really germane to the discussion as I'm pretty sure the trail isn't going to give way to a surprise population of this species

Many thanks PB and Joost.