Buenos Aires - safety (1 Viewer)

Hi all

I will visit BA in a couple of months, and I am really looking forward to do some birding. I actually lived there until my mid 20s and have family so I am fairly familiar with the place and dos and donts, but I have never birded there.

I am planning to visit at least Costanera Sur, Parque 3 de Febrero and, time permiting, Delta, but I have some concerns about wandering around with binoculars and, maybe, a camera.

Having said that, I can see that birding is booming there and people bird in those and other locations, no issue.

Can anyone who birds there please comment?

Gzoladz74 said:

Hi all

I will visit BA in a couple of months, and I am really looking forward to do some birding. I actually lived there until my mid 20s and have family so I am fairly familiar with the place and dos and donts, but I have never birded there.

I am planning to visit at least Costanera Sur, Parque 3 de Febrero and, time permiting, Delta, but I have some concerns about wandering around with binoculars and, maybe, a camera.

Having said that, I can see that birding is booming there and people bird in those and other locations, no issue.

Can anyone who birds there please comment?

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Costanera Sur is gated, guarded and afaik considered pretty safe. I have walked a far share there with a big camera and never felt even a weird look. I have only a limited experience with the delta, as it is quite hard to get anywhere, but whereever I went it was really peaceful and with no people but locals in homes, which are honestly pretty upscale for rural Argentina, so it looked fine to me as well.

Costanera Sur you should be fine. I usually put my bins in my backpack before leaving and walking to a bus/subway station, but i don’t think the area around Puerto Madero (where Costanera Sur is located) is any cause for concern. 3 de Febrero is mostly ringed by affluent neighborhoods and you should be fine as well. I’ve wandered with bins plenty. The Delta is hard to access good habitat as mentioned but I should think you’d be ok.

Only places a tourist or birder is likely to end up where precaution is needed:
- Near Retiro train station. Don’t show optics, phones, money here.
- Otamendi, don’t bird too close to the hovels/huts at the railroad crossing, and I generally try to stay close to my vehicle to be less exposed. I haven’t heard of robbery here lately but it had occurred in the past, particularly near the railroad crossing.
- Costanera Norte (the reserve behind the university campus). Has (or had) some sketchy folks about at times, I never take a camera and usually take small bins but have never had a problem. It was closed for a while while the police cleaned up/out squatters living in the reserve. I don’t know if it is open again.

Thanks guys, this helps. Good point re Delta, I have yet to do some research but would have thought that any boat would leave you easily enough in a good habitat.

Not planning to do Costanera Norte. I did part of the University in Ciudad Universitaria, and you had to be very careful in the area.

Currently my plan is 3 de Febrero and Costanera Sur, however, I am aware of other good locations (like the above mentioned Otamendi) which are subject to my previous research and time available..

I will take just small binocs and a bridge camera.