2007 Tour Narrative
It is no wonder that Iguazú Falls is one of the most visited sites in Argentina. The Falls are mesmerizing for anyone, but for the birder, the combination of the landscape and the many birds in the surrounding forests creates a recipe for the perfect birding holiday. The Spot-billed Toucanet that ultimately seemed even more curious about us than we were about it, the Rufous Gnateater that came ever so close to a couple of us, the Rusty-breasted Nunlet feeding a youngster, and the rare Black-fronted Piping Guan competed with many others for top bird of the week. The fearless flights of Great Dusky Swifts into the torrents of water at the falls, Toco and Green-billed Toucans brilliant in the morning and evening light, and White-bearded and Blue Manakins displaying were just a few of the birding experiences enjoyed by all. And as has become the norm on this trip, we had a rich share of the unexpected on the trip, including a Black Jacobin at the feeders and a Pearly-breasted Cuckoo on one of our forest walks.
The tour to Iguazú Falls was the concluding highlight to this year’s series of Argentina trips, starting in the High Andes, then proceeding to the Pampas, Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego before finishing at Iguazú. Participating in all three segments of our Argentina offerings provides glimpses of a dramatic diversity matched by few countries in the world, and offers not just the ultimate in birding, but the ultimate in a holiday experience for anyone.
Judy Davis
Updated: January 2008