Argentina’s Huaico Reserve is a 60-hectare cloud forest located just eight kilometres outside the bustling city of Salta. The Reserve is run by a non-profit organisation and visitors on bird watching holidays can only enter with an appointment. However, the organisational effort needed to experience the Huaico Reserve is well worth it, with over 205 different species of birds having been recorded in the area alone – including parrots, hummingbirds, guans, woodpeckers and tanagers.
A Unique Origin
The history of the Huaico Reserve is fascinating, to say the least. Originally, the land was sporadically populated in some of the lower levels by horse and cattle ranching, with the small town of San Lorenzo primarily occupied by the wealthier people of Salta, who built beautiful summer homes here. In 1929, a Yugoslavian immigrant named Federico Ebber, who hoped to devote the area to the cultivation of flowers, bought a large section of the region. Despite later turmoil, the area was purchased by an anonymous donor in 2004 with the view to establishing a private urban reserve. Today the area is a haven for many avian species, and visitors on bird watching holidays will also be able to enjoy the beautiful magnolias, pink and white lilies, orange trees and Cycas.
Conservation in Action
Bird watching holidays that include a visit to the Huaico Reserve will benefit from the expertise of a local guide. Due to the fact that the Reserve is a private park, it is not unusual for one of the staff members to personally guide tours through the winding trails to point out the huge abundance of flora and fauna on show throughout the Reserve. It is an interesting fact that many of the now common species were brought back from the edge of extinction through the diligence and hard work of the dedicated conservationists who work in the Huaico Reserve.
An Array of Sighting Opportunities
Among the many different species visitors might sight during bird watching holidays in the Andes, and especially on the Reserve, are the beautiful Cream-backed Woodpecker or the Golden-olive Woodpecker, along with the tiny Ocellated Piculet. The exotic hummingbird population is a delight to see and can include the White-bellied Hummingbird, the Red-tailed Comet and possibly the Slender-tailed Woodstar. These birds are just a handful of the ones that any visitor has the potential to see in the Huaico Reserve. It is also well known for sightings of the stunning Fawn-breasted Tanager, Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner, Stripe-crowned and Azara’s Spinetails.
The Huaico National Reserve is a wonderful stop for anyone travelling to the Andes to experience the country’s prolific bird population. It is a nicely condensed area that will offer up a wealth of opportunities for sightings, as well as the valuable chance to see successful conservation in action.