Birding Factoids

191 species
in 34 families

2 endemics
19 speciality species
1 endangered species
2 week trip expectation -
50 species

    Falkland Islands
    Hotspots
Checklist of Falkland Islands BirdsTours and GuidesEco-LodgesSpeciality BirdsPrint and Other ResourcesMap and General Country Information
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NOTE: The Argentines laid hundreds of thousands of mines during the war, and contrary to professional military practice kept rather poor records of where they put the explosives. As a consequence, some areas still have active mines (many areas are marked and surrounded by fences). Inquire locally as to what places to avoid, and stick to well-marked and well-traveled routes whenever possible.
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Visit Peter Bono's 2003 Falkland Bird Photos
and Mike Danzenbaker's Falklands Islands Bird Gallery
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Falkland Islands Specialities
King Penguin - Photo copyright Tony Paliser
Photo copyright Tony Palliser

Giant Petrel - Photo copyright Cliff Buckton

Photo copyright Cliff Buckton

Falkland Steamerduck - Photo copyright Eric Van Poppel

Photo copyright Eric Van Poppel

Striated Caracara - Photo copyright Brooke Clibbon

Photo copyright Brooke Clibbon
    ...
    ....Falkland Islands Wildlife - Falkland Islands Government page - 
      The Falkland Islands have a fascinating and perhaps unique range of wild life, which is still to be found in relatively unspoiled areas of natural landscape. Penguins are perhaps the most striking feature of bird life in the Falklands, with five breeding species (Rockhopper, Magellan, Gentoo, King and Macaroni). The Islands have what is the world's largest breeding population of Black-Browed Albatross, although some of the major  colonies are remote and inaccessible.Several species of Petrel nest on offshore islands. Migratory species, such as penguins, arrive to breed in September and depart late March/early April. ....
    ...
    ....Birds of the Falkland Islands - by Dr Mike Bingham. Environmental
      Research Unit, Falkland Islands.
    ...
    ....Penguins in the Falklands: Species & History - Fifteen million 
      penguins live in the South Atlantic (excluding sub-Antarctic and Antarctic areas). A large proportion of these are to be found in the the Falkland Islands which hold the world's largest concentration of Rockhopper Penguins and a quarter of the world population of Gentoo penguins, with three other breeding species (King, Magellanic and Macaroni).
    ...
    ...Antactic Peninsula, South Georgia Island and the Falkland Islands -
      January 22 to February 9, 2000 - by Sam and Liz Febba. 
    ....
    Just for fun:  A Mexican newspaper reports that bored Royal Air Force pilots stationed on the Falkland Islands have devised what the consider a marvelous new game. Noting that the local penguins are fascinated by airplanes, the pilots search out a beach where the birds are gathered and fly slowly along it at the water edge.  Perhaps ten thousand penguins turn their heads in unison watching the planes go by, and when the pilots turn around and fly back, the birds turn their heads in the opposite direction, like spectators at a slow-motion tennis match.  Then, the paper reports "The pilots fly out to sea and directly to the penguin colony and overfly it.  Heads go up, up, up, and ten thousand penguins fall over gently onto their backs."
    But... the Urban Legends website has this to say about this story! 

      -Audubon Magazine

       

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Tours and Guides

See DISCLAIMER


Fiordland Penguin - Peter and Barbara Barham
Photo copyright Peter and Barbara Barham

Imperial Shag - Photo copyright Mariano Jiménez

Photo copyright Mariano Jiménez
    **..Antarctica, the Falklands & South Georgia Islands Cruise with Victor
      Emanuel Nature Tours (VENT) - In this remote and ageless environment, you will observe a moving panorama of Antarctic wildlife with the professional assistance of naturalists, scientists, and VENT tour leaders. Landing on gravelly beaches for excursions, we will study many species of endearing penguins and other avifauna plus a fascinating variety of mammals. Because of the extraordinary tameness of many species, we will have privileged opportunities to view them at close range. During our time at sea we will have the opportunity to observe a tremendous variety of bird life. The pelagic birding in subantarctic and Antarctic waters is some of the best in the world. VENT offers nearly 140 tours to over 100 land-based destinations each year and is the largest tour company in the world specializing in birding and natural history.

 

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Eco-Lodges

See DISCLAIMER

Great Shearwater - Photo copyright Nick Lowton
Photo copyright Nick Lowton
         Not available yet

 

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Endemics and Specialities

in the Falkland Islands

Austral Thrush - Photo copyright Nick Lowton
Photo copyright Nick Lowton
Information on endemics and specialities is derived from Sibley & Monroe checklists and bird distribution lists in Thayer's Birder's Diary - Version 2.5, supplemented by material found in Where to Watch Birds in South America - by Nigel Wheatley. South American speciality birds, while not endemic, are those that can only be found in three or less countries of South America. Information on endangered birds is derived from the IUCN Red List, Birdlife International, and supporting data bases developed by Ian Patton, of Merlin Species Watcher.  The endemic, endangered and speciality birds may be uncommon, extremely rare vagrants, may be extirpated in the country now or may only be present in migration. However, documented sightings of each species noted below have been made in Falkland Islands.
 

 
Endemics in Falkland Islands
___ Cobb's Wren  ___ Falkland Steamer Duck
Endangered Birds in Falkland Islands
(endemics are printed in bold italic)

Breeding Birds

Non-Breeding Birds

___ Cobb's Wren

Other Speciality and Spectacular Birds in Falkland Islands
(adapted from Where to Watch Birds in South America - by Nigel Wheatley.)

___ Austral Thrush
___ Blackish Cinclodes
___ Canary-winged Finch
___ Common Diving Petrel
___ Correndar Pipit
___ Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant
___ Dolphin Gull
___ Gentoo Penguin
___ King Penguin
___ Long-tailed Meadowlark
___ Macaroni Penguin
___ Rockhopper Penguin
___ Ruddy-headed Goose
___ Rufous-chested Dotterel
___ Royal Albatross
___ Snowy Sheathbill
___ Striated Caracara
___ Two-banded Plover
___ Wandering Albatross

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Print and Other Resources on Birds

and Birding in the Falkland Islands

(logos and links take you to on-line locations where you can order/purchase these resources)
....
AMAZON.COM is the registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc.
A small portion of your purchase price for any books purchased by following links from this site will go toward supporting the maintenance and development costs of this site.
    ....Atlas of Breeding Birds of the Falkland Islands - by Robin & Anne
      Woods and illustrated by Geoffrey McMullan. 247 x 175mm, 192pp, casebound and jacketed. ISBN 0 904 614 60 3 Price 25.00 pounds sterling (plus postage and packing). Published by Anthony Nelson, PO Box 9, Oswestry, Shropshire SY1 1 1BY, England in association with Falklands Conservation 

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