Álvaro Jaramillo

Basics: 2003, softcover, 240 pages, 96 color plates, 473 species, range map for each bird

In case I fail to make it clear in my review of the book, I’ll state it now: This book is a necessity for your birding trip to anywhere in Chile. The illustrations are excellent and cover every bird – both resident and migrant – found in the country. It also covers 13 extra species found in the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

The illustrations are done superbly in detail, structure, and color. If I had to pick on something for criticism, it would only be the vaguely angled outline to some of the birds’ nape/crown and the necks of the swans, but this is minor. The plates do a great job of displaying the many subspecies and seasonal plumages. The many in-flight views are definitely helpful.

The majority of the text consists of excellent notes on identification and of comparing similar species. The detailed notes proved to be very helpful when examining the the various cinclodes and miners in the field. An admiral effort is given to describing the vocalizations. These notes are effectively written and are more detailed than most other field guides of any country.

The range maps are unique due to the shape of Chile. To properly display the 2,500 miles of coastline, the country was broken into thirds: northern, central, and southern. These are placed adjacent to each other in one box. To help provide some orientation, the 12 regions (i.e., provinces) are outlined and Santiago is dotted. For birds with a small range, the map zooms in to that particular area. These maps use five different colors to denote seasons and sparseness.

There are a couple of other books you could use for Chile, but I found this one to be superior to all in terms of illustrations, text, and book size. It will definitely accompany me again. Any other book I bring will be only for back-up reference.

Other Related Books:
1) Las Aves de Chile: Nueva Guia de Campo by Martinez and Gonzalez
2) Birds of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and Antarctic Peninsula by Couve
3) Birds of Torres del Paine National Park by Couve
4) Birds of Chile and Adjacent Regions of Argentina, Bolivia and Peru -- Vol. 1 & 2 by Johnson
5) Birds of Chile: A Field Guide by Araya
6) Guia de Campo de las Aves de Chile by Araya… (altro)