1-day Pucusana and Chilca Wetlands Birding Tour

Peru Day Tour: 1-Day Pucusana and Chilca Wetlands – Coastal Birding From Lima

This tour is perfect for people with only one day available in Lima who wish to head into the field to enjoy excellent views of Peru’s spectacular coastal birdlife. Highlights include the iconic Inca Tern and near-endemic Humboldt Penguin, along with a host of charismatic seabirds, shorebirds and several Peruvian specialties.

Humboldt Penguin is one of our targets on this Lima tour (photo Uwe Speck).

Itinerary

Our day begins with a 7:30 a.m. pick-up from your hotel in Lima. We drive approximately 40 miles (64 km) south to the traditional fishing village of Pucusana.

From the shoreline we can expect views of Belcher’s Gull, Kelp Gull and Grey Gull, along with close-range encounters with the spectacular Inca Tern. Other coastal species commonly observed include Blackish Oystercatcher, Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, Red-legged Cormorant, Neotropic Cormorant, Blue-and-white Swallow and the endemic Surf Cinclodes. Depending on the season, migrant shorebirds such as Ruddy Turnstone and Surfbird may also be present along the shore.

Red-legged Cormorant seen around Pucusana Island (photo Uwe Speck).

We then enjoy a one-hour private boat excursion around Pucusana Island. This boat ride is typically the highlight of the day, offering outstanding photographic opportunities and very close views of hundreds of Peruvian Boobies and Peruvian Pelicans. At certain times of the year, a few Blue-footed Boobies may also be seen roosting on the cliffs.

One of our main targets is the near-endemic Humboldt Penguin, which may be observed swimming in the calm waters of the bay or standing on rocky ledges. Marine mammals are also possible, including South American Sea Lion and hopefully the elusive and seldom-seen Marine Otter.

After leaving Pucusana, we continue south to the freshwater wetlands of Chilca. This site serves as a seasonal refuge for North American migratory shorebirds during the austral summer, while also supporting a number of resident Peruvian species. Resident specialties include Grassland Yellow-Finch and Peruvian Pipit. Shorebird diversity can be excellent, with species such as Killdeer, Snowy Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Whimbrel, Willet, Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and Wilson’s Phalarope, depending on the season. Rare visitors such as Hudsonian Godwit and Marbled Godwit have also been recorded here.

Other wetland species may include Black-necked Stilt, American Oystercatcher, Cinnamon Teal, White-cheeked Pintail, and Puna Ibis. This is also one of the most reliable sites along the Peruvian coast for the scarce Peruvian Martin, although sightings cannot be guaranteed. We will also search for the impressive Peruvian Thick-knee, sometimes found near the beach entrance.

Inca Tern surely stands among the most beautiful terns in the world (photo Uwe Speck).

A short drive further south provides an opportunity to look for the striking Many-colored Rush Tyrant. Additional possibilities in this area include Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Grey-headed Gull, Little Blue Heron, Peruvian Meadowlark, and Wren-like Rushbird. On rare occasions, the secretive Least Bittern may also be encountered.

Peruvian Thick-Knee is possible along arid habitats south of Lima (photo Uwe Speck).

In the afternoon we return to Lima, arriving at the hotel at approximately 4:00 p.m. En route, we may encounter common urban and garden species such as Long-tailed Mockingbird, Scrub Blackbird, Amazilia Hummingbird, Vermilion Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird and Southern House Wren.