Relative to countries like Ecuador or Colombia – heck, even relative to the state of New York – Chile doesn’t have a lot of birds. Paradoxically, that makes it a great birding destination. Think about it: a lavishly illustrated field guide to the birds of the country can include a bonus section on the identification of eggs (!!!) and full-page photographs of the authors’ favorite species, and still slip easily into your handbag. Studying up on the birds you’re likely to see is relatively easy. Do you find hummingbirds frustrating, but love distinctive gulls and weird ducks? Do wren-like birds with long, spiky tails appeal to you? You’ve come to the right place!

But where Chile really stands out is the omnipresence of birds on the walls of its cities. As readers of this blog surely know by now, I love street art almost as much as I love birds. And Chilean street artists seem to have a strong ornithological bent. The walls of Santiago and other cities were practically a gallery of the birds of Chile; I could stroll neighborhoods and sharpen my identification skills at the same time.

Here, then, are some of my sightings.