Spot-flanked Gallinule
Sayaca Tanager
Cattle Tyrant
Tropical Screech-owl
Ultramarine Grosbeak
Golden-billed Saltator
Costanera Sur Birding
Urban wildlife at its best. A mosaic of habitats just minutes from downtown Buenos Aires.
Few cities offer anything like this. Just a short ride from your hotel, the skyline of Puerto Madero gives way to lagoons, reedbeds, riparian woodland, and open grasslands where more than 300 bird species have been recorded.
The reserve protects over 350 hectares along the Río de la Plata. Once heavily altered by urban development, the area was abandoned and slowly reclaimed by nature until conservation efforts secured its protection. Today it stands as one of the most accessible and species-rich urban birding sites in South America.
With a local guide, the reserve becomes far richer: birds found by voice, habitat read more closely, and a landscape that reveals more when you know where and how to look.
What to expect
The pace here is relaxed and flexible, adjusted to your interests and what you're looking for.
You'll move through lagoons, reedbeds, woodland edges and open areas; each habitat with its own cast of species. Birding combines wide scanning over water with slower, closer work near thickets. The city skyline stays visible through most of the reserve, a constant reminder of just how close all of this sits to downtown Buenos Aires. Even well-traveled birders, familiar with how cities tend to push wildlife to the margins, are often struck by how active things are here.
Costanera Sur is rewarding year-round, with the mix of species shifting across the seasons. It works especially well for first-time visitors to Buenos Aires and for those looking for photography-friendly birding without leaving the city.
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What you might see
The list shifts with the seasons. On the water, Coscoroba and Black-necked Swans move alongside Rosy-billed Pochards, while Rufescent Tiger-Heron stands motionless in the shallows, waiting for its moment. The reedbeds and lagoon edges hold Southern Screamers, unmistakable and loud.
Above the nightshade, Variable Oriole hangs upside down to reach the fruit, while Blue-and-yellow Tanager moves through the branches nearby. Deeper in, Gray-cowled Wood-Rails call sharply from the undergrowth, their red eyes sometimes giving them away through the tangle. From a lower perch, an Ultramarine Grosbeak may suddenly draw attention with its rich, melodious voice. Yellow-billed Cardinal brings color to the open areas, and Gilded Sapphire works the flowering edges, especially around ceibo, Argentina's national flower, and the silk floss tree.
No two visits produce the same list and seasonal visitors like the White-winged Becard in summer, or the Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant in winter, give returning birders good reason to come back.
Transport
Pickup and drop-off in Buenos Aires included.
Guide
Private guiding in English or Spanish.
Optics
Binoculars (shared) and a spotting scope are available if needed.
What to bring
Comfortable shoes, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and water bottle.
Food
Meals are not included.
Duration
Half day. A full day is also available for deeper exploration.
Location
Pace
Walking
