Location: San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Avenue, 94577
Topic: Birds, Birding, and Birders in Chile
Presenter: Alvaro Jaramillo

Chile is an amazingly long and thin country on the west coast of South America with ecology and weather very much like California’s. Although Chile and Uruguay are the only South American countries that entirely lack tropical forest, Chile has an amazing set of unique habitats, such as the Southern Humboldt Current; Atacama Desert, known as the driest place in the world; the Matorral Mediterranean Zone; the near-endemic temperate forests; and the fjords and steppes of Patagonia. In addition to a diversity of ecological areas, it is also a nation that is packed from north to south with amazing vistas. This is one of the Americas’ most beautiful countries in terms of landscapes. There are also mouthwatering birds – Lesser Rhea, Puna Tinamous, Magellanic Plover, Crag Chilia, Green-backed Firecrown, Giant Hummingbird, Great Shrike-tyrant, and fantastic large and bold Chucao Tapaculos, the Black-throated Huet-Huet, and Moustached Turca -- to name a few. Seabirds abound, penguins play in the waves, and oddball "furnarids," or ovenbirds, add a touch of spice to the land birds. Birding has changed immensely during the last decade in Chile, not only because of visiting birders and the new information on where to find birds but also the Chilean birders themselves. Birding is booming in Chile. More and more birders are enjoying this greatest outdoor hobby on earth! Alvaro will show you the birds and places of Chile as well as some of the amazing changes that are occurring in birding within Chile that, hopefully, will eventually increase the resolve to conserve the birds of this skinny ribbon of a country. Alvaro Jaramillo was born in Chile but began birding in Toronto, where he lived as a youth. He studied ecology and evolution in Canada, earning a master's degree studying co-evolution in Argentine cowbirds. Research forays and backpacking trips introduced Alvaro to the riches of the Neotropics, where he has traveled extensively. His recent Birds of Chile is now the standard field guide for that country. To reach San Leandro Main Library from I-580, take the Estudillo exit. Follow Estudillo to library on the right. From I-880, take the Davis St. exit and head east, passing under BART tracks. Go through light at E. 14th St (Davis becomes Callan). Continue 1 ½ blocks to library on right. Library parking lot can be entered from both Callan or Estudillo. We’ll meet in the Karp Room. http://tinyurl.com/yfvxvfv mlt