Birds

The fauna in the forests present two typical birds: the chucao tapaculo and the black-throated huet-huet. They are walking non-flying birds, common in the tangled thickets of colihue cane, where they can be better heard than seen.
Among the typical birds of prey in the area, the peregrine falcon, the black-chested buzzard-eagle and the red-backed hawk are to be notedThe most picturesque bird living in water is the torrent duck. Swimming against the current of large rivers, it looks for insect grubs and catches them diving skillfully and turning removing stones with its beak.
The other ducks in this area are the Andean ruddy duck and the spectacles duck. In the lakes, one may spot birds such as the huala , the silvery grebe, the crested duck, the flying steamer duck and the red-gartered coot, etc.

BLACK-CHESTED BUZZARD EAGLE (Geranoaetus melanoleucus)
It is the biggest bird of prey in the area. Males are 70 cm long and females 60 cm.
It can be found at 3000 m as it dwells in a wide range of habitats such as wooded prairies, hills or wood borders. It has long powerful wide wings and a short tail.
Its head and body are leaden gray and its ventral zone is sort of creamy white. The adult has a clear gray spot on its chest. It glides a lot, sometimes forming circles, and it usually lands on posts or wired fences. It feeds on mammals, reptiles and birds.

BUFF-NECKED IBIS (Theristicus caudatus)
The buff-necked ibis can be recognized for its leaden gray back and cinnamon colored neck and head. It is almost 60 cm long and its beak is curved, thin, long with a yellow tip and a bark base. It flies in a triangular fashion. This detail, together with its loud cry, makes it easy to differentiate it when it is flying. It groups in numerous flocks, meeting at given places so as to breed. It makes its nest in the same place year after year and in winter it migrates to warmer areas.

MAGELLANIC WOODPECKER (Campephilus magellanicus)
It is the biggest woodpecker in South America as its wings can be 44 cm long. It lives in the Andean woods.
Males have red head and crest and black body, but the female peecimens have black head and crest with a red patch. It feeds on insects and grubs found in the bark of plants and it builds its nest in holes made in trees. It can walk in all directions due to the disposition of its fingers and its rigid tail that it uses as a wedge.

CHILEAN FLICKER (Colaptes pitius)
This woodpecker, which is smaller than the previous one (29 cm), has modest colors. Its heas is crowned in gray its belly covered with white and black bars. It is a friendly bird and it is usually found in groups, on branches. It is a characteritic species of the Araucan wood.

UPLAND GOOSE (Choloephaga picta)
In fall it goes to the provinces of Buenos Aires and La Pampa.
It nests in prairies, plateaus or valleys, and positions the nest in a small depression in the ground between grasses and bushes, preferably near a water course. The male has black head, neck and lower parts with black transverse strips. It is 71 cm long while females are only 65 cm long.
It feeds on grass, in pastures meant for cattle-breeding. It also eats crops, that is why they are considered plagues.
These animals get together forming large flocks.

ANDEAN CONDOR (Vultur gryphus)
This magnificent bird is found alongside the southern mountains of Argentina. It dwells on the higher parts of the mountains and comes down to sea level only to get food. It is the biggest flying bird in the world and it can reach 1,20 m long with a 3 m wide wingspan. Males are bigger and have a powerful crest on the head. They are carrion-eating birds, which locate dead animals through their sight. Once they find their food, they usually wait before approaching it, as they have hierarchies as befits their age.

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Adults have ash-gray plumage on top and white underneath, black crown, black back and black wing cover. During rut, males show long and thin white feathers on the back of their neck.
It is usually seen quiet and silently alighted on some branch hanging over the water or a river or a lake, waiting for a fish or frog to goby in order to catch it, plunging over it.
It is a lonely bird and when it flies at night, it makes a sad honk similar to the cry of a fox.

RINGED KINGFISHER (Ceryle torquata)
It is 43 cm long and has colorful plumage: grayish-light blue back, untidy crest-like feathers, white collar, brownish-orange chest and white-striped tail. It has a sharp beak usually 13 cm long and a long tail. It can be seen stealthy, alert, alighted on a branch so as to dive and snatch some fish. Apart from fish, it feeds on batrachians and water insects, if needed.
It is a good diver and makes a loud cry to announce his presence, similar to a rattle.

LESSER RHEA OR CHOIQUE (Pterocnemia pennata)
It usually lives in small corners of steppes or bushes. It is slightly over 1 m long and 1.30 tall. It has grayish ocher colored plumage, white belly, and light chest. It has white patches, like spots, at the end of its feathers. It has a short beak.
In order to distinguish this species is a very particular feature has to be taken into account. Unlike the greater rhea, its thigh feathers go down in a V, before the tarsus, down to the knees. It feed mainly on fruit, seeds although it can also catch small insects.
During rut, males are territorial and fight between them. Several females lay numerous eggs in the same hole and they cover them with grass and twigs. Males are then in charge of the incubation labors.

Batrachians and Reptiles

COWBOY TOAD (Rhinoderma darwinii)
It is probably the amphibian with most unique looks and habits in the region. It is hardly 3 cm long but has a triangular head with a pointed appendix that looks like a nose. Color may vary from toad to toad, going from green to orange. When embryos make their first movements after fertilization, the cowboy toad takes them to the mouth without swallowing them and places them in specially designed vocal sacs. There, the tadpoles develop and emerge after 3 weeks as perfectly formed toads. That is why this toad is also named "midwife toad".

GREEN-HEADED LIZARD (Liolaemus chilensis)
Reptiles are represented by 11 lizard species and 1 snake species. In spite of the fact that most amphibians live close to the water, the majority of lizard species live in arid places.
Taking the tail into account, it can be 23 cm long and hides very fast. It gives a very desperate loud cry when caught, which has originated its Chilean name "Whining Lizard".