Diversity will be the nature of our two weeks in the Andes, Pampas, and Gran Chaco of Argentina. And no trip to Argentina would be complete without a visit to one of the grandest spectacles on earth, Iguazu Falls. Our tour is timed to take advantage of spring on the Tropic of Capricorn, a time filled with emerging shoots, birdsong, and soft nights on the "estancia"—or ranch—we’ll call home when we visit the vast marshes of Ibera. Birds we’ll have the opportunity to see range from antediluvian Andean Condors in the altiplano to diminutive Red-tailed Comet among the columnar cacti at the ruins of an ancient Quolla citadel in Tilcara, to Golden-collared Macaw in the bromeliad-encrusted cloud forests of Calilegua National Park, to Surucua Trogon in the misty subtropical woodlands at Iguazu. The arid Gran Chaco harbors prizes like Great Rufous Woodcreeper and the vast Ibera Marsh, South America’s largest protected wetlands, is home to the stately Jabiru. Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, is situated on the edge of the Pampas. Here we’ll find pairs of Rufous Horneros, the national bird of Argentina, presiding over their giant adobe nests. Our tour begins with our transfer from Buenos Aires to San Salvador de Jujuy in the alder forests of the Andean foothills. This unique habitat shelters a community of birds which includes Mitred Parakeet, Chiguanco Thrush, and Brown-capped Whitestart. Red Book-listed Rufous-throated Dipper, by far the rarest member of its family, occurs in the nearby Yala Valley. Beyond Yala lies the Cerro Siete Colores, literally the “Hill of Seven Colors.” Mesquite trees, with red-flowering parasitic plants called “Ligas,” in this picturesque village attract hummingbirds such as White-sided Hillstar, Sparkling Violet-ear, and Giant Hummingbird. Farther up the mountains we may encounter Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Rufous-banded Miner, and White-tipped Plantcutter. Saline lagoons in the Altiplano over 10,000 feet in elevation provide habitat for a new subset of Andean avifauna. This is where we’ll learn to sort out the three species of flamingoes: Chilean, Andean, and Puna or James’, as well as watch for Andean Avocets and Andean Plovers. Descending into Yungas Cloud Forest near Salta we’ll search for two species only found here and in adjacent Bolivia: Red-faced Guan and Alder Parrot. Still difficult but more likely are Spot-winged Falconet and Crested Gallito. Plummeting some 230 feet along a broken mile-long crescent, Iguazu Falls is simply hypnotic. Here we’ll have three nights and two full days at a hotel that actually looks straight down the “devil’s throat” at the cascade, surely one of the most scenic locations for a hotel in the world. Of course, there will be birds here, too. Among these we might find Black-faced Piping-Guan, Rufous-capped Motmot, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Sirystes, and Sayaca Tanager. And plastered to the exposed jagged stone jaws of these enormous waterfalls are flocks of glistening-wet, roosting Great Dusky Swifts moving subtly like a carpet of maggots. The bright light and heroic vistas of the Ibera Marshes comes in stark contrast to Iguazu. Alive with Caiman, Marsh Deer, and Capybara, these vast wetlands offer spectacular birding. Aside from the big herons and storks and the Greater Rhea, there are smaller denizens such as Bearded Tachuri, Strange-tailed Tyrant, and Black-and-white Monijita. After a three night stay on a wonderful ranch we return to Buenos Aires. Famed as one of the great capital cities of the world, Buenos Aires is more than fine steaks, delicious pasta, and superb wine. Buenos Aires is good birding. Located on the edge of the Pampas, a nature reserve within the city of 11 million provides sanctuary for at least 200 birds typical of the Pampas. Among these are Southern Screamer, Freckle-breasted Thornbird, Masked Gnatcatcher, and Red-crested and Yellow-billed Cardinals. Afinal detour some 50 miles north of Buenos Aires en route to the international airport may net us Aplomado Falcon, Giant Wood-Rail, Field Flicker, and Scarlet-headed Blackbird. Join us for the Argentine spring as we explore some of the most unique bird communities in all South America.