Where we are
Chile is located on the south western side of South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean, the Andes and the Atacama Desert. This country is bordered by Peru on the north, Bolivia on the northeast and Argentina on the east.
Ornithologically, continental Chile can be divided into four main regions: North, Central, Lake District and Patagonia. Hualamo specializes in both Central Chile and the South & Lake district, two areas which concentrate most of Chile’s endemic bird species, such as the Dusky-tailed Canastero, Dusky and White-throated Tapaculos, Moustached Turca, Chestnut-throated Huet-Huet, Chilean Mockingbird, Chilean Tinamou, Crag Chilia, Chilean Seaside Cinclodes and Slender-billed Parakeet.
Central Chile
Central Chile (Chile Central), home to a majority of the population, includes the three largest metropolitan areas: Santiago, Valparaiso, and Concepcion. It extends from about 33° south latitude to about 38° south latitude. This area has a Mediterranean climate (similar in many aspects to that of California) with well-defined seasons. Bird breeding activity and vegetation growth is mostly concentrated in spring, between September and November. Summer, between December and February, is dry and hot with temperatures sometimes reaching above 30°C (87º F) and cooling down at night. On the coast and in the mountains the difference in temperature is extreme. During the autumn, between March and May, temperatures decrease gradually. In winter, mornings are cold, some as low as -2º C (28º F) and temperature rarely exceeds 15°C (60ºF). Rainfall begins in April and reaches its peak during June and July, decreasing gradually to November. The average annual rainfall ranges from 380 mm (15 in) at 33º S to nearly 1,000 mm (40 in) at 38º S.
The main vegetation types of Mediterranean Central Chile are the matorral and sclerophyllous forest. The scrub vegetation called matorral is similar to California's chaparral and its most characteristic species is the “Espino” (Acacia caven), a short, spiny and deciduous tree very resistant to extreme desertification and aridity. Sclerophyllous forests, on the other hand, are characterized by trees with tough, thick, evergreen leaves that are also drought-tolerant. Central Chile is the only region in the country where woods of Chilean Palm (Jubaea chilensis), the most southern palm tree in the world, can still be found.
Lake District
The south (Sur de Chile) is definitely the country's most lacustrine area. Southern Chile stretches from below the Río Bío-Bío at about 38° south latitude to below Isla de Chiloé at about 43° south latitude. In this lake district of Chile, the valley between the Andes and the coastal range is closer to sea level, and the hundreds of rivers that descend from the Andes form lakes, some quite large, as they reach the lower elevations. The south is one of the rainiest areas in the world. One of the wettest spots in the region is Valdivia, with an annual rainfall of 2,500 mm (98 in). The summer months of January and February are the driest, with a monthly average precipitation of 70 mm (3 in). The winter months of June and July each produce on average a deluge of 410 mm (16 in). Temperatures in the area are moderate. In Valdivia, the two summer months average 17° C (63º F), whereas the winter months average 8.0° C (47º F).
The vegetation, including many ferns in the shady areas, is a lush green. Some sections still consist of old-growth forests, and in all seasons, but especially in the spring and summer, there are plenty of wildflowers and flowering trees. Because of the high rainfall, this area possesses true temperate rainforests. This forest type, unique in South America, includes several species of Nothofagus.