Our Executive Office is pleased to announce and welcome Isla de los Reyes Rocuant Beach as a new Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) Site of Regional Importance in Chile. The beach is in the Talcahuano Commune, Concepción Province, Biobío Region, Chile, and covers an area of 128 acres (52 hectares).
The site is made up of sandy and pebble beaches, including barriers, banks, strands, ridges, points and sandy islets, dune systems, and dune basins. It is influenced by daily tides and is of great value for other types of wildlife. It was designated as a site of Regional Importance because it hosts more than 1% of the biogeographic population of the ‘pitanay’ American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus pitanay) and ‘hudsonicus’ Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus).
612 ‘pitanay’ American Oystercatchers have been recorded at Isla de los Reyes Rocuant Beach during the non-breeding season, representing 4.7% of the biogeographic population, and 247 during the breeding season, representing 1.9% of the population. The beach is home to one of the most successful breeding colonies of this species on the southern coast of Chile, and its protection is a priority. For the ‘hudsonicus’ Whimbrel, 1,500 individuals were recorded, representing 1.9% of the biogeographic population.
American Oystercatcher hatchling (left) and juvenil (right) at the new WHSRN site Isla de los Reyes Rocuant Beach in Chile. Photos: Patricio Ortiz.
The site is also used as a resting and feeding site for resident, nearctic, and austral migratory birds, including priority species like the Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) and the Rufous-chested Dotterel (Charadrius modestus).
This new WHSRN site was nominated by Fundación Bandada, with the support of the Talcahuano Maritime Governor’s Office (Dirección General del Territorio Marítimo y de Marina Mercante). The nomination was also accompanied by several letters of support from key stakeholders and institutions in the region: The Regional Ministerial Secretariat of the Environment-Biobío Region, the GEF Coastal Wetlands Project, la Agrupación Ecológica Isla de los Reyes Rocuant, Chile Birds, the Councilors of the Municipality of Talcahuano; Daniel Gutiérrez Monsalve, Matías Coloma Arriagada, Roberto Pino Seguel and Valeria Vargas Díaz, the Regional Councilor of Biobío, Javier Sandoval Ojeda (President of the Planning and Territorial Development Commission) and Félix González, Deputy of the Republic for District 20 – Biobío Region.
The team that installed some signs highlighting the importance of not disturbing shorebirds at Isla de los Reyes Rocuant Beach, WHSRN Site in Chile. Photo: Patricio Ortiz.
During 2022, a working group was formed for the protection and management of the beach, with the participation of the Regional Ministries of Environment and National Assets, the GEF Coastal Wetlands Project, Manomet, the Municipality of Talcahuano, the Maritime Government of Talcahuano, NGO Aumén, ASMAR Shipyards, and Audubon Americas. The space is convened and coordinated by the Regional Ministerial Secretariat of Environment of the Bíobío Region and Bandada Foundation.
With the inclusion of Isla de los Reyes Rocuant Beach, WHSRN now totals 8 sites in Chile, with 116 sites in 19 countries overall.
Cover Photo: American Oystercatcher flying over the new WHSRN site in Chile. Photo: Patricio Ortiz.
