The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) Executive Office is pleased to announce and welcome Mataquito-Huenchullamí as a new WHSRN Site of Regional Importance in Chile. The area is shared by the communes of Licantén and Curepto, in the provinces of Curicó and Talca, Maule Region.
The 2,090-acre site includes two large river mouths and a sandy beach of about 15 kilometers long, accompanied by dunes that connect these two rivers along the beach. It also integrates permanent and temporary coastal lagoons of various sizes, turning the area into a complex of wetlands that continue to extend several kilometers further south, such as the Putú-Huenchullamí wetlands (Nature Sanctuary), Junquillar Lagoon, and the mouth of the Maule River.
Left: Aerial view of the Huenchullamí river mouth. Right: Aerial view of the Mataquito river mouth. Photos: Juan Silva.
This new Chilean WHSRN site is a breeding and wintering area for the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus). During 2022, 316 individuals were recorded in summer and 827 in winter. Considering a current estimate of 59,300 individuals for the subspecies pitanay (Lesterhuis et al. in preparation), the site has hosted at least 1.7% of its biogeographic population in the last decade and is currently estimated to host at least 1.4%.
The nomination of the site was led by the Red de Observadores de Aves y Vida Silvestre de Chile – ROC (Chilean Bird and Wildlife Observers Network) with the support of the Constitución Port Captaincy (Dirección General del Territorio Marítimo y de Marina Mercante) as the responsible entity. The nomination was also accompanied by several letters of support from key actors and institutions in the region; the Municipalities of Curepto and Licantén, through the signature of the respective Mayors, the Regional Ministerial Secretariat of the Environment, the Curepto Animal Care and Respect Group, the Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), the Mataquito-La Pesca Artisanal Fishermen’s Union, the Maule-Mataquito Defense and Conservation Group (ADEMA), and the Mataquito Río Abajo organization.
Two American Oystercatcher at the new WHSRN Site Mataquito-Huenchullamí. Photo: Juan Carlos Carreño Rojas.
With the inclusion of Mataquito-Huenchullamí, WHSRN now totals 123 sites in 20 countries, 10 of them in Chile.
For more information about the site, contact Franco Villalobos, Chilean Bird and Wildlife Observers Network. Or visit the site profile here
Cover Photo: Flock of American Oystercatcher flying at Mataquito-Huenchullamí WHSRN site. Photo: Juan Carlos Carreño Rojas.
