The first edition of the Winged Festival at The Huentelauquén Salt Flats (Las Salinas de Huentelauquén) will take place between July 17th and 20th of 2024. The festival aims to highlight the value of the site’s natural heritage. Various free cultural and recreational activities will be held in educational establishments in Huentelauquén, a locality in the Coquimbo region. The Chilean Bird and Wildlife Observers Network (ROC) organizes the festival.
The richness of The Huentelauquén Salt Flats (Las Salinas de Huentelauquén) lies in its diverse ecosystems with complex natural wetlands representative of Chile’s semi-arid zone, both marine-coastal and continental. In 2022, The Huentelauquén Salt Flats was declared a Site of Regional Importance, joining the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). The designation as the seventh WHSRN site in Chile is based on Huentelauquén’s biological value as a wintering site for the Tawny-throated Dotterel (Oreopholus ruficollis ruficollis), hosting more than 1% of its biogeographic population. It is also a critical habitat for the Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus occidentalis). The site hosts at least 160 resident and migratory bird species, particularly shorebirds from the Pacific Americas Flyway. Additionally, it is home to the second-largest population of the American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) in the Coquimbo region.
The festival’s flagship species is the Tawny-throated Dotterel due to the biocultural link between the ancient inhabitants of Huentelauquén and the species. Photo: César Piñones
Working Together with the Local Community
The festival’s flagship species is the Tawny-throated Dotterel, also known locally as Pachurrón, due to the biocultural link built over the years between the ancient inhabitants of Huentelauquén and the species. In the site’s plains, the Tawny-throated Dotterel gathers in globally significant numbers. This phenomenon occurs every autumn and winter so that the festival will be held from July 17 to 20.
In addition to being a WHSRN site, The Huentelauquén Salt Flats is recognized as a Ramsar Site. The Chilean Bird and Wildlife Observers Network (ROC) has worked uninterruptedly for 15 years, creating alliances with local actors, such as neighbors, municipal officials, government institutions, universities, educational centers, etc. With the Winged Festival, ROC seeks to strengthen its conservation actions and community involvement so that more people identify this place as a privileged space for bird watching, general biodiversity, and the Chilean semi-desert landscapes. At the same time, alliances and networks are promoted, contributing to the local economy. The festival will be an excellent opportunity for making the scientific information gathered about the site over the years accessible to the community.
Those who attend the festival can participate in the creation of murals, as well as watch a play, go on birdwatching outings, visit an entrepreneurs’ fair, watch a documentary screening, and attend talks related to the biological, ecosystem, and cultural richness of Huentelauquén, among other activities.
This festival is made possible with the support of the Municipality of Canela, the Agricultural Community of Huentelauquén, Manomet Conservation Sciences through the Manomet Small Grants for Conservation of Neotropical Shorebirds, and the US Forest Service.
For more information about the Winged Festival, visit ROC’s social media pages.
Cover Photo: Aerial view of The Huentelauquén Salt Flats (Las Salinas de Huentelauquén). Photo: Víctor Bravo.
