The Paraguayan Chaco is one of South America’s great remaining wildernesses: a vast, little-visited mosaic of thorn forest, palm savanna, dry woodland, seasonal wetlands and open grassland extending across the west of the country. Its isolated position and distinctive habitats support a wide assemblage of birds, combining widespread southern South American species with a compelling suite of dry-country and Chaco specialities found nowhere else in South America.
During a recent visit in May 2026, Naturetrek staff member James explored this remarkable region and its birdlife, encountering the Chaco’s characteristic mix of sought-after birds. Inspired by the diversity, quality and relative lack of birding tourism in the area, we have developed a new tour designed to reveal the best of this fascinating and often-overlooked corner of South America in combination with some of the finest birding in the world, the Atlantic Rainforest.
Below we present a small selection of photographs taken by James during his May visit to the Paraguayan Chaco. These images offer a taste of the habitats and distinctive birdlife that can be expected on our new Paraguay - From the Gran Chaco to the Atlantic Forest tour. To view the images larger, please click on the crosshairs in the centre of each image.
