Outings and excursions · Chuy
Bañados del Este: the biosphere reserve of Uruguay's wetlands
Photos: CITY MVD / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Wetlands, lagoons and Atlantic coast protected by UNESCO since 1976: a paradise for birdwatching in the east of the country.
Eastern Uruguay, between Chuy and the coast of Rocha, is wetland country. In 1976 UNESCO declared the Bañados del Este Biosphere Reserve, covering some 1.25 million hectares in Rocha, Treinta y Tres, Maldonado and Cerro Largo.
A wetland of international importance
In 1984 the Bañados del Este and Coastal Strip became the first Uruguayan site on the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance. Marshes, lagoons and Atlantic coast form a great reservoir of water and life.
Birds
It is one of the best places in the country to see waterbirds, including many migratory species. Even the local rice fields become feeding and resting grounds for plovers and sandpipers.
Tips
- Bring binoculars and set out early.
- Respect roads and private property: much of the reserve is working farmland.
