New raptor records in Catamarca province, Argentina

Abstract

The province of Catamarca, located in northwestern Argentina, encompasses a diverse array of habitats shaped by its mountainous landscape. This environmental complexity promotes high avian diversity; however, the region remains under-surveyed from an ornithological standpoint. Here, we present incidental records that contribute to documenting two raptor species in Catamarca: Buteo albonotatus (Zone-tailed Hawk) and Chondrohierax uncinatus (Hook-billed Kite). These observations provide new locality data and expand the known provincial distribution of both species. Our findings highlight the importance of ongoing fieldwork in poorly surveyed areas to improve understanding of raptor distributions in Argentina.