Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park

Localization

North of the Central Chile, about 400 km to the north of Santiago, approximately 30 km to the west of Ovalle

Access

Easy

Characteristic

100 km²; Mountainous area (highest peaks below 1000 m) in the Cordillera de Talinay, which is part of the Chilean Coastal Range close to the Atacama Desert and coastal plains. The only natural water resource the park holds is the river Limari. Typical ecosystems: northernmost Valdivian temperate zone forests, but the forests cover only 4% of park´s surface; the coastal fog hangs on the mountain-slopes and moistens subtropical vegetation, allowing the hydrophilic cloud forests to survive despite of being surrounded of semiarid scrublands, with average annual rainfall of approximately 113 mm.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Rodents - Chinchillas and Viscachas (Chinchillidae): Long-tailed Chinchilla

- Degus (Octodontidae):  Degu

Carnivores - Mustelidae: Molina´s Hog-nosed Skunk

- Dogs (Canidae): Argentine Grey Fox

- Cats (Felidae): Pampas Cat

Birds:

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Chilean Tinamou

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): White-tufted Grebe

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Cattle Egret; Great Egret; Snowy Egret

- Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Black-faced Ibis

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Crested Duck; Yellow-billed Pintail

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): Turkey Vulture

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Red-backed Hawk

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Chimango Caracara; American Kestrel

Charadriiformes - Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Whimbrel

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Southern Lapwing

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Eared Dove

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Magellanic Horned Owl

- Barn and Grass Owls (Tytonidae): Barn Owl

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Bar-winged Cinclodes; Rufous-banded Miner; Thorn-tail Rayadito

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): White-throated Tapaculo

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): White-crested Elaenia; White-browed Ground-Tyrant

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Chilean Swallow

- Trushes and Chats (Turdidae): Austral Thrush

- Mockingbirds, Catbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae): Chilean Mockingbird

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): House Wren

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Austral Blackbird; Yellow-winged Blackbird; Long-tailed Meadowlark

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Common Diuka Finch; Rufous-collared Sparrow; Grassland Yellow-Finch

- Finches (Fringillidae): Grey-hooded Sierra-Finch; Mourning Sierra-Finch; Black-chinned Siskin

Plants:

Dicotyledons:

Berberidopsidales - Aetoxicaceae:  Aextoxicon punctatum - typical plant

Caryophyllales - Cactaceae: Echinopsis coquimbana

Rosales - Rosaceae: Kageneckia angustifolia - typical plant

Oxalidales - Oxalidaceae:  Woodsorrel (Oxalis gigantea)

Saxifragales - Haloragidaceae: Parrot Feather Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

Fabales - Fabaceae: Senna cummingii

Zygophyllales - Zygophyllaceae:  Porlieria chilensis - typical plant

Malpighiales - Willows (Salicaceae): Willow Salix sp.

- Flacourtiaceae: Azara celastrina - typical plant

Sapindales - Anacardiaceae: Lithraea venenosa; Peppertree (Schinus latifolius) - typical plants

Myrtales - Onagraceae: Fuchsia (Fuchsia lycioides)

Apiales - Griseliniaceae: Griselinia scandens - typical plant

Lamiales - Gesneriaceae: Sarmienta scandens - typical plant

Asterales - Asteraceae: Baccharis sp.

Monocotyledons:

Alismatales - Pondweeds (Potamogetonaceae): Podweed Potamogeton pectinatus

Arecales - Arecaceae: Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea chilensis) - typical plant

Poales - Bromeliaceae: Puya berteroana and P. chilensis

Possible activities

Wildlife observation, birdwatching

Excellent conditions for walking tourism throughout the entire park.

Note

The park is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve.

Best time to visit VIII-XI

Picture - source wikipedia