Isla Magdalena, Magallanes Region

The Isla Magdalena is about 35 Km from the Chilean city of Punta Arenas in the Magallanes region. It takes about a forty-minute boat ride to reach its shores and, because of the straight’s strong winds, reaching the island can be a choppy experience. In our last photo tour, the winds were calm and our journey was very peaceful.

Back in 1837, the Chilean government enacted a decree for the construction and organization of a national network of lighthouses.
The Isla Magdalena lighthouse dates from a much later time. It was constructed by the Scottish engineer and architect George Slight in 1901 and became operational by the following year. Originally, the installation of the lighthouse consisted of a house with five bedrooms, an office, an oil tank and a store, plus kitchen.

In 1976, it was declared of historical importance due to its strategic location and function to the shipping trade lines.
This maritime route was the original navigable link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans which precedes the Panama canal.

In 1981 the Chilean Navy delegated the maintenance of the site to CONAF, the Chilean park services, who has an active presence year round. There are two park rangers that take care of the lighthouse’s structure and protect the animal colonies.

Wildlife at the Island

During the summer, the Isla Magdalena becomes the breeding ground for its vast penguin population which hides its chicks underground to protect them from predators. The land is filled with holes which provide refuge to the colony during high winds. It also keeps the chicks safe and warm during the Patagonian night.
The waters of the Strait are abundant with mollusk and crustaceans which are the staple of the colony’s diet.

Join us when we visit the Isla Magdalena to photograph its landscape and wildlife. Check out our coming Patagonia Photography tour.

All photos taken by DWaisman with Sony A7RIII, 100-400 mm, and 1.4 teleconverter.

Where can you find El Pitío?

El Pitío likes to travel from branch to branch of the tall forest trees. Its scientific name is Colaptes pitius. Torres del Paine Park is a great place to find birds of Patagonia. As a woodpecker, it distinguishes itself from other birds due to its unique songs and pitch. The people that I met in Magallanes told me about the many meanings of the Pitío’s songs:
The locals hear El Pitío’s music as a welcoming greet, although some see it as a warning for predators.

One of the original inhabitant of Patagonia, the Mapuches, believed that el Pitío used its songs to warn other birds of a nearby predator. The changes to El Pitío song meant the departure of danger.

Many Chilean poets and painters have dedicated many pieces to this bird.
Many poems, songs and paintings have been inspired by El Pitío’s songs. Its presence has become a staple of the region and a true local inhabitant of Patagonia.

The variety of wildlife and bird-watching in Chile, and in the Magallanes region, is vast. The fertile valleys create ideal conditions for many migrating birds to flock during the summer and retreat north during the winter months.
In a very short and small trip, there are many opportunities to sight-see many animals in their native environment; such as penguins, seals, guanacos, condors, and pumas. In just a 100-mile radius you can discover and photograph amazing scenes without extensive traveling.

All in all, the many birds of Patagonia make the place ideal for bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts.

In our Patagonia Photography tour, we have many opportunities to photograph birds and to El Pitío.

More about this bird can be found at its Wikipedia page