Sanctuary of Nature Humedal Bahía de Curaco de Vélez
The Nature Sanctuary Humedal Bahía de Curaco de Vélez encompasses an area of 59.7 hectares and is placed in the commune of Curaco de Vélez, on Quinchao Island, Archipelago of Chiloé, Los Lagos Region of Chile. Designated in 2022, it integrates beach, estuary, marsh, and intertidal flat environments. Situated within Curaco de Vélez Bay, the sanctuary receives freshwater inflows from two coastal micro-basins originating in the interior of Quinchao Island, mainly from the Vélez river.
The marine environment of the sanctuary corresponds to the Chiloé Inland Sea, characterized by tidal currents that dynamically alter water levels due to lunar effects. These tidal movements expose and cover the intertidal flats in a six-hour circadian rhythm, with tidal ranges sometimes exceeding eight meters in height.
The marine wetland of Curaco de Vélez provides shelter and abundant food for both resident and migratory waterbirds, earning international recognition as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) and a Site of Hemispheric Importance within the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). Each year, the sanctuary hosts various species of migratory shorebirds from both boreal and austral zones. Among the boreal migrants, the most abundant species are the Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) and the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), while among the austral migrants, the Rufous-chested Dotterel (Charadrius modestus) and occasionally the Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) are notable. Resident waterbirds include significant populations of the Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis), Brown-hooded Gull (Chroicocephalus maculipennis), Speckled Teal (Anas flavirostris), Yellow-billed Pintail (Anas georgica), Flightless Steamer Duck (Tachyeres pteneres), American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus), Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus), and Black-necked Swan (Cygnus melancoryphus).
The conservation targets of the sanctuary include the Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica), Black-necked Swan (Cygnus melancoryphus), intertidal flats, marshlands, and the ecosystem services that provide habitats and food for traditional practices of artisanal fishing, algae, and mollusk collection.
