Migratory Bird Corridor

This bird corridor provides essential feeding, resting, shelter, and breeding areas for resident and migratory birds. It hosts at least 20 boreal migratory species and seven Neotropical migratory species.

Among them, the Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica) stands out. The corridor's wetlands support approximately 99% of the population that breeds in Alaska and migrates along the Pacific Flyway, making this system an area of critical importance for its conservation.

Birds move continuously among these wetlands according to tides, food availability, and environmental conditions. Conserving them therefore requires protecting not only individual sites, but also the ecological connectivity of the corridor.

Throughout its development, this conservation program has counted on the fundamental support of BIOME–ICFC, the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), Manomet Inc., ICF, PointBlue-MSP+, FSG, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Pulvino family, the Municipality of Maullín, the Municipality of Curaco de Vélez, the Municipality of Quinchao, and numerous citizen organizations. This support has been key to sustaining and expanding the research, monitoring, site protection, and collaborative conservation work carried out by Fundación Conservación Marina in the corridor.

The Hudsonian godwit stays in the region roughly between September and late April, relying mainly on the intertidal flats to feed and build up the reserves it needs for its northward migration.

Maullín, Coihuín–Chamiza, and the eastern bays of Chiloé make up one of its main concentration systems in South America. Curaco de Vélez can host, in some years, more than a quarter of the Alaska-breeding population.

The corridor is also used by whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus), sandpipers, plovers, and numerous waterbirds. During fall and winter, large flocks of Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) use its shallow waters and intertidal flats, moving among different wetlands.

Maullín River Wetlands

The Maullín River Wetlands Nature Sanctuary protects approximately 8,194 hectares of rivers, flooded forests, salt marshes, estuaries, beaches, and intertidal flats. Sectors such as La Pasada, Lepihue, Amortajado, and Quenuir hold significant populations of shorebirds, flamingos, swans, and other waterbirds.

Coihuín–Chamiza

At the mouth of the Chamiza River and the Reloncaví Sound, this system covers approximately 1,765 hectares of estuary, shallow waters, and intertidal flats used by thousands of birds. The Coihuín Marine Wetland is recognized by WHSRN as a Site of International Importance.

Curaco de Vélez Bay Wetland Natural Monument

Protects 59.7 hectares of intertidal flats, salt marshes, beaches, and estuarine environments. It is one of the main feeding and resting sites for the Hudsonian godwit in Chiloé and is part of the Eastern Chiloé Wetlands Site of Hemispheric Importance within WHSRN.

Bahía de Quinchao Wetland Natural Monument

Protects 102.8 hectares of coastal environments on Quinchao Island. It is used by migratory birds and flamingos, and is also an important breeding site for the American oystercatcher. It is also part of the Eastern Chiloé Wetlands within WHSRN.

The work includes censuses, monitoring of priority sites, identification of feeding and resting areas, and threat assessment.

FCM collaborates with municipalities, Indigenous communities, local organizations, schools, tourism operators, researchers, and public agencies.

Conserving the Maullín–Chiloé corridor means keeping that network functioning.