Huascarán National Park

🇵🇪 Peru

🦙 Viscacha and Vicuña High Andes
⏱ 4–6 days 🥾 Challenging trails
🌍 #267 Global · 2.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #45 in South America #55 in Savanna & Grassland
Áncash, Peru 519 spp. recorded

Huascarán is high Andean country — puna grassland, glacial lakes and rock above 4,000 m — and its wildlife is the wildlife of open ground. Mountain viscachas sit on the boulder fields on almost every visit, and vicuñas graze the puna on a quarter of them.

-9.345° S   77.371° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare 5–15%
With luck 15–40%
Possible 40–70%
Likely >70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Northern Mountain Viscacha ★
LC

Northern Mountain Viscacha

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lagidium viscacia

70–80% · Very likely
Vicuña ★
LC

Vicuña

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Vicugna vicugna

Insufficient data
Buff-winged Cinclodes ★
LC

Buff-winged Cinclodes

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinclodes fuscus

50–60% · Likely
Tit-like Dacnis ★
LC Endemic

Tit-like Dacnis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Xenodacnis parina

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Rufous-collared Sparrow
LC Endemic

Rufous-collared Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia capensis

70–80% · Very likely
Chiguanco Thrush
LC

Chiguanco Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus chiguanco

70–80% · Very likely
Southern House Wren

Southern House Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Troglodytes musculus

60–70% · Likely
Peruvian Sierra-Finch
LC

Peruvian Sierra-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phrygilus punensis

50–60% · Likely
Hooded Siskin
LC

Hooded Siskin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spinus magellanicus

50–60% · Likely
Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch
LC

Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Geospizopsis plebejus

40–50% · Likely
Black Metaltail
LC

Black Metaltail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Metallura phoebe

40–50% · Likely
Andean Flicker
LC

Andean Flicker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Colaptes rupicola

40–50% · Likely
Phrygilus unicolor

Phrygilus unicolor

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Geospizopsis unicolor

40–50% · Likely
Giant Hummingbird
LC

Giant Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Patagona gigas

30–40% · Possible
Rufous-eared Brush-Finch
LC Endemic

Rufous-eared Brush-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Atlapetes rufigenis

30–40% · Possible
Plain-colored Seedeater
LC

Plain-colored Seedeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Catamenia inornata

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Northern Mountain Viscacha ★
LC

Northern Mountain Viscacha

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lagidium viscacia

70–80% · Very likely
Vicuña ★
LC

Vicuña

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Vicugna vicugna

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Andean White-eared Opossum
LC

Andean White-eared Opossum

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Didelphis pernigra

Insufficient data
Sechuran Fox
NT

Sechuran Fox

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lycalopex sechurae

Insufficient data
North Andean Huemul
VU

North Andean Huemul

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Hippocamelus antisensis

Insufficient data
White-tailed Deer
LC Endemic

White-tailed Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus virginianus

Insufficient data
Culpeo
LC

Culpeo

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lycalopex culpaeus

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Buff-winged Cinclodes ★
LC

Buff-winged Cinclodes

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinclodes fuscus

50–60% · Likely
Tit-like Dacnis ★
LC Endemic

Tit-like Dacnis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Xenodacnis parina

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Rufous-collared Sparrow
LC Endemic

Rufous-collared Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia capensis

70–80% · Very likely
Chiguanco Thrush
LC

Chiguanco Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus chiguanco

70–80% · Very likely
Southern House Wren

Southern House Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Troglodytes musculus

60–70% · Likely
Peruvian Sierra-Finch
LC

Peruvian Sierra-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phrygilus punensis

50–60% · Likely
Hooded Siskin
LC

Hooded Siskin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spinus magellanicus

50–60% · Likely
Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch
LC

Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Geospizopsis plebejus

40–50% · Likely
Black Metaltail
LC

Black Metaltail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Metallura phoebe

40–50% · Likely
Andean Flicker
LC

Andean Flicker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Colaptes rupicola

40–50% · Likely
Phrygilus unicolor

Phrygilus unicolor

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Geospizopsis unicolor

40–50% · Likely
Giant Hummingbird
LC

Giant Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Patagona gigas

30–40% · Possible
Rufous-eared Brush-Finch
LC Endemic

Rufous-eared Brush-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Atlapetes rufigenis

30–40% · Possible
Plain-colored Seedeater
LC

Plain-colored Seedeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Catamenia inornata

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Golden Whorltail Iguana
LC

Golden Whorltail Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Stenocercus chrysopygus

30–40% · Possible
Liolaemus chavin
NT

Liolaemus chavin

Reptile

Liolaemus chavin

Insufficient data
Frost's Lava Lizard
LC

Frost's Lava Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Microlophus koepckeorum

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Warty Toad
LC

Warty Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Rhinella spinulosa

Insufficient data
Peru Marsupial Frog
LC

Peru Marsupial Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Gastrotheca peruana

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐰

Viscachas on the Boulder Fields

SepOctNov

Mountain viscachas sun themselves on the rock slopes and are recorded on nearly every visit.

Northern Mountain Viscacha
LC

Northern Mountain Viscacha

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lagidium viscacia

70–80% · Very likely
🦙

Vicuñas on the Puna

MayJunJul

Vicuña family groups graze the open puna, at their most visible of the year.

Vicuña
LC

Vicuña

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Vicugna vicugna

Insufficient data
🐦

Polylepis Birds in the Dry Season

MayJunJul

Xenodacnis tanagers work the polylepis stands and bar-winged cinclodes feed along the glacial lakes.

Buff-winged Cinclodes
LC

Buff-winged Cinclodes

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinclodes fuscus

50–60% · Likely
Tit-like Dacnis
LC Endemic

Tit-like Dacnis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Xenodacnis parina

40–50% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
60–70
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
Northern Mountain Viscacha
70–80
50–60
40–50
60–70
80–90
60–70
70–80
40–50
40–50
80–90
60–70
60–70
Vicuña
10–20
0–10
0–10
10–20
0–10
40–50
0–10
10–20
10–20
10–20
50–60
10–20
Buff-winged Cinclodes
20–30
30–40
20–30
40–50
70–80
40–50
60–70
60–70
40–50
50–60
50–60
30–40
Tit-like Dacnis
30–40
30–40
20–30
40–50
70–80
50–60
50–60
40–50
50–60
40–50
40–50
30–40
Rufous-collared Sparrow
70–80
90–100
90–100
80–90
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
90–100
Chiguanco Thrush
70–80
70–80
80–90
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
50–60
70–80
70–80
80–90
Southern House Wren
60–70
70–80
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
70–80
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
80–90
Peruvian Sierra-Finch
50–60
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
40–50
50–60
40–50
30–40
30–40
Hooded Siskin
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
20–30
20–30
60–70
40–50
40–50
Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch
30–40
30–40
30–40
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
Black Metaltail
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
60–70
30–40
60–70
50–60
30–40
50–60
40–50
20–30
Andean Flicker
30–40
30–40
20–30
30–40
50–60
40–50
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
Phrygilus unicolor
30–40
20–30
20–30
20–30
60–70
50–60
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
20–30
Giant Hummingbird
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
50–60
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
Rufous-eared Brush-Finch
20–30
20–30
20–30
30–40
50–60
30–40
50–60
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
10–20
Plain-colored Seedeater
20–30
30–40
20–30
30–40
50–60
20–30
30–40
60–70
40–50
30–40
30–40
20–30
Animal Events
🐰 Viscachas on the Boulder Fields
🦙 Vicuñas on the Puna
🐦 Polylepis Birds in the Dry Season

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Moderate
🦙 Viscacha and Vicuña High Andes

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
318
🐒 Mammals
132
🦎 Reptiles
60
🐸 Amphibians
9
519 Total Species
841 Global average across 280 parks
23 Threatened 62 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
2.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
56%
📊
Coverage (124 species at ≥5% of 519 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
24%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 mammal)
47% Global avg
20%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
132 Global avg
98
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
14 Global avg
2
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
26 Global avg
12
⚖️

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