Chiloé Wigeon hunting

The Chiloé wigeon (Mareca sibilatrix) gets its name from the Chiloé Archipelago in southern Chile, and inhabits a variety of wetland environments, including lagoons, marshes, and flooded fields, across South America. This striking looking duck is known for its iridescent green and blue head, white face, and barred flanks. Argentina is the premier destination for Chiloé wigeon hunting. The wetlands and agricultural fields of provinces like Buenos Aires, La Pampa, and Santa Fe offer ideal conditions for this bird. These regions host abundant populations of Chiloé wigeon during the hunting season, often in combination with other waterfowl species such as rosy-billed pochards, yellow-billed pintails, and white-faced whistling ducks. Although less common, Chiloé wigeons are also found in parts of Chile, Uruguay, and southern Brazil, where hunting opportunities may be available in wetland areas.

Chiloé wigeons aren’t usually hunted purposefully, and all common duck hunting techniques would work for them. Hunts in South America usually take place out of blinds over large decoy spread. Ask your guides if they have species-specific decoys, if you have to bag a Chiloé wigeon, and opt for more open chokes and smaller shot sizes, as the bird isn’t big, and its quick movements make it a challenging and rewarding quarry.