The geographical diversity, the variations in altitude and the different microclimates and ecoregions, make Salta a paradise for birds. With a total of 657 registered species, it is the Argentine province with the largest number of birds present in its territory (65% of the national total).

It should be noted that, although the provincial fauna has been studied, the Puno and northern jungle sectors deserve further exploration.

The Yungas have been identified as an area of endemism of birds on a global scale and in Salta they find their greatest expression. To this group belong birds such as the plume-chested fiofío (Elaenia strepera), the reddish-headed chululú (Grallaria albigula), the blue-fronted hummingbird (Eriocnemis glaucopoides), the alder parrot (Amazona tucumana), the brown swift (Cypseloides rothschildi) and the guan of mount alisera (Penelope dabbenei).

The Zimmer's churrín (Scytalopus zimmeri) has recently been discovered in Salta, a species that was believed to be endemic to the Yungas of southern Bolivia, with which many populations that were considered in our country to belong to the white-browed churrín (Scytalopus superciliaris) must be considered in light of the new determinations (Mazar Barnett and Pearman in prep.).

Another region of endemism represented in Salta is the puneña and high Andean shrub steppes, with an important variety of species of restricted and discontinuous distribution. This group is made up of: the naked-eyed dove (Metriopelia morenoi), several species of canasteros (genus Asthenes), the serrana monterita (Compsospiza baeri) and the rare Quebradeño monerita (Poospiza boliviana), the red-fronted pepitero (Saltator rufiventris), the large Yal (Idiopsar brachyurus) and the gray-crowned goldfinch (Sicalis luteocephala).

The large jungle blocks of the upper Bermejo river basin and the Seco river basin are the only ones in the country that still maintain populations of birds that require large ranges for their subsistence, such as the great jungle eagles. In Salta there are several localities with recent sightings of the Orchard Eagle (Oroaetus isidori), the Solitary Eagle (Harpyhaliaetus solitarius), the Golden Crested Eagle (Spizaetus ornatus) and the Widow Eagle (Spizastur melanoleucus), as well as a criminal population of the Green Macaw (Ara militaris). ).

There are also areas of importance of endemic species of the entire central Andean biome, much more widespread outside of Argentina, such as the tabaquillo forests that contain a characteristic avifauna, increasingly rare in our country. This area is also the winter refuge for migratory altitudinal species of the puna such as the southern flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) and the great parina (Phoenicopterus andinus).