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13 PREFACE PREFACE The forests of southern Chile and Argentina are unique ecosystems and they are highlighted by their great richness and productivity. A relevant element of their diversity is the avian fauna, which are very close animals for humans; they are in our dreams and our fears, in myths and legends. They are in the stories that our grandparents pass down to us, and they are in the national coat of arms of many nations (e.g. the Andean condor is on the shield of Chile, Bolivia, and Colombia). With their calls and cries, with their flagrant presence, they are part of our daily life. Of course, the birds are in the forest, walking on the soil, jumping between the bushes, clambering along the trunks and flying over the canopy. Birds have an important role in the maintenance and function of the forest. There are species that excavate the soil. There are those that disperse seeds, others that consume insects and those that feed upon dead animals. Birds tell us about the health of the forest, and there are some “accusers” that disappear when the trees are cut, with their absence indicating to us that this environment is losing some of its qualities. The reforms that are being developed now in Chile’s education system have as their objective the incorporation, as a fundamental element of learning, the values of the environment that surrounds the schools, consequently giving the student the opportunity for a concrete experience. In such context, this book is an invitation to look, to see and to listen. It is a call to the young people, from ages 1 to 99, to be entertained and to learn. It is a call to know about bird life and by way of them to understand the forest; because understanding the forests, and with them nature, we all will be able to have a better life. Juan C. Torres-Mura Ex-President, Union of Chilean Ornithologists Curator of Ornithology, National Natural History Museum Santiago, Chile August, 2001 14 ...

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