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A massive northward movement and wreck of prions (Pachyptila) along the coast of Antofagasta, Chile is described, and I review the occurrence of prions along the west coast of South America. Prions breed in southern Chile and the sub-Antarctic and move northwards to the coasts of northern Chile and Peru in the Southern Hemisphere winter. Chilean and Peruvian wrecks are primarily P. belcheri, with smaller numbers of P. desolata. P. vittata has only been recorded once. The occurrence of P. salvini is unproven. There are no records of P. turtur; a purported specimen from Chile is actually P. belcheri. The only report of P. crassirostris is that of a bone fragment from an archaeological site on Easter Island, Chile.