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The Best of Brazil Pantanal, Amazon and Atlantic Forest Guide: Guy Kirwan This birding tour is designed to make the most of Brazil’s many rich birding habitats, introducing three of the country’s most famous regions: the endemic-rich Atlantic Forest, the Pantanal (one of the world’s largest wetlands), and the Amazon Basin. The tour is divided into three parts, which can be taken individually or together to form a marvellous first trip to the second-richest country on the planet for birds. We commence in the Atlantic Forest, where the first week will be spent at two sites, one in the lowlands, the other in the highlands, at the border between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states. Here we will search for the numerous endemics, both to the Atlantic Forest region (which just stretches into neighbouring Argentina and Paraguay) and to Brazil alone. Many of these species are rare and threatened by ongoing deforestation, including the only relatively recently rediscovered Black-hooded Antwren, several wonderful and bizarre cotingas, and a host of other antbirds (the family that perhaps most defines Neotropical birding). Thereafter, we will fly to central Brazil and the Pantanal wetland close to the border with Bolivia. Whilst endemics are comparatively few, species diversity and sheer numbers of birds are both spectacular. One of the special prizes will be South America’s largest parrot, the Hyacinth Macaw, but there will also be chances to observe some exciting mammals too. Our final destination will be a comfortable lodge in south-east Amazonia, where species richness will again astound us, and the facilities offered by a 50-m canopy tower for overlooking the immense and pristine forest beneath us will surely prove a trip highlight. Birding this area can be difficult, as birds are not necessarily easy to see in the environs of the forest floor, but the rewards for persistence and patience can be immeasurable. Part 1. Days 1–3. Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to the town of Ubatuba in coastal São Paulo state. From our comfortable base in the town we will make morning and afternoon forays in search of some of the many special birds to be found in this area close to the border with the state of Rio de Janeiro. Many of the birds of this region of the Atlantic Forest are globally threatened, and amongst our prime targets will be the miniature Buff-throated Purpletuft, the highly range-restricted and, until 20 years ago, almost unknown in life, Black-hooded Antwren, and the diminutive Salvadori’s Antwren. There are many other fine birds to occupy our days though, of which the following is just a selection: the rare White-necked Hawk, a range of beautiful hummingbirds, including most of those endemic to the Atlantic Forest (with lots of opportunities for photography), Buff-bellied Puffbird (a recent split from White-necked), the endemic Red-eyed Thornbird, more chances for Unicoloured Antwren and Squamate Antbird, as well as Tufted, Spot-backed and Chestnut-backed Antshrikes, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Ferruginous and Scaled Antbirds, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Slaty Bristlefront, Spotted Bamboowren, São Paulo Tyrannulet, Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant, Bare-throated Bellbird, Sharpbill, Azure-shouldered and Red-necked Tanagers, and even such rarely seen birds as Temminck’s and Buffy-fronted Seedeaters can be common here from time to time (as they were in late 2007). Nocturnal birding opportunities will be taken, to search for Nacunda and Semicollared Nighthawks, Grey Potoo, and Tawny-browed and Buff-fronted Owls. Day 4. Transfer to Itatiaia National Park, in the Serra da Mantiqueira. Night at comfortable hotel within the confines of the park. Days 5–7. We will have 3½ days to explore this wonderful area, which despite its position midway between the metropolises of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, two of the most populated cities on Earth, remains one of the best birding areas within the Atlantic Forest domain. At lower elevations many of the birds will remind us of our time at Ubatuba, but as we climb higher we will find many new and special birds, some of them at their northernmost limit here. Concentrating, therefore, on the higher elevations, species that we will specifically search for include: Dusky-legged Guan (which here is super-abundant), Pileated Parrot, Plovercrest, Tawny-browed Owl (should we have missed it earlier), Long-tailed Potoo (if the moon is ‘right’), a feast of foliage-gleaners, Sharp-billed Treehunter, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper (a common bird in the Atlantic Forest, unlike elsewhere in its range), Grey-bellied and Pallid Spinetails, Itatiaia Thistletail, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, White-throated and Planalto Woodcreepers, Large-tailed, White-bearded and Giant Antshrikes, Rufous-backed, Spot-breasted and Plain Antvireos, White-bibbed and Rufous-tailed Antbirds, at least two antthrushes and two antpittas, Rufous Gnateater, Mouse-coloured Tapaculo, Drab-breasted and Brown-breasted Bamboo Tyrants, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant (should we have missed it earlier), Black-and-gold Cotinga, Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin, Black-capped Piprites, Red-rumped and Bay-chested Warbling Finches, the uncommon Thick-billed Saltator, Golden-winged Cacique, and even such near-mythical birds as Swallow-tailed Cotinga and Elegant Mourner are possible. Everywhere Blue (Swallow-tailed) Manakins make their presence known. If we are lucky we may come across a party of Spot-winged Wood Quails running across a road or track. The feeders outside our hotel are a constant source of activity, not just the obligatory hummingbirds, but also many tanagers, including Green-headed, Ruby-crowned and Olive-green, and even toucanets, flycatchers and foliage-gleaners put in an appearance. Photographers will have a ‘field day’. Part 2. Day 8. Transfer to Rio de Janeiro for flight to Cuiabá, and transfer to Chapada dos Guiramães. Birding for the rest of the day in a wooded area close to our hotel, where possibilities include Brown Jacamar, Fiery-capped Manakin and a variety of common birds such as Black-capped Antwren. Day 9. Birding at the Chapada, where we will concentrate on finding some of the special birds of the cerrado, including the rare Rufous-sided Pygmy Tyrant, the super-attractive Collared Crescentchest, the recently described Chapada Flycatcher, two attractive and special tanagers, White-banded and White-rumped, a special hummingbird, the Horned Sungem, and many others. Afternoon transfer to the SESC reserve at Porto Cercado. Days 10–11. We will spend two days based at our very comfortable hotel just within the privately owned SESC reserve, the largest such conservation area in the country. Although access to most of the reserve is difficult or prohibited, we can find a great many birds typical of the Pantanal right around the hotel, including Unicoloured Blackbird, a variety of seedeaters, Yellow-billed and Red-crested Cardinals, Grey-crested Cacholote and many others. A nearby boardwalk trail traverses an area of seasonally flooded riverine forest, where species to search for will include the magnificent Hyacinth Macaw, Band-tailed and Mato Grosso Antbirds, Plain Tyrannulet(a regular austral migrant here), White-lored Spinetail and Moustached Wren, amongst others. We will also search areas along the nearby road into the reserve for a variety of waterbirds, including Boat-billed Heron and Sunbittern, a variety of cracids, including the Brazilian endemic Chestnut-bellied Guan, as well as passerines such as Large-billed Antwren and White-rumped Monjita. We will have the option of making an evening drive to search for nightbirds and mammals; we have seen Giant Anteater, Jaguar and Ocelot in the past. Day 12. Today we will transfer to the Transpantaneira, the main road dissecting the northern Pantanal eco-region. Much of our birding during the next few days will be from this road, with the possibility, in particular, of viewing many thousands of waterbirds, especially egrets, herons, ibises, including the scarce Plumbeous, and Roseate Spoonbills. Days 13–14. From our comfortable base just off the Transpantaneira we will explore both roadside and riverine areas in search of a wide variety of the special birds of the Pantanal. These should include both Blue-throated and Red-throated Piping Guans, Chaco Chachalaca, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, the incomparable Hyacinth Macaw, all five kingfishers, Pale-crested Woodpecker, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Rusty-backed Spinetail, and a whole host of others. Part 3. Day 15. Those continuing from Part 2 will make an early morning return to Cuiabá, whilst those arriving for just this part of the tour will take an early morning flight from São Paulo to Cuiabá. Thereafter we will fly to Alta Floresta, take a late lunch at a comfortable hotel in the town, with a chance of Harpy Eagle in the nearby forest, before transferring by car and boat to Cristalino Jungle Lodge, where will spend this and the next five nights. Days 16–20. We will have five full days to explore the surroundings of the famous Cristalino Jungle Lodge. The relatively recent addition of a tall canopy tower to the lodge’s facilities will be a focal point of our time at this super lodge. We will spend at least one full morning watching from the top. Amongst the regular parrots, raptors and cotingas possible from this superb vantage point, we will be keeping a special lookout for. There is always something to see; perhaps a Tooth-billed Wren or a Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak will approach close enough for us to gain a true appreciation of these canopy-loving species so rarely seen well from ground level. However, during our time at the lodge, we will also be making full use of the various trails in the immediate and near environs, which especially will permit a thorough sampling of the special understorey and midstorey avifauna. Flocks of woodcreepers, foliage-gleaners, antwrens and others offer a special challenge, to identify as many species as possible during the brief period these birds sometimes remain in view. Birds such as the recently described Cryptic Forest Falcon, the taxonomically enigmatic Manu Antbird, the uncommon Brown-banded Puffbird, the beautiful Snow-capped Manakin, amongst a host of others, should also engage our attention. The possibilities are near-limitless (the overall lodge list numbers well over 500 species). Some afternoons and evenings will be spent aboard a boat along the Rio Cristalino, searching for parrots, cotingas and other residents of the forest edge. Perhaps we will be fortunate enough to come across a group of Kawall’s Parrots, or a pair of Amazonian Razor-billed Curassows drinking at the close of the day, whilst mammalian possibilities include Brazilian Tapir. The hot hours of the day will be spent relaxing at the lodge, which has a library for further study of all manner of Amazonian birds, beasts and insects, but it will also be possible to watch birds in the grounds at this time, or engage in the diversity of butterflies to be found in the vicinity of the lodge buildings. Day 21. Morning at Cristalino Jungle Lodge, followed by return to Alta Floresta and flights to Rio de Janeiro. Overnight in hotel there, or evening return flight to USA / Europe / South Africa. Leader Guy Kirwan is a founder of the Neotropical Bird Club and has served as the editor of its journal, Cotinga, for ten years. He has been a regular visitor to Brazil for more than a decade, spending many months each year in the field there, and exploring many different areas of this vast country. Guy has published a great many papers on Brazilian and Neotropical ornithology, covering topics such as taxonomy, distribution, breeding and behaviour. He has led numerous previous tours to Brazil, including to all of the areas covered here.
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Itinerary: Duration: 21 days Limit: 4-10 Date: 3-23 July 2009, similar dates in 2010 and 2011 Start: Rio de Janeiro End:Rio de Janeiro Price: approximately (based on 4 participants) US$2125 per person sharing, single supplement $462 for SE Brazil leg, $2495 + single supplement $462 for Pantanal leg, $3049 + single supplement $594 for Alta Floresta leg. LOWER PRICES for group of 6-10. Price_Includes: Meals Accommodation Entrance fees Guiding fees & local guide All transport while on tour Price_Excludes: International flight to Brazil Personal Insurance Alcoholic Beverages Gratuities Laundry Personal expenses such as gifts
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© 2008-2010 Birding Ecotours · www.birdingecotours.co.za was updated March 2010 |
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