Birding Brazil - South-East Brazil: the Atlantic forest

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Articles by Barry Walker

BIRD ITINERARIES

Birding Peru
          for Birders and
           non-Birding partners
          (10 Days)

PERU:

Manu Biosphere
Reserve: South-East
Peru (20 Days)

Cloud Forests
and Mountains of
Manu (13 Days)

Manu Macaw Lick
and Amazonian
Rainforest (11 Days)

Andean Gems of Peru
and Chile (8 Days)

Inca Ruins of Machu
Picchu & Abra
Malaga (7 Days)

Paracas Peninsular and
the High Andes of
Peru (16 Days)

Central Peru: The
High Andes and
Endemics (20 Days)

Central Peru: Lima
          to Huanuco Satipo
          Road and
          Oilbirds (13 Days)

Central Peru: Lima
          to Huanuco Oilbirds,
          Bosque Unchog and
          Huaraz (12 Days)

Tambopata: Candamo
National Park (14 Days)

Iquitos: Amazon and
White Sand
Rainforests (12 Days)

Northern Peru: Tumbes
and Maranon
Endemics (20 Days)

North Peru Endemics
- Chiclayo to
Tarapoto (12 Days)

North Peru Endemics
- Tarapoto to
Cajamarca (10 Days)

Tumbes Reserved
Zone (7 Days)

Tumbes and Iquitos
Endemics (18 Days)

Pelagic Trips off the
Peruvian Coast (1 Day)

White-masked Antbird
and Orange-throated
tanager (17 Days)

BOLIVIA:

Bolivia: Eastern Lowlands,
          Chaco, Cloud Forest
          and Intermontane
          Valleys (16 Days)

Bolivia Highlands
Extension (7 Days)

Bolivia: The Wild
North-East (17 Days)

CHILE:

Chile: Atacama Desert,
          Patagonia, Andes
          and Tierra del
          Fuego (14 Days)

Chile: High Andes
Extention and Lauca
National Park (6 Days)

FALKLAND ISLANDS:

Week on the Falkland
Islands (8 Days)

COLOMBIA:

Colombia: The Andean
Endemics Route
Tour (18 Days)

Colombia: Santa Marta
          Endemics and
           Guajira Peninsular
          Extention (6 Days)

BRAZIL:

South-east - the Atlantic
forests (12 days)

Serra dos Tucanos –
          Atlantic Rainforest
          Endemics of the Serra
          do Mar (8 Days)

Central Brazil -
Cerrado and
Savannas (8 Days)

The Pantanal
and Chapada (5 Days)

Amazonia: Alta
Floresta (9 Days)

Emas National
Park (8 Days)

North-east Brazil
Endemics (21 days)

GUYANA:

Unknown South America
and Guianan shield
specialists (16 Days)

ARGENTINA:

Northwest Argentina -
Biridng the Diversity of
the Andes (13 Days)

Southern Argentina - The
Pampas and Northern
Patagonia (9 Days)

Southern Argentina -
Patagonia and Tierra
del Fuego (8 Days)

Northeast Argentina -
Buenas Aires to
Iguazu (13 Days)

South-East Brazil; the Atlantic forest

The incredible bird diversity of Brazil’s Atlantic forest with over 900 species along with an unusually high degree of endemism (over 22%) makes this region a birding paradise. This tour highlights the foothill forests of the Parque Estadual Intervales with its pristine tall forest and bamboo understory, the foothills of the Serra do Mar and the upper and lower montane forests of Brazil’s oldest national park, Itataiai. With only 7% of the original extent of the Atlantic forest remaining, these parks provide a haven for many species in danger of extinction, including over 50 threatened endemic birds.

Day 1:

Arriving in Sao Paulo in the late afternoon we transfer to our hotel nearby for the night.

Day 2 - 5:

Blond-crested Woodpecker - Serra Dos Tucanos

Departing From Sao Paulo we head south-west to the Serra Paranapiacaba and the Parque Estadual Intervales. This 49,000ha park is part of a complex of reserves that protects 1200 square kilometres of atlantic rainforests. This beautiful park offers us access to pristine tall forest with a dense bamboo understorey. Additionally it has areas of secondary growth and open areas around a large lake. It is around the park headquarters that we should find nesting Swallow-tailed Cotinga. Our other more difficult target species here include the shy Helmeted Woodpecker, Blue-bellied Parrot and Black-fronted Piping-Guan, all of which may be seen here but which are tough to see well. Along a well used track we usually see the rare Mantled Hawk and Rufous-thighed Kite while the dense stands of bamboo should produce White-bearded Antshrike, along with Buff-fronted and Temminck’s Seedeaters and possibly Blackish-blue Seedeater and Sooty Grassquit. All of these seedeating birds being tied to the bamboo stands. The Spotted Bamboowren and White-breasted Tapaculo are both common here and we shall spend some time searching for these fascinating but elusive creatures. Our nightbirding here should produce the stunning Long-trained Nightjars and possibly Silky-tailed Nightjar. On a nightbirding sortie we should see both Buff-browed Owl and the beautiful Rusty-barred Owl. In the past we have been lucky and seen Buff-fronted Owl. In the understorey flocks we should see White-throated and Planalto Woodcreepers, Rufous-capped and Grey-bellied Spinetails along with White-eyed, White-collared and White-browed Foliage-gleaner. On the forest floor we may see Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Variegated Antpitta and Rufous Gnateater, although we should be very lucky to see the former without a great deal of effort.

Day 6 - 7:

After some early morning birding at Intervales we head to Ubatuba, another area famous for both birding and seaside holidays. While here we shall explore the lush forests at the foot of the Serra do Mar where we will be treated to a near continuous chorus of Bare-throated Bellbirds from the canopy and lekking Blue Manakins in the understorey. At our first site we hope to see the diminutive Buff-throated Purpletuft, along with the endemic Red-eyed Thornbird, Salvadori’s Antwren, the enigmatic Spotted Bamboowren and the stunning Tufted Antshrike. If the weather is hot we may be lucky and see a Black and White Hawk Eagle, a Black Hawk Eagle or a Rufous-thighed Kite soaring above the canopy. We may also find the Buff-bellied form of White-necked Puffbird, the exquisite and extremely rare Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant and a multitude of tanagers, including the beautiful Red-necked tanager. At another site we target the outstanding Slaty Bristlefront with its haunting song. Along with this strange tapaculo we should see a good selection of forest species including Black-cheeked Gnateater, Unicoloured, Star-throated and Rufous winged Antwrens. This too is a good site for Tanagers with both Green-headed and Red-necked both being present. We should also see the extraordinary Blond-crested Woodpecker, Rufous-capped Motmot and the endemic Crescent-chested Puffbird. With some luck we should see Sao Paulo Tyrannulet, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant and Rufous-breasted Leaftosser. In the area there are a number of hummingbird feeders we will visit and these visits should produce the stunning Saw-billed Hermit as well as Festive Coquette, which we may be able to watch display. Also in attendance will be the outstanding Violet-capped Sylph, Black Jacobin, Sombre Hummingbird, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird and Sapphire-spangled Emerald. Along the coast we should see Magnificent Frigatebird, South American and Royal Terns as well as Brown Booby and Kelp Gull.

Day 8:

Today we head along the coast to the town of Pereque to visit a site where the Black-hooded Antwren was rediscovered only recently. This site is also very good for a wide variety of atlantic forest species. Blond-crested Woodpecker, Red-eyed Thornbird, Buff-throated Purpletuft, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, Green-backed Becard, Long-billed Wren and many others are often found here.

Day 9 - 11:

Rufous-tiled Jacamar - Fred Tavares After an enjoyable morning birding near Parati we drive inland to Itatiaia National Park for a three night stay. The Itatiaia National Park, located between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in the Serra da Mantaqueira protects an area of beautiful montane forest from 750m up to the treeline at 1800m. Our stay in this park will be occupied visiting both the lower elevation and upper elevation forests. We will start birding around the hotel grounds where a good variety of tanagers and hummingbirds attend a number of feeders. Additionally we should see Saffron Toucanet and Dusky-legged Guans making the most of the food put out. Along trails through nearby forest should find a good selection of Antbirds and Furnarids, including the exquisite White-bibbed Antbird> A species that may be found walking quickly across the forest floor much like the Antpiptis of Amazonia. In dense bamboo patches we should find Ferruginous, Ochre-rumped and Bertoni’s Antbirds along with the rare White-bearded Antshrike. We may also find Red-capped Parrots and the exotic looking Spot-billed Toucanets along with Red-breasted Toucans. At dusk we may be treated to the sight of a pair of Buff-browed Owls or several Short-tailed Nighthawks around the hotel swimming pool.

At higher elevations we will search for Rufous-tailed Antbird, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, the lovely Rufous-backed Antvireo and the huge Large-tailed Antshrike. We may also see Red-ruffed Fruitcrow while the eerie whistles of the Black and Gold Cotinga waft through the cloud-forests. We will try and find both Bay-chested and Rufous-rumped Warbling-Finches, Thick-billed Saltator, Diademed Tanager along with White-rimmed Warbler and Sharp-billed Treehunter. Higher still we will search through grasslands for the Itatiaia Thistletail and Black-breasted Plovercrest. The latter often proving the favourite hummingbird of a long list found at feeders and flowering trees throughout the trip. We will also spend time in the Araucaria groves looking for the pretty little Araucaria Tit-Spinetail. During our time in the upper elevation forests we shall give some time to look for and see both Speckle-breasted Antpitta and Rufous-tailed Antthrushes. In the evening we stop at a site for Long-trained Nightjar and a little later on we may look for Rusty-barred Owl.

Day 12:

Transfer to Sao Paulo for flights home or join the - Central Brazil Tour

Email us about this trip:		birding@manuexpeditions.com
Days in Trip:		12 Days
Rated Skill Level:		Easy
Tour Guides:		Barry Walker, Eustace Barnes, Fabrice Schmitt, Renzo Zeppilli
Price:		$3500
Single Supplement:		$570
Availability:		Please email before purchase to confirm availability.
Purchase this trip now:		We accept:
Dates 2010		May 21 – June 1
Dates 2011:		May 20 - 31