Birding Brazil

Santuário do Caraça: January 17-19

2012-01-20T05:58:00.000-08:00

Originally, I had considered visiting Serra da Canastra, another national park and hallowed birding destination in the state of Minas Gerais, after my short trip to Serra do Cipó. The park protects large swaths of Cerrado grasslands, or campo limpo, providing excellent habitat for many bird specialties as well as spectacular mammals, such as the Giant Anteater and Maned Wolf. The reserve is also one of the few remaining sites for Brazilian Merganser, one of the continent’s most critically endangered birds. Considering its impressive reputation, and the not insignificant drive from Belo Horizonte, which is over six hours, I decided to postpone my visit until Aimee could join me on a later trip.

Searching through trip reports for another good birding site closer to the capital, I stumbled across the Santuário do Caraça, an eighteenth century monastery that has been converted into a lodge and nature park. Further research revealed that birders on tour through the region typically stop here for Serra Antwren, Velvety Black-Tyrant, and White-Breasted Tapaculo, and other Cerrado specialties they might have missed at Serra do Cipó, including Hyacinth Visorbearer, Gray-Backed Tachuri, and Pale-Throated Serra Finch. With over 10,000 hectares of protected Cerrado and montane humid forest habitat, including quite a few Atlantic Rainforest endemics, the sanctuary looked to be a promising as well as convenient site at just over two hours’ drive from Belo Horizonte.

A multi-day stay at the sanctuary is also an excellent value, as I secured a single room with shared bathroom in the Brothers’ Wing for only R$84, including three generous meals a day (incongruously, you can also enjoy a cold beer, even a shot of cachaça, at lunch and dinner). Boasting religious, historical, and natural attractions, the sanctuary is also a popular tourist destination for Brazilians, and although it was relatively uncrowded while I was there midweek, I have heard that the rooms, and the nature trails, frequently fill up during holiday weekends. Day visits for R$5 are also permitted from 7am to 5pm during the week and 8am to 5pm on weekends and holidays (one trip report I read recommended the Hotel Quadrado in nearby Santa Barbara as a good off-site lodging option).

A highlight of any visit to the sanctuary is the nightly feeding of Maned Wolves. This decades-old tradition first began when monks attempted to determine which local dogs were tipping over the refectory trashcans every night. The ritual has since evolved into a major spectacle as sometimes several wolves in succession climb up the stairs and feed on piles of raw meat in front of dozens of excited tourists. Flash photography, it appears, is permitted. On the first night I was there, the wolves didn’t arrive until well after 10pm, but I surprised one in the parking lot early the following evening as I returned to my car for a flashlight. Hopefully, I’ll cross paths with another one in a less contrived setting, perhaps at Serra da Canastra or Parque Nacional das Emas.

Living in Brasilia, in the urban heart of the Cerrado, I was coming to this site with a different perspective from most visiting birders, who I imagine are swinging west through Minas Gerais from the southeastern coast of Brazil. Especially having just come from a successful experience finding rocky Cerrado endemics at Serra do Cipó, I was focused on birding the humid montane forest and becoming more familiar with the sights and sounds of the Atlantic Rainforest. My targets included Serra, Dusky-Tailed, and Ochre-Rumped Antwrens, Pallid Spinetail, White-Breasted Tapaculo, Velvety Black Tyrant, and Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin, as well as Red-Ruffed Fruitcrow, Sharpbill, and Swallow-Tailed Cotinga, all of which are regularly reported seen.

The nature park contains a network of trails that visitors are free to explore independently provided they don’t head out too far up into the spectacular hills that encircle the sanctuary. Several good trails start near the monastery itself, including the Tanque Grande and Cascatinha Trails, both of which I birded multiple times during my stay. The Tanque Grande Trail is only 800 meters long, but it passes through good humid montane forest with a well-developed understory containing White-Shouldered Fire-Eye, Ochre-Rumped Antbird, and White-Breasted Tapaculo. Mixed flocks here can be exciting and seem to linger unusually long. The Cascatinha Trail is 2 km long and passes through a wider variety of habitat, including shrubby Cerrado and montane forest with a more developed bamboo understory, which was good for Dusky-Tailed Antbird and both Rufous-Capped and Gray-Bellied Spinetails.

My initial walk on the Tanque Trail started off magnificently with a mixed flock just after the entrance. Blue-Naped Chlorophonia, Velvety Black Tyrant, and Variable Antshrike were all present, while my first ever Swallow-Tailed Cotinga briefly appeared on a bare branch high above. Before I could really absorb the sight, it dropped out of view. Then a male Serra Antwren started calling just behind me, and it wasn’t long before I had an eyeful of this striking Formicovora species, clearly distinct from the Rusty-Backed Antwren by its black belly. Returning to the monastery at dusk, I surprised several Dusky-Legged Guans at the top of the steps and watched Black Jacobins feed one last time at a flowering tree before dark. Before heading to dinner, I circled around to the goose ponds behind the monastery where a Blackish Rail could be seen walking around on top of the vegetation on the left side of the pond.

Early the following morning I was back on the Tanque Grande Trail, grateful for the cold weather, as it seemed to keep the mosquitos at bay inside the forest. In the bamboo understory a group of Ochre-Rumped Antbirds foraged noisily in their territory, and up and down the trail White-Shouldered Fire-Eyes were vocalizing loudly. I found both easily in the growing light. Several times before I went to breakfast I heard White-Breasted Tapaculo calling from well beyond the trail, but then I encountered two separate birds nearly at my feet without having to resort to playback. The first tapaculo must have been a juvenile as its breast was confusingly tawny colored, but the second had a clearly bicolored appearance as well as a cute white eyering. A nice mixed flock included Scaled Woodcreeper, Buff-Browed Foliage-Gleaner, Black-Capped Antwren, Black-Goggled Tanager, and Surucua Trogon, but no Sharpbill.

After breakfast I spent several hours birding the bamboo understory on the Cascatinha Trail, finally getting good looks at a male Dusky-Tailed Antbird after nearly thirty minutes of waiting. I also encountered my first pair of Gilt-Edged Tanagers and was blown away by their incredible appearance. The Tangara of Southeastern Brazil must be among the world’s most colorful and intricately patterned birds. In the shrubby Cerrado along the trail, I found another aggressive male Serra Antwren, but failed to see or hear the Green-Backed Becard or Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin. Back on the Tanque Grande Trail in the evening, I had a similarly brief encounter with a Swallow-Tailed Cotinga and then watched as a flock of large swifts swooped overhead after coming from the rocky cliffs in the distance, either Biscutate or White-Collared Swifts (it was too difficult to discern whether the white collar was complete). Before calling it a day, I wandered around the Emporer’s Bath area and confidently identified Planalto Tyrannulet with the help of my iPod.

The following morning on the Tanque Grande Trail was slow, but I picked up a few new birds, including White-Throated Woodcreeper, Pallid Spinetail (a pair was vocalizing high in the canopy), Blue Manakin, and Hangnest Tody-Tyrant. I also came across a leaftosser in the semidarkness on the trail, but I wasn’t able to identify it any more specifically as it fled into the forest. Walking back for breakfast, I found a tanager flock with two more Atlantic Rainforest endemics, the Golden-Chevroned and Brassy-Breasted Tanagers. A final short walk down the Cascatinha Trail yielded a classic birding moment: first a Slaty-Breasted Wood-Rail came sauntering right up the trail, and then as it careened off into the forest, a Rufous Gnateater dropped down on the dirt nearby and hopped around like an antpitta before perching in a nearby tree for photographs. Before I was done with the gnateater, I noticed a feeding manakin nearby, which proved to be a female Pin-Tailed Manakin. This tantalizing sequence of birds made me realize that I could have spent another few days happily birding the reserve.

Notable birds seen: Dusky-Legged Guan, Blackish Rail, Slaty-Breasted Wood-Rail, White-Eyed Parakeet, Planalto Hermit, Fork-Tailed Woodnymph, Black Jacobin, White-Throated Hummingbird, Surucua Trogon, Scaled Woodcreeper, White-Throated Woodcreeper, Rufous-Capped Spinetail, Cinereous Spinetail, Gray-Bellied Spinetail, Pallid Spinetail, Buff-Browed Foliage-Gleaner, Variable Antshrike, Plain Antvireo, Black-Capped Antwren, Serra Antwren, White-Shouldered Fire-Eye, Ochre-Rumped Antbird, Dusky-Tailed Antbird, Rufous Gnateater, Blue Manakin, Pin-Tailed Manakin, White-Winged Becard, Planalto Tyrannulet, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, Yellow-Lored Tody-Flycatcher, White-Throated Spadebill, Cliff Flycatcher, Velvety Black Tyrant, Long-Tailed Tyrant, Masked Water-Tyrant, Swainson’s Flycatcher, White-Bellied Warbler, Red-Eyed Vireo, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, Black-Goggled Tanager, Ruby-Crowned Tanager, Burnished-Buff Tanager, Gilt-Edged Tanager, Brassy-Breasted Tanager, Magpie Tanager, Sayaca Tanager, Golden-Chevroned Tanager, Red-Legged Honeycreeper, Blue-Naped Chlorophonia, Purple-Throated Euphonia, Green-Winged Saltator, Lined Seedeater, Crested Oropendola.

Serra do Cipó: January 17, 2012

2012-01-20T05:44:00.000-08:00

While planning a three-day weekend trip to Belo Horizonte, I realized that I would be within reach of several renowned birding sites in the state of Minas Gerias. So after Aimee and I spent a few days exploring some of the cultural and historic points of interests in the area, such as the beautiful colonial town of Ouro Preto, I struck out on my own in a rental car to do some serious birding while she returned to work in Brasília. My first stop was Serra do Cipó, a national park protecting rocky, high-altitude Cerrado, which harbors several bird species endemic to Brazil that are difficult to find anywhere else.

The primary targets here include the Cipó Canastero, an isolated ovenbird species that was only described in the late 1980's and is related to the canasteros of the distant Andes and Patagonia; the Gray-Baced Tachuri, a diminutive and delightful flycatcher that is local to high altitude, rocky grasslands; the Hyacinth Visorbearer, a small but tough hummingbird that braves these windy highlands; the Pale-Throated Serra Finch, a chunky and long-tailed finch that skulks in the bromeliads and shrubs; and the Cinereous Warbling-Finch, a more arboreal finch found in widely dispersed pairs. In addition to these country endemics, the site is also reliable for Blue Finch, Cinnamon Tanager, and Horned Sungem, among other Cerrado specialties.

Combing through trip reports on the Internet, I realized that Serra do Cipó is a classic hit-or-miss birding site, as birders either rejoiced or despaired over their experiences there. Apparently, the season and weather can greatly influence bird activity. It’s also a tricky site for independent birders to be successful at because it requires both good luck and intimate local knowledge, as it involves a fair amount of unmarked locations and route finding. Instead of the usual half day, I budgeted an additional day for my visit and prepared thoroughly in advance by collecting a lot of information about where and how to find each target species. I also made sure I had multiple audio recordings uploaded on my iPod, including all the different songs and contact calls of the specialties.

Given its proximity to Belo Horizonte (the two-hour drive is reasonably well signed, although passing through the town of Lagoa Santa is a little confusing), the national park is popular with Brazilians who typically enjoy the streams, waterfalls, and forested trails in the lower section. Most birders focus on the high altitude rocky grasslands, choosing to stay at one of several pousadas just beyond the town of Serra do Cipó (I stayed at Pousada Chapeu do Sol, which at R$100 for lodging and three meals a day was a good value if somewhat Spartan). John van der Woude, in his excellent site notes, recommends the more pleasant Pousada Chão da Serra, which is accordingly more expensive. I'm not sure whether the birding site I visited is actually in the national park though (I did not have to pay an entrance fee), and it's possible that I was trespassing on private land.

Although most of the specialties can probably be found along the roadside, the Cipó Canastero requires considerable effort and is frequently missed. Here’s my best attempt at directions. Drive approximately 4km uphill from Chapeu do Sol, riding up and over a summit, and park the car along the road near the 110 km sign. Crawl under the barbed wire fence on the right and search for a trail that leads up the rocky ridge for about two kilometers. The trail winds along unclearly past smaller rock outcroppings, and it branches off several times in different directions (biologists were clearly doing field work in the area when I was there, and there was also a small weather data-collection station set up along the first grassy plateau). As this is an open area though, in good weather it should be generally obvious how to follow the ridge up and to the right from the road. Eventually, the trail leads gently down to a second expansive grassy area bordered on the far end by a large rocky slope with many slanted boulders covered in moss and bromeliads.

My moment with the canastero only came after five hours of searching each modest rock outcropping in the area, exploring well beyond where I needed to. Happily, in the course of looking and listening for the canastero, I found several other target species, including a pair of Gray-Backed Tachuris, a Pale-Throated Serra Finch, and many beautiful Hyacinth Visorbearers. The weather was spectacularly clear and sunny, having stopped raining heavily for weeks only just a few days ago, and I was in high spirits wandering around by myself, feeling as if I were back in the high Andes where I lived for six years. Stripe-Tailed Yellow-Finch, White-Vented Violetear, Gray Monjita, Grassland Sparrow were common, and I also noted Aplomado Falcon and several Hellmayr’s Pipit (I’m identifying it here based on Nick Athanas’s 2008 trip report).

Finally, I arrived at the rocky slope described above and clambered over the boulders into the middle of the habitat (if you want good photos of birds, you can’t simply look from the edge unless you have a lot of glass; as always, it’s important tread lightly, though). Within minutes I was staring down at a Gray-Backed Tachuri and a Cipó Canastero foraging together right below me in the shrubs and bromeliads. I watched amazed as the canastero hopped among the rocks, disappearing only to reappear and call again. Aggressively territorial, the bird seemed hard to miss except for the fact that I had been searching for it all morning. After a few photos, I left it in peace.

I walked directly back to the car along the trail described above, stopping as I approached the road when I heard the distinctive call of the Blue Finch. An emblematic but elusive bird of the Cerrado, the male Blue Finch has captured my imagination, and I have often daydreamed of seeing it, especially while birding my local patches in Brasília. It was with great relish, then, that I scanned for it among the rocky slopes as it flitted about variously from perch to perch on boulders, shrubs, and trees. I finally took a well-deserved break and shortly realized that I was still missing a couple of key birds. Just as I was fortifying myself for another few hours of walking around the hilly terrain, I heard some excited bird chatter in a densely vegetated ravine nearby. A pair of Cinereous Warbling-Finches was foraging in the top of a tree, and then swooping in melodiously came a singing Cinnamon Tanager.

If Serra do Cipó is indeed a hit-or-miss site, then I had truly landed a hit, not only sweeping up all of the target species in one brilliant morning but photographing them too (photography is always easier in open grassy areas, but it still requires a degree of luck to get a decent shot, as my colleagues at Wiki Aves will no doubt attest). I bolted down my ample lunch at Chapeu do Sol and hit the road for Santuário do Caraça, an old monastery that has been converted to a nature park that contains a remarkable variety of habitat, including both Cerrado and Atlantic rainforest. I would need the extra day there, as I am relatively unfamiliar with the birds of southeastern Brazil, having only made one trip to REGUA in 2009.

Notable birds seen: Aplomado Falcon, White-Vented Violetear, Hyacinth Visorbearer, Cipó Canastero, Gray-Backed Tachuri, Gray Monjita, Brown-Chested Martin, Hellmayr’s Pipit, Cinnamon Tanager, Blue Finch, Cinereous Warbling-Finch, Grassland Sparrow, Pale-Throated Serra Finch, Yellow-Rumped Marshbird, Stripe-Tailed Yellow-Finch.

Jardim Botânico, Brasília: January 8, 2012

2012-01-10T02:46:00.000-08:00

I woke up on Sunday morning well before dawn and sat in my kitchen having breakfast for a long while, waiting for it to get light. A Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl was calling from the trees outside the window of my apartment as I considered where to go birding and anticipated what I might see. Then a car roared up to the gas station across the street, which was closed, and the passengers got out to drunkenly serenade the neighborhood. An hour later in deciduous forest at the Jardim Botanico, I was shifting my attention around a mixed flock, suprisingly coming to rest on a Pale-Bellied Tyrant-Manakin, a confusing species I only recently became acquainted with last weekend in gallery forest near Chapada dos Veadeiros.

Later, I followed an Aplomado Falcon through campo sujo as it changed perches several times. Meanwhile, I could hear dozens of mountain bikers racing along the trails and dirt roads of the reserve and shouting across fields and through forests. I recently joined Wiki Aves, one of the world’s most popular birding websites, where the community of birders in Brazil, which is tens of thousands strong, shares photographs and audio recordings. There you’ll see amazing photos of some of the best and rarest birds of the neotropics and read hundreds of generous and supportive comments by other users. Even after a few months, I’m still apparently baffled by the overwhelming diversity of birds, and humans, in this country.

Notable birds seen: Aplomado Falcon, Fork-Tailed Woodnymph, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Black-Capped Antwren, Collared Crescentchest, Campo Suiriri, Gray-Hooded Flycatcher, Yellow-Olive Flatbill, Pale-Breasted Tyrant-Manakin, Helmeted Manakin, Masked Gnatcatcher, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, White-Bellied Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, Guira Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Red-Legged Honeycreeper, Burnished-Buff Tanager, White-Lined Tanager, Plumbeous Seedeater, Red Pileated Finch.

Parque da Cidade, Brasilia: January 6, 2012

2012-01-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

On occasion, I bring my camera to the Parque da Cidade in Brasilia to spend a few hours in the morning photographing birds (I carry it around discreetly in a plastic shopping bag for safety). While I’m walking or jogging there during the week, I also keep a watchful eye on the birds that reside in the park, sometimes noting an unusual bird passing through, such as Aplomado Falcon, Buff-Necked Ibis, and Whistling Heron. As far as birding patches go, it’s a productive site with a nice variety of Cerrado species that I don’t often see elsewhere, such as Gray Monjita, Firewood Gatherer, and White Woodpecker, the latter of which I was finally able to photograph today as a group of four or five birds were foraging garrulously with a mixed flock.

What originally drew my attention to the same mixed flock from a considerable distance away was the sight of a pair of stunning red and white birds, colored unlike any other bird in the region. The Ridgely-Tudor field guide for the Birds of Central Brazil doesn’t include the Red-Cowled Cardinal, but there was simply no mistaking the identification of these gorgeous birds or confusing them with the Red-Crested Cardinal, which is localized to the Pantanal in Brazil. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology includes Brasilia at the far western end of the distribution of this Brazilian endemic, but there’s a chance that the birds were released from captivity, as cardinals in general are popular here in the caged bird trade.

Chapada dos Veadeiros: December 31, 2011-January 2, 2012

2012-01-03T04:50:00.000-08:00

Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros is the nearest significant reserve to Brasilia, and I had long romanticized about birding its rocky wilderness, which is home to standout Cerrado specialties such as the Blue Finch, Horned Sungem, and Brazilian Merganser. The park is famous for its steep cliffs, high waterfalls, and big skies, and its 650 square kilometers encompass all the different varieties of Cerrado habitat, especially campo rupestre. Access to the park itself is through a single entrance near the village of Sao Jorge, although some visitors chose to stay at Alto Paraiso instead, which is located along the main highway. While the park boasts several impressive tourist attractions, guided excursions are mandatory, and most birders prefer instead to explore the various private reserves bordering the park.

With access to a car for the holiday weekend, Aimee and I decided it was finally time to visit the region, even though the wet weather didn’t bode well for finding the Brazilian Merganser. Instead of rolling the dice in the park, I opted to stay at a pousada on the northern side near the town of Cavalcante, which is 90 km past Alto Paraiso. In doing so we would hopefully avoid a rowdy New Year’s celebration, finding some peace and quiet instead. The tranquil Pousada Vale das Araras protects approximately 40 hectares of gallery forest, and the surrounding hills and cliffs are blanketed with undisturbed Cerrado habitat. The owner enjoys birding himself and is eager to point out avian attractions along the trails of the reserve as well as on the grounds of the pousada, which are landscaped with native plants that beckon a variety of parrots, toucans, tanagers, flycatchers, and hummingbirds.

I’ve already spent a fair amount of time birding in gallery forest in Central Brazil, but a few casual walks along the trails yielded a number of new species for me. The transition habitat along the beginning of the trail network has relatively few tall trees, but the dense groundcover holds a number of inconspicuous bird species, including Undulated Tinamou, Chestnut-Capped, or Henna-Capped, Foliage-Gleaner, and Pale-Bellied Tyrant-Manakin, all of which I saw reasonably well (there’s a bit of a disagreement concerning the English common name for the foliage-gleaner, as the Ridgely-Tudor revision has seemingly failed to catch on). Aimee and I also had great looks at a male Helmeted Manakin along this stretch, which perched for a prolonged period at eye level after playback. This area was particularly good for mixed flocks, with Orange-Headed Tanager, Rufous-Tailed Jacamar, and Green-Winged Saltator among the highlights, and I had a brief encounter with a Veery as well as a Planalto Hermit here, too.

Around the chalets there were a number of fruiting trees attracting Chestnut-Eared Aracari, Purple-Throated Euphonia, and Yellow-Chevroned and Peach-Fronted Parakeets, all of which created quite a din during the otherwise quiet afternoon hours. The midday rain slowed activity down as well, and I took it easy for once, choosing to catch up on my reading. In a recent edition of the New Yorker, there is a fascinating article on reforestation in Central Africa that highlights the recent grassroots success in Niger and lambasts the idea of a Great Green Wall of trees fencing in the Sahara Desert. Ultimately, the article suggests that there is no correct method for fighting the worldwide battle against desertification, only regional solutions that take into account the different financial, natural, and human resources available in each country, be it China, Oman, or Burkina Faso. Despite its still considerable rate of deforestation (in 2004 it was the highest in the world), Brazil wasn’t even mentioned.

The following morning I had planned for us to explore more of the park itself, but the weather was poor and it continued to rain through the afternoon. We stopped a few times along the road between Calvalcante and Alto Paraiso, looking for Cock-Tailed Tyrant in the larger sections of campo limpo, but bird activity was practically nonexistent. A pair of White-Rumped Monjitas braved the high winds along the highway, and we also found a flock of scarce Yellow-Faced Parrots along the road to Sao Jorge. The latter road is only partially paved, and once the asphalt ran out, I decided to turn our compact car around and return to Brasilia. We would simply have to explore the park itself on another visit, although it was a shame to come all this way and not even once troll for Blue Finch in the rocky terrain. Pousada Portal da Chapada, located at kilometer 9 along the road to Sao Jorge, will almost certainly be my first destination on our next visit. Brazilian bird guide Rafael Teixeira, who can be contacted at rafaelsaojorge@yahoo.com.br, is reportedly a good resource for searching for the merganser, a mission that is best undertaken during the dry season.

Notable birds seen: Undulated Tinamou, Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet, Peach-Fronted Parakeet, Yellow-Faced Parrot, Planalto Hermit, Rufous-Tailed Jacamar, Black-Fronted Nunbird, Chestnut-Eared Aracari, Toco Toucan, Narrow-Billed Woodcreeper, Henna-Capped Foliage-Gleaner, Plain Antvireo, Black-Capped Antwren, Sepia-Capped Flycatcher, Ochre-Lored Flatbill, Southern Antpipit, Bran-Colored Flycatcher, Pale-Bellied Tyrant-Manakin, White-Rumped Monjita, Black-Tailed Tityra, Helmeted Manakin, Veery, White-Bellied Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, Orange-Headed Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Purple-Throated Euphonia, Swallow Tanager, Green-Winged Saltator, Black-Throated Saltator, Crested Oropendola.

Parque Nacional de Brasilia: December 30, 2011

2012-01-03T04:44:00.000-08:00

The capital city often empties out on weekends and holidays, and during the period between Christmas and New Year’s the wise streets of Brasilia are literally empty. I figured the national park might also be devoid of crowds for once, but the regulars were there before 8am, swimming and striding around the pool in their speedos. The infrastructure in the park improved since my last visit, and the trails are now better marked, including informational placards promoting the conservation of the Cerrado. Given the recent and rapid destruction of the earth’s most biodiverse savanna (less than 20% of the original Cerrado habitat remains in Central Brazil, and only 1.5% is protected by national parks), it’s about time for the country to get the word out. The many prominently positioned signs do just that, explaining in detail how this subtle but complex ecosystem is organized and what is at stake if it’s not conserved.

This morning I walked the 5 km Trilha Cristal d’Agua, which loops through campo sujo and skirts the edge of a patch of gallery forest. Thunderheads loomed on the horizon by the time I started, and I only had a few hours to bird before the showers commenced. Noting a Laughing Falcon perched near the Visitors’ Center, I was soon onto a nice mixed flock with White-Wedged Piculet and Narrow-Billed Woodcreeper, among others. As usual, a considerable amount of pshing kept the birds relatively close and active, yielding decent photographs of the woodcreeper. A kilometer or so later, I spotted a gorgeous but shy flycatcher gleaning low among the bushes. This individual Bran-Colored Flycatcher had a rich ochre-colored head and mantle and was much more impressive looking than the depiction in the Ridgely-Tudor field guide, making me question what the color of bran really is.

I arrived at the gallery forest just before a downpour, spotting a light-morph Short-Tailed Hawk hunting just overhead, while at the forest edge a mixed flock rushed to forage for a few more minutes before the rain. Helmeted Manakin, Black-Capped Antwren, Pearly-Vented Tody-Tyrant, Tropicla Parula, Planalto Antshrike, Green-Winged Saltator, and Masked Gnatcatcher all scattered once the rain started, and I raced inside the forest to take shelter under one of the new placards. I was hoping this would be a good place for Saffron-Billed Sparrow, Brasilian Tapaculo, or Sharp-Tailed Streamcreeper, but I had no luck with playback after the rain finally ended. Meanwhile the mixed flock regrouped, and so I spent some more time sifting through the different species, always hoping for something new, whether a new species, call, or behavior. On a related note, I’ve been rereading Wilson’s Biophilia recently, who unabashedly admits: “A quiet passion burns, not for total control but for the sensation of constant advance.”

On the way out, I quickly walked the Trilha da Capivara, trolling for the same three species as above. Amazingly I had the trail all to myself, but again I heard no response from these sought-after skulkers. I did note an unusual threesome foraging on the forest floor – White-Bellied Warbler and Black-Goggled and Burnished-Buff Tanagers – behaving as if they were squabbling at an ant swarm. Speaking of which, Aimee and I are headed to Cristalino Lodge in Southern Amazonia in a few months, hoping to find a few ant swarms despite the wet weather typical in February. It’s certainly a splurge to visit there, and I wonder sometimes if we’re not rushing things (we’re only two months into a two-year tour in Brasilia). Then again, who knows when I’ll be living in the neotropics again and whether birding will even be a meaningful activity at our next post.

Notable birds seen: Whistling Heron, Short-Tailed Hawk, Laughing Falcon, Ashy-Tailed Swift, White-Wedged Piculet, Narrow-Billed Woodcreeper, Pale-Breasted Spinetail, Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Black-Capped Antwren, Pearly-Vented Tody-Tyrant, Bran-Colored Flycatcher, Yellow-Olive Flatbill, Fork-Tailed Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, Helmeted Manakin, Masked Gnatcatcher, Tropical Parula, White-Bellied Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, Guira Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Purple-Throated Euphonia, Black-Goggled Tanager, Green-Winged Saltator, Plumbeous Seedater, Red Pileated Finch.

Serra das Araras: December 26, 2011

2011-12-27T07:53:00.000-08:00

Following in the footsteps of many birders before us, Aimee and I made the pilgrimage to Serra das Araras to see the famous nesting site of the Harpy Eagle. This well-known eyrie has produced magnificent Harpy Eagle observations, and photographs, for several decades, although it’s still far from being a popular tourist attraction. A few hours’ drive from Cuiaba in the state of Mato Grosso, Pousada Currupira das Araras serves as the base for this relatively easy excursion, requiring only a few hundred meter’s walk and a little patience. Similar to our experience in Chapada dos Guimaraes, I had to scramble to arrange our brief visit, which coincided with the Christmas holiday when the pousada is unfortunately closed like many lodges, inns, and hotels in Brazil’s best ecotourism destinations.

Geographically and ecologically, Serra das Araras is a fascinating region, as it’s an assortment of spectacular plateaus surrounded by humid forest as well as savanna, boasting an avifauna that’s as much Amazonia as Cerrado. While cattle ranching and mining have contributed to extensive environmental degradation, the pousada itself is certainly located in an attractive setting. This patchwork of different ecosystems, both natural and manmade, creates a dynamic environment for birding, where it’s possible to see Greater Ema, Wattled Jacana, Toco Toucan, Sharpbill, and Harpy Eagle from nearly the same spot. Birders could happily spend several days exploring the area, although the price of staying at the pousada is not insignificant (R$355 per night for two people). Regular day visits (R$100 per person) can also be arranged that include a guide and as well as lunch (contact Ricardo at (65) 3321–1066 or Maria Teresa at pousadacurrupira@yahoo.com.br).

Staying the night in Cuiaba at Hotel Portal da Amazonia (R$118 for a double room), Aimee and I left in our rental car well before dawn, not knowing what to expect about the potential of actually seeing a Harpy Eagle. I had heard from several birding tour companies that the eagles will likely be nesting in 2012, and the contacts at the lodge both confirmed that they had been seen around the nest recently. To increase our chances, I figured that it would be best to get there as early as possible, especially considering how difficult it is to navigate Cuiaba and the neighboring city of Varzea Grande, as there are few signs on the road and several surprising one-way streets. Once we finally escaped the city, it was a beautiful drive through transitional Cerrado and Pantanal habitat, albeit both degraded by cattle ranching, and I listed to Baden Powell’s melancholic guitar playing on the stereo to calm my nerves. It would also be possible to stay in Jangada for the night, where there was at least one decent hotel, if you wanted to arrive on site closer to dawn.

35 km from the turnoff to Barra de Bugres, there’s a sign indicating the dirt road to Pousada Currupira das Araras, which you’ll eventually arrive at after passing through the gated property of a mining company. We were greeted at the pousada and put in the care of a young farm worker who helped us navigate the track towards the eyrie through several clearings and past hundreds of cattle. I started getting very excited as we put on our rubber boots and finally left the car behind, mistakenly shouting “Harpy Eagle!” at first site of a Crane Hawk that dove out of the crown of a nearby tree. If it’s not already apparent, the nesting area is sadly degraded, with cleared areas on all sides of the towering tree that the nest is located in (this does, of course, create better viewing opportunities). I imagine the eagles certainly mind the environmental destruction, although they appear creatures of habit, returning to repair and use the same nest every few years regardless of the changes to the surrounding forest.

We first noted the female from a distance, her hulking silhouette visible on top of the giant nest, which is easily as big as a Volkswagen Gol and positioned in the main crook of the tree. I’ve heard that Harpy Eagles are undisturbed by the presence of humans and imperially nonchalant in their behavior, but the female was clearly aware of us as we set up the scope from what I judged to be a respectable distance. After marveling for a while in awe, I moved the scope to a better vantage point and was shocked to see the male sitting out in the open in the same tree. Considerably smaller than the female, the male was also agitated by our presence and swooped magnificently into another tree nearby, where he remained in better cover. Seeing a Harpy Eagle spread its enormous wings and glide overhead is a breathtaking experience, and I couldn’t help but glance protectively at Aimee to see if she was still by my side. Indeed, the eagle is arguably the most powerful bird of prey in the world and regularly snatches monkeys and sloths from trees, as well as taking down brocket deer on the forest floor.

The female soon joined the male in the neighboring tree, again taking to the air on enormous wings, its huge talons dangling menacingly in flight. For the next hour, we soaked up the eagles, enjoying excellent viewing conditions, even if the photographic conditions could have been better. I tried digiscoping as well as using my own telephoto lens, but ultimately I needed more glass and a better camera to really do the eagles justice (I’m still using a Nikon D-80 but hoping to upgrade to a D-5100 next year). Who could complain, though? After six years of birding in the neotropics I was finally observing the Harpy Eagle, both a male and female, at length, and in good company. Amazingly enough, Aimee and I actually decided to walk away from the birds too, as we were clearly disturbing them as they frequently raised their crown feathers and glared in our direction. Perhaps we were too close, or maybe they really were in the process of mating and nesting. At any rate, we’ll be visiting Cristalino Lodge in February, and there’s a good chance we’ll see another Harpy Eagle at a nesting site in Alta Floresta on the property of the Floresta Amazonica Hotel, which I understand is also supposed to be active in 2012.

We spent a few more hours birding a road that leads past the pousada towards another fazenda. I was hoping to get on a forest trail and search for Sharpbill, but it wasn’t clear whether there were actually any accessible trails or whether I simply wasn’t allowed on them unaccompanied. From the road we had a few more noteworthy observations, including White-Tailed Hawk in a bare tree in a clearing, Gray Hawk, Great Antshrike, Lettered Aracari, and Lesser Yellow-Headed Vultures. Yellow-Tufted Woodpecker, Thrush-Like Wren, Yellow-Rumped Cacique, and Purplish Jay were common. Most interesting was a massive dark gray raptor soaring overhead that seemed to appear out of nowhere. It glided down from the towering plateau nearby, with surprisingly broad wings and very long primary feathers, its yellow legs clearly visible. I only had a few seconds to take it all in, as the bird plunged behind the forest near the road, perhaps landing in a tree or clearing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a Crowned Solitary Eagle. Brazilian bird guide Paulo Boute knows the area well and has seen Crowned Solitary Eagle there on several occasions. Imagine seeing both the Harpy and Crowned Solitary Eagle in the same day.

Notable birds seen: Greater Rhea, White-Faced Whistling-Duck, Least Grebe, Striated Heron, Whistling Heron, Lesser Yellow-Headed Vulture, Plumbeous Kite, Crane Hawk, Gray Hawk, White-Tailed Hawk, Harpy Eagle, Common Moorhen, Wattled Jacana, Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet, Amazon Kingfisher, Lettered Aracari, Toco Toucan, Green-Barred Woodpecker, Yellow-Tufted Woodpecker, Great Antshrike, Streaked Flycatcher, Purplish Jay, Thrush-Like Wren, Grayish Saltator, Yellow-Rumped Cacique.

Chapada dos Guimaraes: December 23-25, 2011

2011-12-27T06:04:00.000-08:00

Traveling in Brazil during the Christmas holiday has twice proven very difficult, as lodges, hotels, and restaurants throughout the country shut their doors, especially those located in renowned birding destinations such as the Amazon, Pantanal, and Atlantic Rainforest. Aimee and I finally had four days to get out of Brasilia and explore the country, but I was repeatedly thwarted in making arrangements for a trip to an environment that offered opportunities for birding as well as relaxation. Eventually, I cobbled together a trip to the state of Mato Grosso, combing short visits to Chapada dos Guimaraes and Serra das Araras for tastes of birding both the Cerrado and Amazonia; however, because of the holiday I had to make significant sacrifices on the quality and duration of our stay at both sites.

Mato Grosso boasts three different ecosystems – Cerrado, Amazon, and Pantanal – each with a distinct avifauna, and independent birders visiting during the dry season, from July to October, would be wise to spend a few weeks exploring all three. Since we live just a short flight away in the country’s capital city, I imagine we will make several trips to the state, as flying to Cuiaba (TAM, R$500 for two people) and renting a car (Avis, R$115 per day) is simple and relatively inexpensive compared to visiting the coast, for example. Our busy itinerary involved driving to Chapada dos Guimaraes from Cuiaba (1.5 hours), staying there for two nights at Hotel Turismo (R$283 per night for a double room), returning to Cuiaba for the night at Hotel Portal da Amazonia (R$118), and driving to Pousada Curripira d’Araras (2.5 hours) for the day before flying back to Brasilia.

While I was frustrated that so many lodges and reserves were closed during this period, I was generally impressed with the level of customer service we encountered throughout our trip. Speaking Portuguese, however poorly at times, certainly helped smooth the way, but Aimee and I were routinely presented with helpful information and guidance by staff at the airports, car rental agency, hotels, and restaurants. For example, I overloaded my carry-on luggage by 15 kilograms with optical equipment (the limit on domestic flights is 5 kg) but was kindly waived through, and we were able to exchange our original rental car for a brand-new Volkswagen Gol when the front axel started making odd vibrations. Although it still irritates me that access to national parks is so restricted in Brazil (the hours at Chapada dos Guimaraes are from 9am to 4pm, and a guide is required except for the Veu da Noiva waterfall), I was really encouraged by my many positive interactions with a wide variety of Brazilians.

In preparation, I sifted through a large number of trip reports to get a better sense of the birding potential in the Chapada dos Guimaraes region. While I had originally sought the services of a birding guide to help maximize our time there, I eventually abandoned the idea after learning more the region as well as about their availability (five out of six of the recommended guides I contacted were already busy) and costs (one guide asked for R$180 per day not including transportation). The basic strategy is to divide time between birding the shrubby grasslands, which are plentiful even outside protected areas, and the dense gallery forest, which is found mostly on private reserves. Aimee and I spent our two mornings birding the dirt road to Agua Fria, and then the early afternoons birding gallery forest along the Vale da Bencao road and the private reserve at the end of the Vale Jacama road. We also spent a few hours during the middle of the first day at Veu da Noiva, which is more of a glorified lookout than a birding site.

The wide dirt road to Agua Fria is not marked, but coming from town it’s an obvious right turn off the highway located approximately halfway between Chapada dos Guimaraes and Veu da Noiva. After passing some houses on the right, the road crests a hill and descends down through good campo sujo habitat, slowly rising past a series of pastures and tree farms. I was shocked by the high volume and speed of traffic along the road, and it certainly felt like an inappropriate place for a guide to take a group of birders, but the area was productive and yielded many Cerrado specialities. On both mornings, we only made it about 5 km down the road before turning back when activity died down in the heat of the day. For reasons of safety and security, I didn’t stray far from the car or much into the field, but there were plenty of birds to be found right along the side of the road.

Although I’ve birded a variety of Cerrado habitats already in Brasilia, I noted immediately that this area seemed much wilder and hence more typical than what I had previously experienced, as the calls of White-Eared Puffbirds, White-Rumped Tanagers, and Red-Legged Seriemas resounded throughout the morning. It didn’t take long to find Rufous-Winged Antshrike and Rusty-Backed Antwren, and we attracted Checkered Woodpecker and Campo Suiriri with the help of playback. Black-Faced Tanager, Black-Throated Grosbeak, Curl-Crested Jay, Plumbeous Seedeater, and Shrike-Like Tanager were common, and male Blue-Black Grassquits were displaying seemingly everywhere. Our best find was definitely the spectacular Horned Sungem, and we saw four individuals during the two mornings we spent here; in fact, one male perched just a few meters away for a few seconds before being chased off by another. It’s never easy to get good looks at hummingbirds in the field, especially low-feeding ones, and I’ve heard that groups regularly miss the sungem on trips to the region.

Because we live in Central Brazil I didn’t feel a lot of pressure to see every bird on the list during this trip, and we missed Rufous-Sided Pygmy-Tyrant, Coal-Crested Finch, Blue Finch, Cinnamon Tanager, and the newly described Chapada Suiriri (I still tried for them with playback without success). Red-Legged Seriema also proved very difficult to actually see, although there were several calling nearby; despite its size, it seems to skulk in the bushes and tall grass. We saw several perched Peach-Fronted Parakeets and Blue-Winged Macaws, and a likely Small-Billed Tinamou crossed the road in the distance in front of us (I heard them calling several times). While there are clearly other options for birding campo sujo in the area, this is the only site that we explored, based on many comments that I read in trip reports stating that the road to Agua Fria was clearly the most productive for Cerrado specialties. In general, I didn’t appreciated birding this site because of all the traffic and environmental degradation (there’s a big trash dump on the opposite side of the first valley).

The Veu da Noiva site is a stunning lookout over a densely forested canyon and an 86 meter waterfall (entrance is free). Aside from a short walkway down to the lookout from the parking lot, the site is closed to further exploration, leaving birders with little more to do than scan the treetops and wait for something interesting to fly by. That proved to be a decent strategy for us as we watched a pair of gorgeous Red-and-Green Macaws pass by several times while sipping drinks on the patio of the cantina located nearby. We also spotted Cliff Flycatcher, Swallow Tanager, and White-Eyed Parakeet. I’ve read that the site is also great for Bat and possibly even Orange-Breasted Falcons, Crested Black Tyrant, and roosting swifts, including the endemic Biscutate Swift, but we weren’t allowed to stay past 4:30 in the afternoon (supposedly you can arrange in advance with the park manager to stay after hours, but I was too annoyed to ask for more information). Disappointingly, I only noted a few Blue-and-White Swallows.

After enjoying lunch at the nearby Restaurante das Cachoeiras while sitting out a downpour, we visited the road to Vale da Bencao, which passes to the right through gallery forest on the way from Veu da Noiva to the town of Chapada dos Guimaraes. It was very quiet, but I thought it would be a good time and place to search for manakins, as Helmeted, Fiery-Capped, and Band-Tailed Manakins are all regularly found in the region. After watching a pair of Rusty-Fronted Tody-Flycatchers forage in the dense undergrowth along the side of the dirt road, I heard a faint metallic sound at widely spaced intervals. Recognizing the confusing call of the Fiery-Capped Manakin, I carefully reeled it in using playback. Aimee was the first to spot an exquisite male, and I let her enjoy it without rushing over and potentially scaring it off. My patience was rewarded a few minutes later with my own prolonged looks at this shy but spectacular manakin, and I was about to fire off a few photographs before a car zoomed by and spoiled the moment. That’s the risk you take when you’re birding public roads, I guess.

Although we generally appreciated the scenery of the region, including the sheer cliffs, precarious rock towers, and rolling scrubland, Aimee and I hadn’t really enjoyed ourselves birding until we visited a private reserve at the end of the Vale da Jamaca road, owned and managed by Mario Friedlander, an amiable Brazilian photographer and conservationist. The turnoff is on the left heading towards Campo Verde a few kilometers from the town of Chapada dos Guimaraes, although the sign is only visible when coming from the other direction. Mario’s property is at the end of the narrow dirt road, where you can park and enter through a gate. We found him on Christmas day with machete in hand, doing work in the yard, and after explaining the mission of his reserve and the layout of his property, he allowed us to independently explore the loop trail that passes for 1 km through gallery forest, even providing us with gaiters as protection from snakes (entrance fee is R$10).

Midmorning can be a productive time in dense forest, and we were quickly onto a variety of birds, including Blue-Crowned Motmot, Red-Necked Woodpecker, and the delightful Band-Tailed Manakin. Aimee and I actually had the good fortune of finding a display site and watched in awe as a brilliant male repeatedly displayed on the same branch for a female nearby. Most manakins exhibit some type of extraordinary courtship ritual, and the Band-Tailed Manakin appears to do a quick sidestep along a branch while partially raising its flattened wings and tail, exposing the white band on the underside (manakins typically move so quickly in display that it’s hard to appreciate just exactly what they’re doing). I also managed to sneak in close and use my flash to capture a few decent photographs. Later on the trail we found Plain Antvireo, Gray-Headed Tanager, and Silver-Beaked Tanager before arriving at an intimate waterfall, where we took a rest.

After sharing a cup of tea with Mario back near the entrance of the reserve, we watched an impressive mixed flock move along the forest edge. Large-Billed Antwren called frequently overhead while Blue Dacnis, Sepia-Capped Flycatcher, and White-Wedged Piculet foraged frantically about. I spotted a Brown Jacamar perched on a small twig and raced to get the scope set up for better views, but it dashed away and didn’t respond to playback. A group of noisy Black-Fronted Puffbirds arrived and further increased the din, as we wrapped up our visit with Mario, who congenially describes himself as a radical conservationist. He’s also a very accomplished photographer and produces a magazine called Afromundo, which focuses on the cultural and natural aspects of the Quilombola region of Brazil and Bolivia, including many terrific photos. Finding the manakin and visiting with Mario were both rewarding experiences, and the site is easily worth a full morning of birding.

A perfect visit to Chapada dos Guimaraes definitely would have involved staying in an ecolodge, such as Pousada do Parque which also has gallery forest habitat, and birding more productively with a guide, such as Fabiano Oliveira, who surfaced in several trip reports I read and was also recommended by the manager of our hotel (fabianoufmt@yahoo.com.br). There are quite a few other sites in the area worth exploring as well, including other patches of gallery forest and roads that pass through campo sujo similar to the Agua Fria road. Depending on your pace and the weather, two to three full days of birding should be enough time to find most of the Cerrado specialties including a couple of surprises, such as Pavonine and Pheasant Cuckoos, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, and Dot-Eared Coquette. Unfortunately, Blue Finch is rarely seen in the area, judging from the trip reports I read, but I should have another chance next weekend as we visit Chapada dos Veadeiros next weekend.

Notable birds seen: Swallow-Tailed Kite, Roadside Hawk, Southern Crested Caracara, American Kestrel, Red-and-Green Macaw, Blue-Winged Macaw, White-Eyed Parakeet, Peach-Fronted Parakeet, Burrowing Owl, White-Vented Violetear, Horned Sungem, Blue-Crowned Motmot, Brown Jacamar, White-Eared Puffbird, Black-Fronted Nunbird, Channel-Billed Toucan, White-Wedged Piculet, Checkered Woodpecker, Red-Necked Woodpecker, Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Plain Antvireo, Large-Billed Antwren, Rusty-Backed Antwren, Campo Suiriri, Rusty-Fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Cliff Flycatcher, Fiery-Capped Manakin, Band-Tailed Manikin, Curl-Crested Jay, Blue Dacnis, Burnished-Buff Tanager, Purple-Throated Euphonia, Swallow Tanager, Gray-Headed Tanager, Silver-Beaked Tanager, Black-Faced Tanager, Shrike-Like Tanager, White-Rumped Tanager, Black-Throated Saltator, Red Pileated Finch, Plumbeous Seedeater, Shiny Cowbird.

Jardim Botânico, Brasília: December 18, 2011

2011-12-19T04:08:00.000-08:00

Sunny afternoons aren’t typically productive periods for birding, but often they are the only times you have available, and so you make the best of them. On Sunday afternoon, I decided to head back out to the same patch of gallery forest that I had explored on the previous morning, as Aimee was busy preparing for work on Monday. It had rained earlier, but the afternoon was sunny and spectacular. Several birds of prey were soaring about in the big sky over Brasilia, including Plumbeous Kite and Southern Crested Caracara as well as the ubiquitous Black Vulture. The campo sujo was completely quiet except for a single Glittering-Throated Emerald.

At the edge of the gallery forest, I encountered a small thrush perched quietly a few meters off the ground. It turned out to be a Veery, which is a rare find in this region of Brazil, and I snapped a few record shots before letting it alone. Returning to the same fruiting trees as yesterday, I encountered a similar level of bird activity, but this time there were a half dozen tyrant flycatcher species feeding in an impossible blur of activity. One bird looked a lot like the Highland Elaenia (the telling Latin name is Elaenia Obscura), but what do I know? Frustrated, I walked along the edge of the forest and eventually found another flock with a few easier species, including Tropical Parula, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, and Yellow-Olive Flatbill.

Next weekend Aimee has a few days off, and so we’re heading west to Chapada das Guimaraes, a national park in the state of Mato Grosso that is typically visited by birders in conjunction with a trip to the Pantanal. The park is famous for its waterfalls and spectacular rock formations, and it also protects a variety of cerrado habits, including large areas of cerradao, or mature dry forest with continuous canopy. I wasn’t able to secure the services of a birding guide, but we should do fine on our own with a car and the trip reports I’ve found on the Internet. Target species include Red-Legged Seriema, Rufous-Sided Pygmy-Tyrant, Blue Finch, and Horned Sungem in the shrubby grasslands, and Fiery-Capped and Band-Tailed Manakins, Saffron-Billed Sparrow, and Sharp-Tailed Streamcreeper in the gallery forest. It’ll be good to finally do some birding outside of Brasilia.

Notable birds seen: Roadside Hawk, Plumbeous Kite, Southern Crested Caracara, Squirrel Cuckoo, Glittering-Throated Emerald, Yellow-Olive Flatbill, Helmeted Manakin, Masked Gnatcatcher, Veery, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, Tropical Parula, White-Bellied Warbler, Guira Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Burnished-Buff Tanager.

Jardim Botânico, Brasília: December 17, 2011

2011-12-19T03:12:00.000-08:00

I returned to the Jardim Botanico again on Saturday morning, looking to deepen my knowledge and understanding of the birds of the cerrado. Although I had planned to focus on birding the campo sujo of the reserve, general activity in this area was low, perhaps due to poor weather. Only the hummingbirds didn’t appear bothered by the drizzle, and a dazzling male Fork-Tailed Woodnymph at a flowering shrub certainly brightened my morning. Continuing past the shrubby grasslands I had originally planned to bird, I encountered a pair of Scaled Doves cruising along a dirt road and stepped aside to let them pass. Then I saw a patch of gallery forest up ahead and decided to try my luck there instead.

Just before reaching the narrow strip of forest running along a stream, I found a small mixed flock, mostly tyrant flycatchers but also including a Narrow-Billed Woodcreeper, a common dry forest and savanna species that I had yet to see. Like most birders in the neotropics, I continue to struggle with identifying flycatchers, particularly the confusing array of elaenias found in the cerrado. Despite studying frequently and consulting multiple references in the field, I’m not making much progress as every gray-colored bird seems to have a faint eye ring, slightly raised crest, and pinkish lower mandible. It’s easy to get discouraged, I guess, when bird activity is low and the few birds you do encounter are indistinguishable.

Moving on, I found an overgrown trail passing through the gallery forest and trolled for Sharp-Tailed Streamcreeper, Brasilia Tapaculo, and Rufous Gnateater without success. There was a large mixed flock at some fruiting trees on the other side of the trail though that offered a nice diversity of birds, including Planalto Foliage Gleaner, Helmeted Manakin, Green-Winged Saltator, Variable Antshrike, and Gray-Hooded Flycatcher. That was quite a haul compared to the rest of my morning, and after the flock dispersed I decided to call it a day. Returning through campo sujo on my way out of the reserve, I met a noisy band of Curl-Crested Jays fighting through the wind from tree to tree. It was reassuring to see that I wasn't the only one struggling a bit this morning.

Notable birds seen: Scaled Dove, Squirrel Cuckoo, White-Vented Violetear, Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird, Fork-Tailed Woodnymph, White-Eared Puffbird, Narrow-Billed Woodcreeper, Pale-Breasted Spinetail, Planalto Foliage-Gleaner, Variable Antshrike, Campo Suiriri, Gray-Hooded Flycatcher, Yellow-Olive Flatbill, Helmeted Manakin, Curl-Crested Jay, Masked Gnatcatcher, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, White-Bellied Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, Burnished-Buff Tanager, Gray-Headed Tanager, White-Lined Tanager, Shrike-Like Tanager, Green-Winged Saltator, Plumbeous Seedeater, Gray Pileated Finch.

Jardim Botânico, Brasília: December 10, 2011

2011-12-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

I returned to the Jardim Botanico in Brasilia early on Saturday morning, with the goal of focusing my birding efforts on the campo sujo, or shrubby grassland, of the expansive reserve. Taking the first left from the paved entrance road inside the principal gate, I raced through the dense woodland, ignoring the calls of the White-Bellied Warbler and Black-Capped Antwren, and arrived at my desired habitat shortly after sunrise. Unfortunately, the skies were grey this morning, and I had to scramble several times to the Mirante, or observation tower, to take shelter from the rain. Despite the weather, the birds were active, and I had a productive morning building on my modest knowledge of the cerrado of Central Brazil and its unique avifauna.

There is a small trail starting from below the Mirante that winds through campo sujo that has recently been burned. This could be a sign of good management of the reserve, as fires play an important ecological role in maintaining savannas, or perhaps it was simply an accident, such as a lightening strike or a poorly disposed cigarette. At any rate, the sparse trees and bushes along the trail were charred black, with the new grasses spurned by the advent of the rainy season a rich, contrasting green. There were tons of birds concealed within these grasses, including large groups of social Shrike-Like Tanagers, Red-Pileated Finches, and various seedeaters and sparrows. Also active in the shrubbery were the Swainson’s Flycathcer, White-Eared Puffbird, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, and Green-Barred Woodpecker. I even noted a few predators perched confidently in the open, including Savanna Hawk and Aplomado Falcon.

Thinking this was good territory for the Coal-Crested Finch, I trolled a bit using my iPod and speaker without success (supposedly it sporadically frequents recently burned grasslands). I was also hoping to use the equipment to identify a few more tyrant flycatchers that I’ve been seeing regularly, but aside for the Campo Suiriri they weren’t vocalizing appropriately, at least from my point of view. A surprise this morning included a pair of Peach-Fronted Parakeets feeding in a fruiting tree that let me approach relatively near (parrots in general are notoriously skittish and usually take off in a confusing burst of noise and color at the first sight of a person). This common but striking cerrado specialty had eluded me thus far. Despite being somewhat stuck in Braslia thus far, I’m still happy to be making progress with my birding with over one hundred species seen within the city limits.

Notable birds seen: Rusty-Margined Guan, Roadside Hawk, Yellow-Headed Caracara, Savanna Hawk, Aplomado Falcon, Peach-Fronted Parakeet, Squirrel Cuckoo, White-Vented Violetear, Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird, White-Eared Puffbird, Toco Toucan, Green-Barred Woodpecker, Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Collared Crescentchest, Campo Suiriri, Swainson’s Flycatcher, Fork-Tailed Flycatcher, Masked Gnatcatcher, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, White-Bellied Warbler, Shrike-Like Tanager, Buff-Throated Saltator, Black-Throated Saltator, Plumbeous Seedeater, Red-Pileated Finch, Grassland Sparrow, Wedge-Tailed Grassfinch.

Parque da Cidade, Brasilia: December 7, 2011

2011-12-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

I’ve visited the massive city park almost everyday during the last few weeks, as it’s only a short walk from my apartment and boasts approximately four million square meters of green space. Usually I’m walking or running the paved trail that winds past the various courts, pools, ponds, playgrounds, and amusement parks all found here (seriously, there’s a roller coaster and a racing car track in one corner of the park). On occasion, though, I’ll bring my camera and stalk around the grounds off the trail to see what birds I can document.

The city park was actually renamed Sara Kubitschek Park, in honor of the wife of the former president, who realized in 1956 the construction of the long-dreamed of national capital of Brasilia in the far interior of the country (the city was officially inaugurated in 1960). The park was part of the original design of the city whose architects included Lucio Costa and Oscar Neimeyer. the latter famous for the aesthetic use of reinforced concrete in his buildings. While there’s not much design in the park that catches my eye (much of it is overgrown or run down), the landscaping in general echoes the sparsely wooded grasslands of the cerrado.

Although there are stands of non-native conifers and plenty of introduced grasses, many of the trees and shrubs are exactly what you’ll find in the less disturbed countryside around Brasilia. Now that the park’s landscaping is fully mature, the birds have swarmed in, making it a respectable, if isolated, urban site for birding. In particular, many species of tyrant flycatchers abound, including Fork-Tailed Flycatcher, Gray Monjita, Campo Suiriri, Great Kiskadee, Crowned Slaty Flycatcher, and Tropical Kingbird. Also, omnipresent are Rufous Hornero, Southern Crested Caracara, Guira Cuckoo, Rufous-Fronted Thornbird, Chalk-Browed Mockingbird, Chopi Blackbird, and various thrushes and finches.

Birding a public space anywhere in Latin America can be a risky proposition, especially in crowded urban areas; however, the city park of Brasilia is surprisingly safe, patrolled extensively by police in cars, on foot, and on horseback. Although there are a few vagrants on occasion, for the most part visitors to the park are from the middle and upper class, simply looking to exercise or tan (in fact, many men prefer to accomplish both tasks at the same time by jogging in their speedos). Still, I prefer to carry my camera in an unassuming plastic bag and never take it out in front of other people. Judging from these and other photos I’ve taken here, the park is not such a bad local patch.

Notable birds seen: Whistling Heron, Southern Crested Caracara, Guira Cuckoo, Burrowing Owl, White-Vented Violetear, Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird, Campo Flicker, Rufous-Fronted Thornbird, Campo Suiriri, Crowned Slaty Flycatcher, Gray Monjita, Fork-Tailed Flycatcher, Saffron Finch, Chopi Blackbird.

Jardim Botânico, Brasília: November 30, 2011

2011-11-30T09:08:00.000-08:00

The rainy season has definitely begun in earnest in the Planalto, and so I was lucky to spend a relatively dry morning at the Jardim Botanico. Although I had made several visits to the park previously, this was my first morning birding at the site, which encompasses both dry forest and shrubby grassland. It’s a good place to get your feet wet in the cerrado if you can’t make it out to the larger national parks in the region. Visitors are welcome to walk the trails starting around 6:30am, but cars aren’t permitted inside until after 9am. Given its location in the wealthy southern suburb of Lago Sul, the park is typically frequented by joggers and bikers, although it’s far from ever being crowded. While I’ve heard rumors that there have been muggings there in the past, all signs indicate that this is a safe and inexpensive birding site (2 reais).

I spent the first few hours after dawn walking from the principal entrance gate towards the Mirante, or lookout tower. A few mixed flocks yielded Guira Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Yellow-Olive Flatbill, Sepia-Capped Flycatcher, Black-Goggled Tanager, Red-Eyed Vireo, and Black-Capped Antwren. It’s certainly worth learning the antwren’s call, as it appears to be common in both dry and gallery forest and highly vocal during the morning. I spent some extra time wrestling with the identification of several indistinctive tyrant flycatchers, having loaded up my iPod with the different calls and songs of Elaenias and other cryptic species, but to little avail. Birding in the neotropics is not just about marveling over colorful manakins and cotingas, I caution. Speaking of which, I also noted several female Helmeted Manakins foraging with the mixed flocks.

Reaching the grasslands, I found a few pairs of Rufous-Winged Antshrikes, spotted a Plumbeous Seedeater in the distance, and startled a Wedge-Tailed Grassfinch nearby. There were a number of flowering shrubs in bloom, and the hummingbirds were busy squabbling over territories, including the dominant Swallow-Winged Hummingbird, White-Vented Violetear, and Glittering-Throated and Glittering-Bellied Emeralds. From the Mirante I hoped to catch a glimpse of a Greater Rhea or Red-Legged Sereima and took a few minutes to relax in the shade. From here you can see both the well-organized capital city of Brasilia and several of its less visionary satellite cities. The writer of the recent 36 Hours in Brasilia article in the New York Times put it well when he concluded, “if Brasilia is a modern Brazilian dream, Ceilandia [a satellite city] is modern Brazilian reality.”

Continuing towards the Visitor’s Center, I stopped for the Shrike-Like Tanager (the name says it all) and Red-Pileated Finch, which I’ve seen every time I’ve birded the Botanical Gardens (supposedly it’s uncommon, but it might just be hard to see as it feeds on the ground in tall grass). Southern Crested Caracaras flew high overhead while a Roadside Hawk perched in the open. Then, I heard a harsh call in the distance that sounded vaguely jay-like, and, confirming that it was the Curl-Crested Jay, reeled a pair of them into a tree overhead with my iPod. These bold and impressive birds scolded me justly before moving on (I still can’t resist using playback to see, and photograph, as many birds as possible). In general, I’m definitely starting to get a better grasp of the birds of the cerrado but am still missing some common characteristic species, such as the White-Rumped and Hooded Tanagers, Caatinga and White-Eared Puffbirds, and quite a few parrot species. Learning the calls is painfully slow, as always.

Bird activity slowed considerably by late morning, and the burgeoning cumulonimbus clouds promised an early afternoon rain. I managed to find a White-Wedged Piculet tapping quietly away on a twig but saw little else of note during my last hour of birding. Caatinga Puffbirds were apparently calling in the far distance but didn’t approach with playback. Despite seeing a number of new birds this morning, I still feel that the site is holding back from me a little bit. Perhaps the beginning of the rainy season is a particularly quiet time for birds in the cerrado, or maybe I’ve simply been unlucky. At any rate, the park is a convenient place for careful study, and after a few more visits I should be in good shape for birding one of the larger national parks of the region, including Chapada dos Veadeiros.

Notable birds seen: Roadside Hawk, Southern Crested Caracara, Squirrel Cuckoo, White-Vented Violetear, Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird, Glittering-Throated Emerald, Glittering-Bellied Hummingbird, White-Wedged Piculet, Green-Barred Woodpecker, Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Black-Capped Antwren, Sepia-Capped Flycatcher, Yellow-Olive Flatbill, Variegated Flycatcher, Helmeted Manakin, Curl-Crested Jay, Buff-Breasted Wren, Red-Eyed Vireo, White-Bellied Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, Guira Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Burnished-Buff Tanager, Black-Goggled Tanager, Shrike-Like Tanager, Plumbeous Seedeater, Red-Pileated Finch, Wedge-Tailed Grassfinch.

Parque Nacional de Brasilia: November 25, 2011

2011-11-26T09:16:00.000-08:00

After my first trip to Brasilia National Park on a crowded Sunday afternoon, I promised myself to return shortly, this time during a weekday morning. Although I wasn’t able to enter the park until 8am, which is a park rule unless one buys a monthly pass, this trip proved much more productive and enjoyable, even if there were still plenty of people of swimming noisily in the pool and walking the Capybara Trail in their bathing suits. A birding trip to the park should definitely include time spent in both gallery forest and cerrado habitat, and the transition zone between the two is especially fruitful. Regardless of the day or the time though, I would caution anyone to expect long periods of birding solitude within the park’s boundaries; national parks bordering capital cities around the world no doubt see similar traffic.

After spending an hour in the parking lot outside the gates, picking up a male Double-Collared Seedeater among other familiar species, I quickly got geared up and hit the Capybara Trail, forgetting my hat, mosquito repellent, and water, all of which would prove costly by the early afternoon. It had rained steadily the night before, and the birds seemed slow to reestablish their routines, activity being generally low this morning. Still, within one loop of the trail, I had spotted the Helmeted Manakin, Gray-Headed Tanager, Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Sepia-Capped Flycatcher, Black-Goggled Tanager, and plenty of White-Billed Warblers.

This summer I purchased a basic speedlight for my Nikon D-80, the SB-400, so I spent some time testing its capability and range in the understory of the gallery forest. Using a flash when photographing birds is, of course, a controversial topic, but based on my brief observations the birds don’t appear to be nervous or disturbed at all by the light. From an evolutionary standpoint, there’s no reason for birds to react aversely to very brief and bright flashes of light, similar to how they aren’t frightened by moving cars; neither have posed a threat historically, so it isn’t advantageous for individual birds to flee from them. My biggest concern with using a flash when photographing birds is that the photos themselves don’t turn out well. Perhaps I just need even better equipment or simply more practice.

Once several groups of students on school field trips arrived at the pool and started racing around the Capybara Trail, I decided to try my luck on the longer trail loop, Trilha do Cristal Agua. Although I didn’t know it at the time, this dirt road passes through several kilometers of campo sujo habitat before reaching another patch of gallery forest. Along the way I first spotted a Green-Winged Saltator, probably the same one that I heard calling distinctively along the Capybara Trail, and a magnificent pair of Toco Toucans. I trolled for puffbirds the rest of the way, but didn’t see much more than a handful of open country tyrant flycatchers. Upon reaching the gallery forest, I had better looks at the Helmeted Manakin and Black Goggled-Tanager, and I fished a pair of endemic White-Striped Warblers out from undergrowth along the stream.

On the long, hot hike back to the Visitors’ Center, I finally had good looks at a male Rufous-Winged Antshrike that didn’t seem bothered by my standing directly under the tree from which it was calling. With regular pshing, I was able to coax a Pearly-Vented Tody-Tyrant into the open, as well as irritating all the Rufous-Collared Sparrows in the vicinity. By far the best observation of the day happened towards the end of the walk, when I decided that it would be a good time to try for the Collared Crescentchest, knowing from my field guide that it uncommonly inhabits bushy grassland. There was no response so I continued walking down the road after a brief wait when I suddenly encountered a gorgeous crescentchest perched out in the open. With its habitually cocked tail and generally furtive behavior, the Collared Crescentchest definitely seems to belong in the tapaculo family, but taxonomists are still struggling with its classification.

After a taking a long series of photographs, I decided to call it a day as the sirens at the park entrance were already sounding to wrest the swimmers from the pool. Despite having ticked off a handful of regional endemics, I felt a little less than satisfied with my excursion. Perhaps it was my steady use of playback and pshing throughout the day that was troubling me. Playback is usually the preferred tool of birding tours that move quickly through sites in an attempt to “deliver the birds” of each area, racking up enormous bird lists in just a few weeks. Why was I trying to see all the specialties of Central Brazil so soon if I have the next two years to encounter them naturally?

Notable birds seen: Roadside Hawk, Burrowing Owl, Toco Toucan, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Collared Crescentchest, Pearly-Vented Tody-Tyrant, Sepia-Capped Flycatcher, Yellow-Olive Flatbill, Helmeted Manakin, Buff-Breasted Wren, Masked Gnatcatcher, Pale-Breasted Thrush, White-Bellied Warbler, White-Striped Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, Guira Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Burnished-Buff Tanager, Gray-Headed Tanager, Black-Goggled Tanager, White-Lined Tanager, Green-Winged Saltator, Black-Throated Saltator, Double-Collared Seedeater.

Parque Nacional de Brasilia: November 20, 2011

2011-11-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

Aimee and I had access to a car for the weekend, so we decided to visit Brasilia NP on Sunday morning even though we were warned from several sources that it is incredibly crowded on the weekends. Located on the northern edge of the city, the modest park protects thirty square kilometers of cerrado habitat and gallery forest. Visitors are primarily attracted to the mineral pools though, and there were literally hundreds of people noisily swimming and sunning themselves when we visited. Supposedly, there are a variety of trails that extend through the park behind the principal pool, but we only walked the popular shorter trail, called the Capybara Trail, which passes through good gallery forest. Despite it already being late morning when we arrived, the bird activity was high, and the site should prove excellent on a weekday morning.

According to Jeremy Minn's Brazil site notes, some of the more interesting birds to be found along this trail include the Helmeted Manakin; White-Striped, White-Bellied, and Flavescent Warblers; Black-Goggled Tanager; Planalto Foliage-Gleaner; and Saffron-Billed Sparrow. I thought we were lucky to see the Ochre-Faced Spinetail, two out of the three warblers (we missed the endemic White-Striped Warbler), and Southern Antpipit given all the traffic along the trail, mostly people walking along barefoot in their swimming suits. In comparison, we were the ridiculous ones, I guess, attracting a lot of attention for wearing binoculars and long pants (at least I didn’t bring my audio equipment!). Towards the end of the trail we were rewarded for our patience with a pair of striking Burnished-Buff Tanagers and a stout Yellow-Olive Flatbill foraging in the undergrowth.

Notable birds seen: Fork-Tailed Woodnymph, Glittering-Throated Emerald, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Ochre-Cheeked Spinetail, Yellow-Olive Flatbill, Southern Antpipit, Ashy-Headed Greenlet, White-Bellied Warbler, Flavescent Warbler, Bananaquit, Burnished-Buff Tanager.

Jardim Botânico, Brasília: November 19, 2011

2011-11-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

After checking out the Jardim Dom Bosco, Aimee and I decided to stay in Lago Sul for the afternoon and watch the sunset from the shore later. To kill a few hours, I suggested we take another walk in the Jardim Botanico, where we might also spot a few cerrado specialties. The afternoon is rarely a productive time for birding in the neotropics, especially if it's been hot and sunny all day, and today was no different. There were plenty of animals around though, including two groups of Black-Tufted Marmosets, several unobtrusive armadillos, and a small group of monkeys that I'm still unsure about identifying (perhaps they were Black-Striped Capuchins?).

There’s a mirante, or observation tower, in the corner of the park that I made sure to check out before leaving. It’s a modest but safe structure that provides good views over the campo sujo, which looks like it was recently burned (I’ll have to explain more about the cerrado ecosystem in a later post, once I’ve seen more of it for myself). Again, before leaving the jardim I found a pair of Rufous-Winged Antshrikes, seeing the male briefly this time, as well as a Rusty-Margined Guan with a chick crossing the path on foot. If I ever get more serious about birding in Brazil and get up early in the morning, then I’m confident this will be a productive site.

Notable birds seen: Rusty-Margined Guan, Whistling Heron, Southern Crested Caracara, Neotropical Palm Swift, Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird, Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Guira Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Burnished-Buff Tanager.

Jardim Dom Bosco, Brasilia: November 19, 2011

2011-11-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

Jardim Dom Bosco is another ecological park in Lago Sul of Brasilia that, like the Jardim Botanico, protects descent cerrado habitat within the city limits. It’s equally difficult to reach without private transport though, so when Aimee and I gained access to a car for the weekend, I definitely wanted to check it out. Jeremy Minn’s site notes explain that it’s good for cerrado specialities like the White-Eared and Caatinga Puffbirds, endemic Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Black-Throated Saltator, and White-Rumped Tanager. Of course, if you want a good chance to see any of them, then you should arrive here well before the early afternoon like we did on a sunny Saturday.

The site is free which makes it a popular point for swimming access to the lake. I was actually a little on edge about security as several young toughs eyed us from their bicycles, but I also noted that the guards patrolled inside the park several times (they appraised us sternly, too). The gate opens at 7:00am and should prove a good site for the puffbirds, especially with playback. Despite the hot and sunny conditions, Aimee and I had little trouble rousing several Rufous-Winged Antshrikes by pshing and imitating what I though sounded like a pygmy-owl. Although we didn’t see the striking male, the female is pretty unmistakable with bold red eyes and a heavy, hooked bill.

In addition to seeing some of the common species of the area, such as the Rufous-Fronted Thornbird and Sayaca Tanager, we also encountered a pair of Campo Suiriris and a group of Blue-Winged Parrotlets feeding on the ground in an open area. I’ve seen this parrot species before along the Napo River in the Ecuadorian Amazon, but clearly it’s something of a generalist. Clearly the Jardim is not the most extensive birding site, but it certainly appears worth an early morning visit if you’re based somewhere in the city.

Notable birds seen: Scaled Dove, Blue-Winged Parrotlet, Squirrel Cuckoo, Burrowing Owl, Rufous-Fronted Thornbird, Rufous-Winged Antshrike, Campo Suiriri, Yellow-Bellied Elaenia, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Sayaca Tanager, Blue-Black Grassquit, Yellow-Bellied Seedeater.

Parque da Cidade, Brasilia

2011-11-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

After a long summer in Washington, D.C., with decidedly few birds, Aimee and I have finally moved to Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil. Since I have yet to find employment, I have had plenty of free time to explore this surprisingly peaceful city and its many parks and gardens, including the Parque da Cidade, where I go running every morning. This massive urban park is safe and clean, and the landscaping evokes the open grasslands of the cerrado, the primary ecosystem of central Brazil.

The park is simply filled with birds, mostly of the common variety that appreciate open fields and sparse woodland, including the Chalk-Browed Mockingbird, Rufous Hornero, Guira Cuckoo, Chopi Blackbird, Southern Lapwing, Gray Monjita, and Fork-Tailed Flycatcher. A couple of interesting birds have caught my eye though, and I decided last week to take my camera early one morning to see what I could record. (Some of my better observations here include the Campo Suiriri, White Woodpecker, Yellowish Pipit, and Whistling Heron.)

My favorite bird seen in Brasilia thus far is the common and wide-ranging Burrowing Owl, and there are dozens of mating pairs in the park that can be seen easily from the winding asphalt path frequented by joggers and bikers. Aimee put it well the other day as we were walking past a family group standing sentinel near their burrow, “it’s so strange to see how these owls lead such a different life from others.” Indeed, the Burrowing Owl nests and roosts underground and is relatively active and easy to see during the day, although it usually hunts at night.

Many of the same birds in the park are also found in the mature garden around my apartment building, including the Green-Barred Woodpecker, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, and Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet. I often hear a group of Buff-Necked Ibis calling from the playground nearby, too. Amazingly, I once spotted a Stripe-Breasted Starthroat, a supposedly rare and beautiful hummingbird, feeding in a flowering tree just outside my window. Anyway, without a car it’s been difficult to get out of the city and do some meaningful birding, but the city has proven productive so far, yielding over seventy species seen.

Notable birds seen: Neotropic Cormorant, Whistling Heron, Buff-Necked Ibis, Southern Lapwing, Southern Crested Caracara, Burrowing Owl, Scaled Dove, Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet, Guira Cuckoo, Amazon Kingfisher, Green-Barred Woodpecker, Campo Flicker, White Woodpecker, Glittering-Throated Emerald, Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird, White-Vented Violetear, Rufous-Fronted Thornbird, Gray Monjita, Campo Suiriri, Fork-Tailed Flycatcher, Crowned Slaty Flycatcher, Yellowish Pipit, Rufous-Browed Peppershrike, Sayaca Tanager, Blue-Black Grassquit, Yellow-Bellied Seedeater, Saffron Finch, Chopi Blackbird.

Jardim Botânico, Brasília: November 11, 2011

2011-11-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

The botanical gardens are located on the other side of the reservoir from where we live in Brasilia, so the site is definitely inconvenient for me to visit without having a car. On the other hand, the reserve protects almost twenty square miles of cerrado habitat, much of which is classifiable as cerradao, or dry forest, and therefore holds terrific potential for birding within the city limits. There is a paved access road that winds through the park, as well as several trails that pass through woodland and more open fields. The entrance fee is nominal (2 reais), but the taxi fare from the city to Lago Sul is unpleasantly high (30-40 reais).

Aimee and I visited the gardens on a quiet Friday afternoon but didn’t see much besides a few colorful tanagers and allies. Perhaps the most interesting observation was of the Red-Pilleated Finch, and we had a nice moment where both of us were focused on a male that suddenly fanned its scarlet crest in our direction. We also encountered a few troops of confiding Black-Tufted Marmosets whose high-pitched calls had me irrationally hoping to find a puffbird instead of a primate. Anyway, the park opens early in the morning for people on foot and should eventually yield some excellent cerrado species.

Notable birds seen: Plumbeous Kite, Scaled Dove, Squirrel Cuckoo, Ashy-Tailed Swift, Swallow-Tailed Hummingbird, Tropical Pewee, Streaked Flycatcher, Buff-Breasted Wren, Masked Gnatcatcher, Guira Tanager, Bananaquit, Blue Dacnis, Red-Legged Honeycreeper, Burnished-Buff Tanager, Palm Tanager, Blue-Black Grassquit, Red Pileated Finch, Rufous-Collared Sparrow.

Iguacu Falls: December 25-26, 2009

2011-05-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

The highlight of the region that Aimee is covering in the new edition of Lonely Planet Brazil is without a doubt Iguacu Falls. Located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, the system of waterfalls is among the most spectacular in the world, compromised of over 250 individual waterfalls, some plunging over 80 meters, and spanning almost 3km of the Iguacu River. Although other waterfalls in the world may rival Iguacu in terms of volume and height, the setting of these falls is truly unique, as the river winds its way through hundreds of square kilometers of pristine subtropical forest before reaching the area of the falls. Although access to the forest on either side of the border is extremely limited, the trails, walkways, and roads that form the infrastructure for general visitors offer excellent birding opportunities.

During her research trip last month, which overlapped with my vacation, Aimee and I spent two full days in the area of the falls, taking in the spectacle from almost every trail and walkway on either side. Staying in the city of Puerto Iguacu, which is accessible by plane or bus from Rio de Janiero or Sao Paolo, we traveled by bus on the first day to the Brazilian side of the falls, which offers a better panoramic view of the falls but from a limited perspective. The Argentine side, on the other hand, allows visitors to reach the precipice of the most impressive section of the falls, la Garganta del Diablo, from a magnificent walkway right along the edge of the cliff. The principal approach to the falls from the Brazilian side takes the visitor past a series of viewpoints, each more dramatic than the last, while passing along mature forest edge. Although birding is a secondary attraction here, I couldn't help skipping several viewpoints while chasing after a beautiful Toco Toucan. Perhaps the most iconic of all the toucans, the Toco Toucan is simply patterned with a marvelously large bright-orange bill. Despite its relatively common status in the region, I was thrilled to track one of my target birds down almost immediately upon arrival and could now relax a bit and enjoy the falls.

Of course, the other target bird here is the Great Dusky Swift, which nests in the cliffs behind the falls and can be seen feeding on insects trapped in the maelstrom of the falls. Watching these large swifts expertly navigate the chaotic vortex of water and wind swirling about is simply astonishing, as they capture prey, carry nesting material, and even mate in this absurdly dynamic environment. From the Brazilian side, the swifts and other swallows can be seen in flight and at rest behind a number of individual falls, although I understand they are harder to find in rainy weather. While Aimee walked out along the walkway into the mist at the base of la Garganta del Diablo, I watched mesmerized as the swifts plummeted in the air over a lower section of the falls while chasing after prey, flying faster than the water fell and then returning to the cliff face just behind the lip of the falls, where they sometimes congregate in large groups.

After having lunch at cafe near the last viewpoint, I birded the forested grounds while Aimee completed taking her notes. Although it was midday and activity was low, I was happy to spot a perched Plumbeous Kite, a spectacular pair of Green-Headed Tanagers, and a confiding group of Plush-Crested Jays. It was neat to see the other tourists awakening to the wildlife around them as well, although most people were more focused on photographing the hoards of Coati that were plundering food at the restaurant than observing the birds. After checking out a mating pair of Violaceous Euphonias building a nest in a tree in the parking lot alongside some noisy caciques, Aimee and I left the park in one of the many double-decker busses that transport tourists from the entrance gate to the viewpoints. Given the time of day, I decided to skip the one trail on the Brazilian side that provides access deep into the forest; this can only be walked in the company of a guide, which didn't sound like much fun either.

Just across the street from the entrance to the falls on the Brazilian side is a refuge for injured or captured birds from South America and other parts of the world called Parque de Aves. Normally, I wouldn't enjoy observing caged birds, but the enclosures are very large and set right in the middle of the forest, creating the illusion that you're observing birds at close range from the ground to the midlevel of the understory. You can actually enter the larger enclosures and approach toucans and tinamous within a meter. It was particularly interesting to find some of the Atlantic rainforest endemics here that I had missed at REGUA, or Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu, including Black-Fronted Piping-Guan, Saffron and Spot-Billed Toucanets, and Spot-Winged Wood-Quail.

It's a bit of a hassle to reach the Argentine side of the falls from the city of Iguacu by public transportation, but after a few hours Aimee and I were back in front of the falls on the following day, this time viewing them from above as we walked along the edge looking out over plummeting water. Given the width of the river just before the falls, the habitat here is almost like a marsh and Neotropic Cormorants, Anhinga, Greater Ani, Yellow-Headed Caracara, and Snail Kite were commonly seen from the walkways. Of course, the Great Dusky Swift was the most spectacular species present, especially at the U-shaped Garganta del Diablo falls, where hundreds of birds were swooping about in the mist. Although I wasn't birding very seriously, I managed to spot some other good species here, including Swallow and Green-Headed Tanagers, Toco Toucan, Campo Flicker, and Green Ibis. For the dedicated birder with more time, there is a trail on the Argentine side that can be walked and birded without a guide, although arriving on site at an early hour via public transportation can be challenging. Birding groups, therefore, usually stay at the Sheraton located within the national park itself and quite near the falls.

Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu: December 20-23, 2009

2011-05-21T22:58:00.000-07:00

As if living and working in Ecuador wasn't enough of a privilege for a birder, I have also been fortunate enough to travel during my vacations to other South American countries, such as Peru and Suriname, thanks to Aimee's position at Lonely Planet. When she told me that she was being considered as one of the writers to update the Brazil guidebook, my head started spinning with possibilities. Would her region include part of Amazonia or the Pantanal? Maybe it would contain some Atlantic rainforest instead? Given Brazil's incredible size and bird species diversity, it ultimately didn't matter. Regardless of where she was assigned to research, I could tag along and observe some amazing birds.

As with our travels last summer in endemic-rich northern Peru, Aimee and I were required to compromise on this trip between her profession and my passion. There's no way I can visit every site on a typical birding tour of the region because she has a job to do, albeit a job that takes her to many beautiful and interesting tourist sites. Although she was assigned the far southeastern states to cover, she generously me allowed a few day's of birding at one of the famous reserves a few hours outside Rio de Janiero; in turn, I agreed not to drag us to every state park and private reserve in the states of Parana, Santa Catarina, and Porto do Alegre while she was trying to research her territory.

Just seven percent of Brazil's original Atlantic rainforest remains, but there are still a wide variety of birding options in the region. I ultimately decided on the private Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu, or REGUA, in part because it was one of the few bird lodges open during this time of year, strangely. A three-night stay yielded two full days of birding with an afternoon and early morning excursion after arrival and before departure, respectively. Like other lodges in the region, such as Serra dos Tucanos, a full and meaningful visit to REGUA necessitates at least a week, as many important day trips can be made to higher elevations and different habitats to pick up additional species such as the Three-Toed Jacamar, Gray-Winged and Swallow-Tailed Cotingas, Restinga Antwren, Hooded Berryeater, and White-Bearded Antshrike. Sadly, we didn't have the time to make any of these excursions, as again these trips of ours are about compromise, but the birding around the lodge was simply outstanding and a surprising number of endemics were seen.

Opened in 2004, the lodge itself is set on top of a small hill looking west out over an impressively restored wetlands system towards the spectacular Serra dos Orgaos, a lushly forested mountain range boasting spectacular granite peaks that humble those of Yosemite Valley. Having visited a wide variety of bird lodges on our travels in South America, and spent a hefty sum doing so, Aimee and I were shocked by the quality of the lodge itself and its posh rooms given the cost of our stay. It's a good thing our room was so comfortable too as Aimee fell ill on our first day, spending the rest of our visit in bed or watching the nectar and fruit feeders.

With private excursions outside the reserve being too expensive and time-consuming for a party of one, I decided to structure my visit around three bird habitats: Atlantic rainforest and woodland via the Waterfall Trail and the 4x4 Trail; wetlands via the various Wetland Trails; and scrub and open country via the grounds of the lodge and the access road to the Waterfall and 4x4 Trails. There was one other guest present during our stay, an affable English birder from Manchester, who was nearing the end of a ten-day stay, having birded all over the region in the company of one of the lodge's best local, Portuguese-speaking guides, Adilei Carvalho da Cunha. I accompanied the two of them on the start of the Waterfall Trail for an hour and for a half day on the 4x4 Trail, picking up a few additional species that I certainly wouldn't have seen on my own, including the spectacular Spot-Backed Antshrike. As always, getting a guide is a good idea even for experienced birders in the neotropics, especially considering the reasonable rates, $30 a day in this case.

After traveling from Rio to REGUA by bus and taxi, the first bird of significance that Aimee and I encountered was a female Red-Billed Currasow, a species that was originally extirpated and then reintroduced at the reserve. This individual bird spends most of its time hanging around the grounds of the lodge and also constitutes the reserve's logo, its delicately feathered crest prominent in profile. After dropping off our belongings, we checked out the fruit and hummingbird feeders, which were dead in terms of activity except for a sole Burnished-Buff Tanager picking at a massive bunch of bananas. Deciding that we had plenty of daylight left to make a full circuit around the wetlands we geared up and strode out into the blazing late afternoon sunshine.

For me the two principle target birds of the wetlands were the Giant Snipe and Masked Duck, but the list of birds commonly seen on the trail is quite extensive, including some forest border endemics such as the Crescent-Chested Puffbird, Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, and Yellow-Lored Tody-Flycatcher. Slowly making our way along the trail with the marsh to our left and the woodland border to our right, we observed a number of fine birds, including Brazilian Tanager, White-Faced Whistling-Duck, Capped Heron, Chestnut-Capped Blackbird, Savanna Hawk, Purple Gallinule, Yellow-Chinned Spinetail, and Campo Flicker. Meanwhile, the sun was setting in spectacular fashion behind the Serra dos Orgaos, the granite peaks shaded a deep purple in comparison with the blazing orange sky.

On the following morning we tagged along with our fellow guest and his guide as they started up the Waterfall Trail in search of the glorious Shrike-Like Cotinga, or Elegant Mourner. One of the rarest and most enigmatic birds of South America, this small but delicately patterned cotinga has also been observed in the foothills of the eastern Andes of Ecuador, where it is known as the Andean Laniisoma. Most recently it was seen and heard at Wildsumaco Lodge last year, where Jonas Nilson documented it over a period of several weeks. REGUA is supposedly the most reliable site in the world to find this legendary cotinga, although it's not as vocal during this time of year and is typically found at higher elevations than the lower section of the Waterfall Trail. With all this in mind, I decided that Aimee and I would be better off birding on our own, sweeping up the more common birds of the trail and hopefully a few endemics as well, instead of setting off on a wild-goose chase for one particular bird.

We soon parted ways after the guide taped in a Southern Antpipit and White-Throated Spadebill, leaving Aimee and I at a nice stand of bamboo where there was a Blue Manakin lek. Odd but charismatic, these manakins provided us with a good hour of enjoyment as we marveled at the male's striking coloration and boisterous display. Right in this area, we also found a pair of sallying Rufous-Tailed Jacamars and a calling Saw-Billed Hermit, the latter species an Atlantic rainforest endemic. Although it was still relatively early in the morning, Aimee's energy was starting to wane, and it was clear that she wasn't just tired but growing sicker, seemingly by the minute.

Pushing on ahead up the trail, albeit very slowly, we came across an understory mixed flock with Buff-Fronted and White-Eyed Foliage-Gleaners, the latter bearing such a striking white throat that I figured at first glance it was the White-Bearded Antshrike (it's worth noting that I didn't have a field guide with me on the trip and was basically birding with just a list). Aimee took a seat on the trail while I tried to parse the antwrens moving with the flock, noting Unicolored and White-Flanked Antwrens as well as a gorgeous male Scaled Antbird, which I only saw briefly as I had neglected to download its call on my iPod and couldn't reel it back in. Moving a few hundred meters further up the trail, we encountered a spectacular Blond-Crested Woodpecker, with Aimee getting decidedly better looks than me, as I was teasing out a Black-Cheeked Gnateater from the undergrowth along the trail, another fine Atlantic rainforest endemic.

With midday fast approaching and Aimee growing increasingly weary, I decided that we should stop for lunch early, before heading up the steeper part of the trail that began to switchback up a hill. Eye-Ringed Tody-Tyrant and Ochre-Bellied Flycatcher called noisily in front of us as we ate our sandwiches and discussed our options for the afternoon. Unsure whether we were even on the right trail at this point, I judged that we should turn around and slowly make our way back to the car, where our fellow guest and Adilei had planned to meet us later in the afternoon. Ultimately Aimee headed all the way back to the car to rest, as I was intent on following up every call and combing every mixed flock for new birds.

During the following few hours while birding on my own, I had some considerable success, first tracking down the vocal but sedentary Gray-Hooded Attila. Amazingly, I approached it close enough to take some decent photographs, as the bird gazed slowly about with its beak spread wide open. Later on in a mixed flock, I found White-Barred Picculet, Greyish Mourner, Yellow-Throated Woodpecker, and Spot-Breasted Antvireo, struggling with the identification of the antvireo but taking thorough notes and cross checking them with the field guide at the lodge later that evening. The bird of the day, though, was the fantastic Crescent-Chested Puffbird, a pair of which I encountered at the same patch of bamboo where Aimee and I had observed the Blue Manakins that morning. This endemic puffbird is similar to the White-Whiskered Puffbird, which is commonly encountered in the western lowlands here in Ecuador, but it's more boldly streaked and graced with a bold white and black crescent shape on its chest.

Although Aimee had had a rough day and I hadn't made it very fall along the trail, I had seen some terrific birds and a host of endemic species, from hummingbirds to manakins to antbirds. The rest of our party had had no luck with the cotinga on their taxing hike to higher elevations, so I felt particularly proud as I reeled off to Adilei in my shaky Portuguese the list of birds I had seen and identified on my own. He generously corrected me on the confusingly-named White-Eyed Foliage-Gleaner, though, explaining that he had only seen the White-Bearded Antshrike once at this low of an elevation. On the drive back to the lodge, we stopped in several places for Whistling Heron, Burrowing Owl, Guira Cuckoo, and Yellow-Headed Caracara. The cuckoo in particular is real clown of a bird, perching on fence posts and generally looking ridiculous.

Aimee slept in the following morning while I accompanied our fellow guest and Adilei up the 4x4 Trail in search of the Eastern Striped Manakin. Having missed the Striped Manakin several times in Ecuador, my expectations for seeing this species were low; I simply wanted another chance to see more Atlantic rainforest endemics. Happily our guide helped us track down a number of excellent birds, including the outstanding Spot-Backed Antshrike, which might have been the bird of the trip. White-Necked Hawk, Rufous-Capped Motmot, Surucua Trogon, Yellow-Eared Woodpecker, Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, Scaled Antbird, Plain-Winged and Lesser Woodcreepers, Black-Capped Foliage-Gleaner, Gray-Hooded Flycatcher, Eye-Ringed Tody-Tyrant, and Blue Manakin were the other Brazilian endemics seen. While we eventually missed the Eastern Striped Manakin, we did come across a magnificent Hook-Billed Kite perched next to the track, no doubt feeding on the many lizards scurrying about forest floor.

Later that afternoon back on the Wetlands Trail, I picked up some more good birds including Red-Cowled Cardinal, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, and White-Bearded Manakin. I also startled a group of Capybaras near the shore that plunged violently back into the marsh, scattering water birds in all directions. With a huge storm fast approaching, I hustled back to the lodge along the trail, flushing three female Masked Ducks as I quickly rounded a corner. Instead of swimming deep into cover, they sat in the open water long enough for me to fire away on my camera, capturing an acceptable record shot from a considerable distance. These striking but secretive ducks are widely distributed in the Americas but never easy to find, and I practically skipped with joy back up to the lodge as rain increased from a drizzle to a deluge.

Passing on a night walk with the guide, and therefore missing the opportunity to see the Giant Snipe, I decided to relax with Aimee and catch up with her about the day, which she spent reading a novel and watching Black Jacobins and Swallow-Tailed Hummingbirds from the veranda. Although we had to leave by 8:00 am on the following morning in order to catch our plane in Rio to Iguacu, I managed to spend a final few hours on the Wetlands Trail, picking up the Dark-Billed Cuckoo, Chestnut-Backed Antshrike, and Yellow-Lored Tody-Flycatcher, the last endemic seen of my brief stay. Clearly, it had been a productive and rewarding visit to REGUA, although I was a bit disappointed with the activity at the feeders, especially in comparison with those at Serra dos Tucanos, where the spectacular Spot-Billed and Saffron Toucanets are regularly seen. Still, with more time, and a bigger budget, this lodge would be the ideal base for birding the entire region, especially in the opposite season.

Birds of Central Brazil

2010-11-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

Cipo Canastero, Serra do Cipo

Gray-Backed Tachuri, Serra do Cipo

Pale-Throated Serra Finch, Serra do Cipo

White-Eared Puffbird, Chapada dos Guimaraes

Harpy Eagle Female, Serra das Araras

Harpy Eagle Male, Serra das Araras

Band-Tailed Manakin Male, Chapada dos Guimaraes

White-Rumped Tanager, Chapada dos Guimaraes

Rufous-Winged Antshrike Male, Parque Nacional de Brasilia

Collared Crescentchest, Parque Nacional de Brasilia

Chestnut-Eared Aracari, Chapada dos Veadeiros

White Woodpecker, Brasilia

Red-Cowled Cardinal, Brasilia

Green-Barred Woodpecker, Parque da Cidade, Brasilia

Burrowing Owl, Parque da Cidade, Brasilia

Toco Toucan, Parque Nacional de Brasilia

Ochre-Lored Flatbill, Chapada dos Veadeiros

Helmeted Manakin Male, Chapada dos Veadeiros

Pale-Bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Chapada dos Veadeiros

Narrow-Billed Woodcreeper, Parque Nacional de Brasilia

Black-Throated Saltator, Chapada dos Veadeiros

Black-Goggled Tanager, Parque Nacional de Brasilia

Pearl-Vented Tody-Tyrant, Parque Nacional de Brasilia

Chalk-Browed Mockingbird, Parque da Cidade, Brasilia

Shrike-Like Tanager Male, Jardim Botanico, Brasilia

Red-Pileated Finch, Jardim Botanico, Brasilia

Curl-Crested Jay, Jardim Botanico, Brasilia

Plumbeous Seedeater, Jardim Botanico, Brasilia

Campo Flicker, Parque da Cidade, Brasilia

Gray Monjita, Parque da Cidade, Brasilia

White-Vented Violetear Female, Parque da Cidade, Brasilia

Whistling Heron, Parque da Cidade, Brasilia

White-Rumped Monjita, Chapada dos Veadeiros

Yellow-Faced Parrot, Chapada dos Veadeiros

Rufous-Tailed Jacamar, Chapada dos Veadeiros