Birding in Mato Grosso and Brazil

AMAZONIAN BRAZIL: POUSADA RIO ROOSEVELT

30 October – 10 November 2008

report and photos by Bradley Davis

 

Introduction:

Thanks to the generous invitation of its owner Waner Costa, I had the opportunity to visit the Pousada Rio Roosevelt, a remote fishing lodge in the southern Brazilian Amazon on a scouting trip to lay the groundwork for future tours with Birding Mato Grosso and Tropical Birding. I caught a ride in the plane chartered by Edson Endrigo (www.avesfoto.com.br) and the principals of World Wildlife Images who were embarking on a photographic tour of the Rio Roosevelt.

 

Location:

The Pousada Rio Roosevelt is located in the south-east of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, slightly downstream from the confluence of the Roosevelt and Madeirinha rivers. It lies in the Madeira-Tapajós interfluvium, an area of significant avian endemism. The lodge is situated beside a powerful set of rapids on the east bank of the Roosevelt river. The river was once known as the River of Doubt until it was renamed after President Theodore Roosevelt whose expedition was the first to successfully navigate its length, though it nearly cost its members their lives.

 

Arriving to the lodge:

The pousada is remote enough that the only option is arrival by air from Porto Velho, the state capital of Rondônia via a small chartered plane to the landing strip situated some 700 metres from the lodge itself. This flight takes between 50 and 70 minutes depending on weather conditions and the size of the plane. Return airfare from Porto Velho to the pousada is included in the package offered by the Rio Roosevelt. There are a number of daily connections to and from Porto Velho from throughout Brazil.

 

Accommodations:

The pousada offers spacious and relatively luxurious lodgings in spite of its remote location. Cabins are equipped with air-conditioning, bar fridges stocked with beer, soft drinks and water (all included in the package). There is electrically heated hot water, and 24-hour electricity meaning one can charge batteries and such throughout the day. Each cabin has a varanda with hammock and chairs and a view of the river. The restaurant is air-conditioned and windowed rather than screened in like at many Amazon lodges, a nice touch given the copious numbers of annoying sand flies which cloud the beach in front of the lodge.

 

Birding:

There are many kilometres of trails on both banks of the Roosevelt and Madeirinha rivers, mostly accessed by motorboat but there are a couple of productive trails behind the lodge itself. The trails here are largely in terra firme forest with the exception of a single trail upriver on the Madeirinha which passes through stunted forest on rocky campinas which hosts a different set of sought-after birds. The lodge has committed to building a new canopy tower after the tree hosting the old one died. There are several clay licks along the Roosevelt, one of which has an elevated hide. A major feature of birding the Rio Roosevelt in the dry season are the hordes of psittacids which descend to eat algae exposed on rocks in the rapids in the mornings.

 

Some of the star birds at the Rio Roosevelt include Razor-billed Curassow, Zigzag Heron, White-browed Hawk, Harpy Eagle, Cryptic Forest-Falcon, Dark-winged Trumpeter (common), Crimson-bellied Parakeet, Kawall’s Amazon, Pavonine Quetzal, Blue-necked Jacamar, Rufous-necked Puffbird, Black-girdled Barbet, Gould’s Toucanet, Bamboo and Glossy Antshrike, Rondonia Bushbird, Ferruginous-backed Antbird, White-breasted Antbird, Pale-faced Antbird, Chestnut-belted and Black-bellied Gnateaters, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Hoffmanns’ Woodcreeper, Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher, Black-necked Red-Cotinga, Pompadour Cotinga, Snow-capped Manakin (abundant), White-browed Purpletuft, Tooth-billed Wren and Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak. There is also at least one undescribed species of antbird which occurs here in addition to another pair of undescribed antbird taxa which may be described to the species level but could be ‘only’ subspecies.

 

Daily accounts:

 

30 October – I met Edson and his group at the airport in Porto Velho, where after a short wait we were greeted by staff from the Pousada Rio Roosevelt who ushered us to a nearby hangar to load into the small plane for the one-hour flight to the lodge. I stowed my things in the cabin, met my local guide Sansão and headed out for a short afternoon walk on a trail behind the lodge. Things started nicely with a big canopy flock which had White-chinned Sapphire, Black-eared Fairy, Bar-breasted Piculet, Sclater’s Antwren, Chestnut-winged Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-tailed Xenops, Buff-cheeked Greenlet, White-winged Shrike­-Tanager, Green-and-gold and Yellow-backed Tanagers. We walked as far as a streambed which still held some water, where we decided to sit for a while and wait. Small forest streams are important for passerines and hummingbirds, especially at the end of the dry season, and here we found Reddish and Needle-billed Hermit, Saturnine Antshrike, Spot-backed Antbird, Pectoral Sparrow and Blue-black Grosbeak. A Rusty-belted Tapaculo skulked in a pile of fallen brush, and there were some White-breasted Antbirds calling nearby. As we walked back to the lodge in the dimming dusk we heard Gray, White-throated and Variegated Tinamous.

 

31 October – A light rain delayed our start this morning by nearly an hour. We headed upstream to the Rio Madeirinha, where we birded the Pirarara Trail on the east bank some 40 minutes upriver from the lodge. This trail is excellent: mostly level ground except for a single short ascent at the trailhead, it is roughly three kilometres long (6-km round trip if one were to walk its entire length, no need to however as the key birds are along the first 1.5 km) through tall terra firme with many large treefalls. This was one of my favourite trails, and it was very productive. This is perhaps the best trail for Black-bellied Gnateater (we saw a pair). Other interesting birds included Spix’s Guan, Kawall’s Amazon, Needle-billed and Great-billed Hermit, Pavonine Quetzal, Broad-billed Motmot, Pearly Antshrike, Long-winged and Ihering’s Antwrens, Black-tailed Leaftosser, loads of woodcreepers including Wedge-billed, Cinnamon-throated, Uniform, Amazonian Barred, Elegant and Lafresnaye’s, White-crested Spadebill and Fulvous-crested Tanager. An antswarm had Black-girlded Barbets, a half dozen White-breasted Antbirds, Scale-backed Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Plain-brown Woodcreeper and a possible encounter with Skutchia... upon hearing the snarls accompanying the antswarm, I played tape for Pale-faced Antbird and was immediately confronted by a thrush-sized golden-brown passerine which flew in directly, saw me, and paused in mid-air before beating a hasty retreat. In spite of nearly an hour watching the antswarm, and a great deal of tape broadcasting, no further responses were forthcoming.

 

In the afternoon we had rain for an hour until 16:30. We then headed downstream on the Roosevelt to visit Perneta, a relatively large (3-m long) Black Caiman who comes for handouts from the fishermen. On the way to Perneta we saw Red-throated Piping-Guan, Sunbittern, Hoatzin and Spotted Sandpiper. While waiting for the caiman to arrive I heard Long-billed and Striped Woodcreepers. Perneta finally arrived and I was duly impressed, as Black Caiman is animal which has captivated me for some time.

BLACK CAIMAN

 

01 November – This morning we went downstream on the Roosevelt again, this time to the Perneta Trail, a 1.5 km loop trail through wonderful terra firme forest with vine tangles and heliconia thickets dominating the understorey. Birding was magnificent: Scale-breasted Woodpeckers were nesting, and Rufous-necked Puffbird showed down to a couple of metres. We also saw Spot-winged Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, Black-faced Antbird, Thrush-liked Antpitta (heard only, but common here), Ruddy Spinetail, Pará Foliage-gleaner, lekking Snow-capped Manakins and Long-billed Gnatwren. A fruiting tree near the end of the trail was pulling in many birds: White-necked Puffbird, Black-girdled Barbet, Red-stained Woodpecker, Dusky-chested and Variegated Flycatchers, Grayish Mourner, Black-necked Red-Cotinga, Spangled Cotinga, Bare-necked Fruitcrow, Red-headed Manakin, White-browed Purpletuft, Buff-cheeked Greenlet, Black-faced Dacnis, Red-capped Cardinal and Rufous-belled Euphonia. While I watched the fruiting tree Sansão found a perched Ornate Hawk-Eagle of which I managed a couple of poor photographs. A small antswarm beside the boat just before noon held White-breasted and Scale-backed Antbirds, as a female Glossy Antshrike watched from the edge of the river. On the ride back to the lodge we found a rather tame Razor-billed Curassow along the river.

                                              

In the afternoon we checked out the Jacamin Trail, a loop trail which passes a small stand of bamboo before continuing through seasonally-inundated with a reasonably open understorey. This is the only area where Striated Antbird has been found at the lodge, and we also had a small party of Blue-necked Jacamars. We disturbed a small covey of Marbled Wood-Quail who had been dust-bathing beside the trail. Darkening skies and thunder forced us back, with Sansão opening a shortcut to the river’s edge which we followed back to the boat. We spent the final 45 minutes of daylight birding from the boat along the scrubby rocky islands and sandbars, looking unsuccessfully for nightjars.

 

02 November – Upstream today, on the Roosevelt to the Ronca Trail on its east bank some 20 minutes from the lodge by boat. This trail follows the course of a narrow stream before rising slightly to an area of level terra firme forest; it is some 3.5 km each way and well worth birding to the end if possible. The trail is said to be good for Amazonian Royal Flycatcher and Pale-faced Antbird, but I had neither species here. We did, however, find plenty of great birds including Variegated Tinamou (a pair seen very well near the trailhead), Razor-billed Curassow, Kawall’s Amazon (with poor photos), Broad-billed Motmot (common along the stream), Brown, Blue-necked and Bronzy Jacamars, White-fronted Nunbird, Red-necked Araçari, Cream-coloured Woodpecker, Ferruginous-backed Antbird, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Chestnut-winged Hookbill, Rufous-rumped Foliage-gleaner and Rose-breasted Chat. A large antswarm was attended by Plain-brown, White-chinned and Uniform Woodcreepers, White-breasted and Scale-backed Antbirds and Black-spotted Bare-eye.

 

Golden-crowned Spadebill and Rufous-tailed Flatbill were common in the seasonally-flooded forest near the river edge, and in fact these two species were vocal at just about every trailhead at the lodge. This also appeared to be a good area for Flame-crested Manakin and I heard Dot-backed Antbird but didn’t bother to use tape to see it.

 

After lunch I decided to walk alone on the trail to the now-abandoned canopy tower, completing the loop by walking to the airstrip and back along the river’s edge. The weather was muggy and activity was low, but I did manage to find a few birds including a single Gray Tinamou which I disturbed near the tower, Gray Antwren and a pair of Striped Woodhaunters which were uncharacteristically within two metres of the forest floor. Near the airstrip I found a pair of Black-throated Antbirds and saw a few raptors including Double-toothed Kite and Roadside and Gray Hawks. A small party of Red-billed Pied-Tanagers wandered over the airstrip, but otherwise things were very quiet.

 

03 November – Downstream today, to the Esperança Trail on the west bank of the Rio Roosevelt. I didn’t really get a chance to bird this trail fully as I ended up spending a considerable amount of time trying to photograph just one species. In the end we only reached a point some 200 metres beyond the first large leafcutter ant colony, but the trail definitely seemed to have potential. We spent most of the early morning in a wide dry streambed working for photos of Zigzag Heron. The species was just starting to become vocal in November with the onset of the rains – they tend to be silent and difficult to see during the dry season. We found at least 3, possibly 4 individuals in response to playback. The birds were a bit skittish but rather aggressive, particularly to one another – at one point the 3 birds suddenly appeared rolling down the bank in a fighting ball of Zigzags!

 

  ZIGZAG HERON 

Once we finally managed an identifiable shot of the Zigzag Heron, we proceeded on the trail where I found Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Pavonine Quetzal, Pied Puffbird, Plain-throated Antwren, Chestnut-tailed Antbird, Rufous-rumped and Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Ringed Antpipit and a wonderful pair of Musician Wrens. We also had quick looks at the recently described Prince Bernhard’s Titi-Monkey.

After lunch we paddled into a quiet oxbow just upstream from the lodge where we found a dead pirarara (redtail catfish) floating at the far end and a horde of vultures picking over the corpse. These were mostly Black Vultures, but there were also a handful of Greater Yellow-headed and four King Vultures. Upstream at the meeting of the Roosevelt and Madeirinha rivers we saw Sungrebe, American Golden Plover and Black-collared, White-banded and White-winged Swallows. The definite highlight of the afternoon was a probable female Orange-breasted Falcon which flew at canopy height along the length of the river while I was photographing the plover – a first for the site and a lifer for me. 

04 November – This morning we went downstream to the Gold Trail at the head of the Cachoeira da Gloria – the trail is thus named because the first birders to visit found it a veritable gold mine of sought-after birds! This is also where Rondônia Bushbird has been seen twice; I of course spent a lot of time looking for it along here (with tape), probably even overlooking some other interesting birds in the process. The trail is fairly short, perhaps 1.2 – 1.5 km each way, through good terra firme with some rocky areas and good vine tangles. There were a number of fairly recent, large treefalls along here and one of these new clearings would be an excellent location for a new canopy tower. Even though I had no joy with Clytoctantes, I did see Brazilian Tinamou, Spix’s Guan, Dark-winged Trumpeter, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Crimson-bellied Parakeet, Amazonian Pygmy-Owl and Hoffmanns’ Woodcreeper all in the rocky area near the beginning of the trail. Farther along I had Pheasant Cuckoo, a territorial White-browed Hawk, Black-throated Trogon, Gould’s Toucanet, Ihering’s Antwren, Pompadour Cotinga, Red-billed Pied-Tanager, Opal-rumped Tanager and Golden-bellied Euphonia. I also saw Peruvian Spider Monkey, Collared Peccary and Amazon Dwarf Squirrel.

                                  

The weather was threatening in the afternoon, but by 17:00 it was obvious that the rain wasn’t coming so I decided to walk a ways along the Mirante Trail behind the lodge for an hour or so. While things seemed a bit quiet overall, sitting down by a fallen log and waiting proved to be productive: a Variegated Tinamou wandered by, as did a Razor-billed Curassow and even a Rufous-capped Antthrush. I also saw Ferruginous-backed Antbird nearby and as dusk fell a Short-billed Leaftosser hopped up onto the log and belted out its song after a series of agitated chip notes declared its presence. A nice little log indeed.

 

05 November – Today we returned to the Mirante Trail which I had walked the previous afternoon. This trail is more than 5 km long, through hilly terra firme along the length of the Roosevelt on its east bank. We walked more than halfway before taking a side trail which led to the water’s edge where lodge staff had left a boat for us to return in. Little touches like this are what set the service at the Pousada Rio Roosevelt apart from many of the other lodges I have visited in the Brazilian Amazon. Bird activity seemed to be somewhat reduced today. The first birds we encountered on the trail were yesterday’s Razor-billed Curassows; other early birds included Needle-billed Hermit, Spix’s Guan, Red-necked Araçari, Rufous Motmot and Orange-cheeked Parrot. On the second big hill I found a pair of calling Great Jacamars which we stayed with for a while, trying to get some a photo or two. As the morning went on activity picked up a little, and we heard a number of antbirds including Chestnut-shouldered Antwren, Ferruginous-backed Antbird, Thrush-like Antpitta and Black-faced Antthrush. A female Snow-capped Manakin successfully managed to distract me sufficiently to draw me away from her hidden nest which I must have stumbled upon while following a mixed flock.

 

After lunch I looked around the lodge clearing a little and found the nest of the Yellow-bellied Dacnis pair which frequent the restaurant area. More interesting was a female Black-bellied Thorntail checking out new flowers in a tree beside my cabin – Edson and his group would find the three of these smart hummers the next day in front of the lodge.

 

Sansão and I headed upstream in mid-afternoon to look unsuccessfully for Bamboo Antshrike before checking out a small path to a semi-open are that he figured might have some birds. We didn’t get to find out as the skies opened and a tropical downpour wiped out the rest of the afternoon.

 

06 November – The Santa Maria Trail was our destination this morning, with a stop as we headed upstream at the Bamboo Antshrike stake-out: still no luck, but I did see a pair of Blackish Antbirds and some Buff-breasted Wrens. The Santa Maria Trail is supposed to hold a number of excellent birds including Pale-faced Antbird, but today things were quiet once again. The trail is probably 2-3 km long, through seasonally-inundated and then taller terra firme forest. Activity was light, and I managed to reach the end of this trail. Highlights here included Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Rufous-tailed Xenops, Variegated Antpitta and Golden-crowned Spadebill in the lower forest and along a small stream, and Dark-winged Trumpeter, Crimson-bellied Parakeet, Collared Trogon, Great Jacamar, Pied Puffbird, Scaly-breasted Wren and Paradise Tanager in the terra firme. On the way back to the lodge we stopped again for Bamboo Antshrike, and this time there was a response to my tape. We landed the boat and negotiated the thick riverine vegetation to search for the calling bird. After much maneuvering I finally managed a position where I could see the female Bamboo Antshrike as she sang and flitted nervously in the dense vine tangles.

                                 

After lunch we birded around the lodge clearing for a while, watching a family of Black-belled Thorntails on the beach in front of the cabins. Then Sansão and I headed up the Rio Madeirinha in search of a jaguar which had been hanging around the mouth of the river hunting caimans during the past few weeks. No luck, though we found a spot where the big cat had probably rested during the morning.

 

07 November – Joined forces today with Edson’s group for the long (85 minute) ride up the Rio Madeirinha to the Campina Trail above an Indian village. We spent the morning and part of the afternoon here before yielding to the scorching sun and hordes of sweat bees and heading back to the lodge. Flame-crested Manakin was at the beginning of the trail, but wouldn’t come in for the photographers. At the first rocky clearing on the trail we had Buff-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher and an undescribed species of Herpsilochmus antwren. After the first clearing the trail passes through tall forest before ending in a large open rocky area with stunted forest. In the tall forest we flushed a pair of Crested Owls, one of which stuck around long enough for everyone to see it in the scope. We tried to get to the campina as quickly as possible, but by the time we arrived it was already getting hot and the sweat bees were active. Nevertheless we quickly picked up some of the specialties here, including Bronzy Jacamar and Spotted Puffbird, while the Russet-crowned Crakes were heard but not seen. Chapman’s Swifts flew overhead. While searching for Blackish Nightjar for the photographers, I noticed a family of Paradise Jacamars at their nest in an arboreal termitarium which was duly admired by all. It wasn’t long before the sweat bees really homed in on our clothing and equipment; we tried to stick it out, but they eventually got the best of us.

 

We had a late lunch at the lodge and then I checked out the area behind the lodge for a while in a light rain. No birds, but I did see a troop of White-fronted Capuchins.

                                      

CRESTED OWL                                                                                                      SPOTTED PUFFBIRD

08 November – Downstream for the last time today, beyond the Cachoeira do Inferninho, a daunting set of shallow rapids which are skillfully navigated by the local guides. Our destination was a large barreiro (clay lick) where Sansão assured me there would be several species of psittacids coming to the ground to ingest minerals in the clay. This was a spectacle I had never witnessed before in Brazil (aside from a few Blue-headed Parrots on the banks of the Rio Mamoré near Guajará-Mirim), and I was keen to see if I could take a couple of photographs. Sansão told me that the parrots would take a while to come to the ground, but they were certainly in evidence in the canopy as we arrived at the lick: Kawall’s Amazon, Orange-cheeked Parrot and Blue-and-yellow Macaw were the principals, with smaller numbers of Golden-winged and Crimson-bellied Parakeets also heard. Now and again a small band of Madeira Parakeets flew noisily through the forest canopy. Waiting for the parrots I amused myself with mammals: a large Brazilian Tapir was at the lick when we arrived, at least four different Red Brocket Deer came and went throughout the morning, and a hefty South Amazon Red Squirrel was a new mammal for me. A Collared Forest-Falcon was calling, and a Great Black-Hawk flew over the area, scattering the smaller parrots just as they were started to descend lower in the trees surrounding the lick. Finally, around 08:00 the Orange-cheeked Parrots started to come to the ground in one quiet corner of the lick area. With patience and deliberate movements one could approach the birds quite closely, but any sudden motion tended to send them in all directions. I wanted photos of Crimson-bellied Parakeet, so I wandered off in the direction of a calling party but couldn’t manage any clear shots. Upon returning to the Orange-cheeked spot, I noticed a small party of Crimson-bellies descending stealthily to the ground and was able to take a couple of pictures. The parrots seemed to disperse throughout the area after a while, and we found them again on the ground underneath some dense bushes once the sun started to really heat up. Sansão indicated that this barreiro is only exposed during the dry season and that the birds must go somewhere else in the wet.

 

                        

In the afternoon I joined Edson and his group again to check out a Bar-breasted Piculet nest near the upstream boat landing. Here we also called in an Undulated Tinamou for nice views. While the photographers worked the piculets, I wandered over to the airstrip where I found a family of Rufous-tailed Jacamars, Purple Honeycreeper and Yellow-bellied Dacnis.

 

09 November – Today was my last full day at the Rio Roosevelt, and I resolved to return to the Ronca Trail for a last shot at Pale-faced Antbird. No luck, but I did find a nice male Chestnut-belted Gnateater, a singing pair of Short-billed Leaftossers, Ruddy Spinetail, Spot-backed Antbird and perhaps best of all, a responsive Banded Antbird which paraded around on the forest floor like a small feathered turtle with its head held low to the ground as it walked. However, things were rather quiet on the whole and I managed to reach the end of the trail (3.5 km each way according to my notes). There were a few primates around including Prince Bernhard’s Titi-Monkey, White-nosed Bearded Saki Monkey, Common Woolly Monkey, White-fronted Capuchin and Peruvian Spider Monkey. Actually that was quite a few primates indeed. Edson and his group returned from their morning flushed with excitement, having photographed a male Jaguar swimming across the river downstream near the Cachoeira do Inferninho.

 

In the afternoon I once again joined up with Edson and company to walk the newly-christened Socó Trail. Things were mostly quiet (as is often the case during the afternoons in closed canopy Amazon forests) and we found little other than Dot-winged Antwren, Hauxwell’s Thrush and Rose-breasted Chat.

 

10 November – Departure day. Left after breakfast in a 9-seater Cessna Caravan in bumpy weather back to Porto Velho. My rough count of the species recorded during my visit totaled approximately 330 over the ten day visit.

 

SOUTHERN CHESTNUT-TAILED ANTBIRD

 

Conclusions: The Pousada Rio Roosevelt is without doubt one of the premier birdwatching destinations in the Brazilian Amazon. Although it has only been recently ‘discovered’ by birders, its fame is sure to grow thanks to an unbeatable combinations of world-class service, splendid food, comfortable accommodations in a truly remote setting, and of course, some of the rarest and least-known birds in the Amazon. Given the expense involved in reaching the lodge, it behooves the birder to consider a longer stay of a week to ten days. This will allow you to bird all the key trails (with time to repeat favourites perhaps) and increase your chances of encountering some of the lower density species or perhaps a spectacular bird or mammal such as a Harpy or Crested Eagle, or even a Jaguar. Birding Mato Grosso is proud to introduce the Pousada Rio Roosevelt as a new destination available for future custom tours in the Brazilian Amazon.

 

Acknowledgements: I am extremely grateful to Waner Costa, the proprietor of the Pousada Rio Roosevelt, not only for his generous invitation but also for his foresight in preserving this wild paradise. I would also like to thank Edson Endrigo for his generosity in sharing information about the lodge, the birds and the trails. I also owe a debt to Edson and his group (www.worldwildlifeimages.com) for allowing me to join their trip upriver to the campina and a couple of other afternoon trips of theirs.

 

Contact: Check out the Pousada Rio Roosevelt on the web at www.pousadarioroosevelt.com.br. For further information or custom tour inquiries, feel free to contact me at sclateria@yahoo.ca or check out www.birdingmatogrosso.com and www.tropicalbirding.com.