Birding Mato Grosso
Birdfinding information and guided tours in Amazonia and beyond
The following document is provided in an attempt to aid the independent birder who visits Cristalino Jungle Lodge. More than 550 species have been recorded in the vicinity of the lodge. Most birders spend less than a week at the lodge, and thus time is of the essence to track down a list of target species. Keep in mind that a longer stay in the Alta Floresta area, of for example 8-10 days, is bound to ensure a greater chance at the spectacular and the rare. Many of the species listed here are found throughout the region, and some of them are easier at other localities. For some of the species I have included a link to an online recording hosted at www.xeno-canto.org with one of the more common or useful vocalizations to learn for each species.
Spix’s Guan (Penelope jacquacu) – Common in terra firme. Easiest to see from the tower, where pairs and small groups often come to feed at Cecropia trees in the mornings.
Red-throated Piping-Guan (Pipile cujubi)
Razor-billed Curassow (Mitu tuberosum) – Easiest to see along the river, in the mornings and sometimes after rainfalls. Best looked for at the beginning of the Manakin Trail, at Amazona Kawalli and near the Castanheira Trail.
Agami Heron (Agamia agami) – Uncommon and somewhat sporadic in its appearance at Cristalino. Once a bird is found along the river the local guides are often capable of re-finding over a period of a few days. Otherwise look out for it on the Cigana (Hoatzin) river trip in the lagoons or along the stream at the beginning of the Serra Nova Trail.
Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius) – Uncommon but present in small numbers along the Cristalino. Can be seen during spotlighting trips, when it is more common in the dry season.
Zigzag Heron (Zebrilus undulatus) – Uncommon to fairly common along the Cristalino. The species is vocal during the wet season (from November to April) and in that period advertising birds can be heard near the lodge before dawn. Otherwise it can be quite difficult during the dry season, and many tour groups miss this species as a result.
White-browed Hawk (Leucopternis kuhli) – Uncommon at Cristalino. The best chance to see this forest raptor is from the upper platform of the canopy tower (bring a scope!). There is also a resident pair at the forest patch of the Floresta Amazônica Hotel.
White Hawk (Leucopternis albicollis) – Fairly common in the Alta Floresta region. Often seen soaring over the summit of the Serra Trail in mid-morning.
Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis) – Rare. The species may have bred near Cristalino Jungle Lodge in 2004-2005 when sightings of a young bird and adults (including a black-phase bird) were occasionally reported from the Tower and the river. The species has also been recorded in the fragment at the Floresta Amazônica Hotel.
Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) – There is a breeding pair in the fragment at the Floresta Amazônica Hotel. Otherwise your best bet is from the Tower (where seen periodically) or along the Cristalino.
Ornate Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus ornatus) – Can often be found on the Serra and Serra Nova trails. Frequently heard on sunny mornings from inside the forest along these trails, where they can be called in easily with playback or seen in flight from the summits of either trail.
Cryptic Forest-Falcon (Micrastur mintoni) – Fairly common and widespread at Cristalino. The species is particularly reliable at the Saleiro, near the lagoon on the Manakin Trail, and on the Haffer Trail. It also appears to attend large antswarms with some frequency.
Dark-winged Trumpeter (Psophia viridis) – Fairly common on the Cristalino trail system, though they can be shy and tend to wander a bit. Also somewhat seasonal, being a fair degree more difficult to find in the rainy season. The first 600 metres of the Cacau Trail is a reliable area to find the species, but they can show up on any of the forest trails, particularly Haffer, Taboca, Rochas near the Saleiro, and the Serra Nova. A single bird seen now and again in the forest fragment in Alta Floresta was almost certainly a captive bird which had been released by a local. Familiarize yourself with their vocalizations, including the harsh contact calls and other softer calls. Hiding behind a tree trunk and playing a bit of tape sometimes brings a curious group closer for better views.
Gray-breasted Crake (Laterallus exilis) – Common enough in grassy areas in the Alta Floresta region. The only location at Cristalino which meets this criteria is the overgrown pasture land at Limão, where the species is sometimes heard.
Ash-throated Crake (Porzana albicollis) – Like the previous species, can be heard and seen with some effort (and creative use of gaps in the grasses) at Limão.
Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) – Common along the Cristalino. Easiest to see in June and July when it isn’t uncommon to find several pairs in the course of a boat trip, on the exposed rocks in the river. When the water is higher it pays to keep an eye on exposed logs.
Blue Ground-Dove (Claravis pretiosa) – Not a specialty, but a bit of a curiosity at Cristalino. Common during the dry season in open or rocky areas such as on the Serra, the Secret Garden, and at the Saleiro. During the rainy season they disappear completely from the region, migrating to whereabouts unknown to me.
Crimson-bellied Parakeet (Pyrrhura perlata) – Uncommon. A small flock usually hangs around the Saleiro in the mid-mornings until about noon, sometimes descending to the ground to ingest minerals. Also seen occasionally along the Rio Cristalino upstream near the Castanheira Trail.
Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet (Touit huetii) – Uncommon. This species is typically only detected if one is familiar with its distinctive voice as one or two pairs fly high over the forest canopy. Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlets may prefer stunted forests on poor soils in the region, which could explain its scarcity at Cristalino. Learn the calls, as the species is invariably heard before it is seen.
White-bellied Parrot (Pionites leucogaster) – Fairly common. A small flock of 4-8 birds can be seen regularly from the Tower. Also reliable at the seasonal lagoon on the Manakin Trail.
Bald Parrot (Gypopsitta aurantiocephala) – Very rare at Cristalino. There have been just 2 or 3 records of the species at this site. A single bird was seen for two or three consecutive days in August 2008 associating with a flock of Orange-cheeked Parrots visiting fruiting cashew trees on Ariosto Island in the Rio Teles Pires. Bald Parrot is fairly common at the Pousada Rio Azul and Pousada Salto Thaimacu, both accessible from Alta Floresta and good complementary destinations to a visit to Cristalino.
Kawall’s Amazon (Amazona kawalli) – The common Amazona at Cristalino. Most often seen from the river or the Tower.
Red-fan Parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus) – Common at Cristalino and around Alta Floresta. Seen with regularity on the grounds of the Floresta Amazonica Hotel, and on nearly every visit to the Tower.
Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo (Neomorphus geoffroyi) - Since 2003 Cristalino has emerged as the best location in the Amazon basin to see this mythical species, though only a few fortunate observers have managed to clap eyes on the beast. Head to the Cacau Trail between 300m and 1000m if you fancy having a go - the song in the link was recorded here in August. There have also been sightings on the Caja, Taboca, Serra and Rochas trails. Follows large antswarms and herds of White-lipped Peccaries.
Black-banded Owl (Ciccaba huhula) – A genuine rarity at Cristalino. In the past the species has been somewhat reliable from the Tower, but not in recent years. My only record in 2008 was a bird calling distantly at dusk at 500m on the Taboca Trail.
Crested Owl (Lophotrix cristatus) – There are at least two resident pairs on the grounds of the Floresta Amazonica Hotel. With some patience and sparing use of playback one of these magnificent birds can usually be called in without too much difficulty.
Amazonian Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium hardyi) – Not uncommon. Best looked for at the end of the Serra Nova Trail in the stunted forest, or from the Tower where they can sometimes be called in to nearby emergents. Also fairly regular at the beginning of the Taboca Trail near the bungalows. At times they can be downright abundant in the forest fragment at the Floresta Amazonica Hotel, best seen in the tall forest around the tree-climbing and zip-line apparatus by the ‘fish ponds’.
Long-tailed Potoo (Nyctibius aethereus) – Rare. There is a resident pair in the forest fragment at the Floresta Amazonica Hotel. Has also been found downstream from the lodge on the Cristalino, near the summit of the Teles Pires Trail, and at the Saleiro.
Ocellated Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus ocellatus) – Easiest at dusk on the Rochas and Taboca Trails, where it can sometimes be found roosting beside the path. Nesting birds have been found along the Taboca Trail with some regularity over the past couple of years.
Silky-tailed Nightjar (Capimulgus sericocaudatus) – Rare with just a few records from Cristalino. The species was apparently reliable just downstream from the Manakin Trail in Sept-Oct 2006.
Little Nightjar (Caprimulgus parvulus) – Common in pastoral land around Alta Floresta. Occasionally a bird will turn up along the Cristalino river, but it is quite rare around the lodge itself.
Ladder-tailed Nightjar (Hydropsalis climacocerca) – Fairly common along the Cristalino. Easily seen during the daytime on rocky islets and sandbars at Ariosto Island in the dry season.
“Tapajós” or Dark-throated Hermit (Phaethornis aethopyga) – Uncommon to fairly common, especially along small streams and at the edges of small clearings. An excellent spot to look for this unique hermit is at the stream at 900m on the Taboca Trail during the dry season, when the species tends to come to remnant pools in the afternoon to bathe. Also quite reliable at roughly 500m on the Haffer Trail, where there is probably a lek.
Fiery-tailed Awlbill (Avocettula recurvirostris) – Rare, with just a few records. The species has been found in stunted forest on the Serra Trail at the summit and on the Manakin Trail. Scour the many female Black-throated Mangoes encountered on any given visit to the Serra Trail.
Black-bellied Thorntail (Discosura langsdorffi) – Uncommon and probably often overlooked. This canopy species is best looked for on the summits of the two Serra Trails, at the Tower, and in the lodge clearings, especially when there are flowering Inga spp. about (e.g. end of March/beginning of April).
Gould’s Jewelfront (Heliodoxa aurescens) – Rare. There are only a handful of records from Cristalino, all of which are (to my knowledge) undocumented. Photos or sound recordings needed. Probably the best spot to look for this handsome hummer is the Secret Garden a short distance from the lodge, especially when a particular red terrestrial bromeliad is in flower (middle of the rainy season).
Pavonine Quetzal (Pharomachrus pavoninus) – Has become more difficult at Cristalino in the past few years. Once fairly reliable on the Castanheira Trail, but now only recorded occasionally. Recently the Serra Nova Trail and the lagoon upstream from the Haffer Trail have been the best locations.
Blue-cheeked Jacamar (Galbula cyanicollis) – Common at old tree-fall gaps and other openings in the forest (mostly terra firme) on a number of trails. Reliable locations include at 900m on the Taboca Trail and at the Saleiro.
Bronzy Jacamar (Galbula leucogastra) – Uncommon, restricted to lower forest on sandy soils. Can be found without too much trouble near the seasonal lagoon on the Manakin Trail, on the Amazona Kawalli Trail, and at the New Saleiro just upstream from the lodge.
Brown-banded Puffbird (Notharchus ordii) – Fairly common at Cristalino. Often seen on the Serra Trail, the Serra Nova Trail, or from the Tower. Birds can be responsive, but tend to have long periods of silence between song bouts, which sometimes means the impatient observer misses this species.
Spotted Puffbird (Bucco tamatia) – A genuine rarity at Cristalino. However, not too difficult to find on any given visit to the summit of the Serra Trail, where one or two pairs are usually present. Appears to occur nowhere else in the vicinity of the lodge.
Collared Puffbird (Bucco capensis) – This species is uncommon but often overlooked given its tendency to be most vocal before dawn. A pair can usually be found between the Caja-Rochas intersection and the Tower. Also present near the stream on the Taboca Trail (eg. at 900m) and by the large Ficus on the Figueira Trail.
Striolated Puffbird (Nystalus striolatus) – A resident pair at the Tower should be seen from the top two platforms on just about any given visit. Also reliable at the Porto do Nilson on the Teles Pires river.
Rufous-necked Puffbird (Malacoptila rufa) – Learn its insect-like song. Uncommon at Cristalino, where best looked for on the Rochas Trail between the Figueira and Caja Trails, on the Taboca Trail (e.g. at 1500m), on the Serra Nova Trail in the vine tangles before the trail starts to climb the rocky dome, and on the Haffer Trail in bamboo-forest ecotones.
Rusty-breasted Nunlet (Nonnula rubecula) – Rare at Cristalino. Habitat preferences are similar to that of Bronzy Jacamar. Look for this one on the Manakin, Amazona Kawalli, and Caja Trails.
Rufous-capped Nunlet (Nonnula ruficapilla) – Uncommon and inconspicuous. Prefers bamboo and vine forest, especially along the Taboca, Haffer and Serra Nova Trails.
Black-girdled Barbet (Capito dayi) – Common. Often seen in canopy flocks and attending fruiting trees, especially from the Tower but can be found on any of the forest trails. Occasionally attends large antswarms.
Gould’s Toucanet (Selenidera gouldii) – Fairly common at Cristalino, best located by listening for its unmistakable vocalizations. Typically quite responsive to playback.
Red-necked Araçari (Pteroglossus bitorquatus) – Common, easily seen from the Tower or the lookout at the summit of the Serra Trail.
Curl-crested Araçari (Pteroglossus beauharnaesii) – Common, easily seen from the Tower.
Ringed Woodpecker (Celeus torquatus) – Fairly common. Prefers Cecropia spp. and is seen with some frequency around the lodge clearings and at the Tower.
Chestnut-throated Spinetail (Synallaxis cherriei) – Fairly common in areas of bamboo on the Taboca, Haffer, Serra and Serra Nova trails. Often difficult to see and quite ventriloquil; birds responding to playback will sometimes climb to the uppermost reaches of the bamboo domes they prefer.
Speckled Spinetail (Cranioleuca gutturata) – Uncommon. Often travels with canopy flocks, but the its high-pitched vocalizations can be difficult to track down. Perhaps the most reliable area is the Saleiro loop of the Rochas Trail.
Point-tailed Palmcreeper (Berlepschia rikeri) – There is a well-known stakeout at a Mauritia palm swamp between Alta Floresta and the boat landing on the Teles Pires river. It also occurs at the large palm swamp on the Rio Cristalino well upstream below the Cigana Lagoons. There is plenty of suitable habitat around Alta Floresta where pairs can sometimes be found.
Crested Foliage-gleaner (Automolus dorsalis) – Uncommon at Cristalino, where best looked for in bamboo on the Haffer and Taboca trails.
Spot-throated Woodcreeper (Deconychura stictolaema) – Uncommon to rare at Cristalino. Good spots include the Cacau trail (ca. 600m) and the Rochas trail near the Tower, where pairs sometimes join large mixed flocks.
Long-billed Woodcreeper (Nasica longirostris) – Fairly common along the edges of the Rio Cristalino. Can often be seen without difficulty around the lodge clearings.
Spix’s Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus spixii) – Common in terra firme, often found in mixed flocks.
Curve-billed Scythebill (Campylorhamphus procurvoides) – Fairly common, particularly in areas of bamboo such as on the Haffer Trail (try around 1000m), the Rochas Trail on the Saleiro loop, and on the Serra Nova Trail. Often with mixed flocks.
Glossy Antshrike (Sakesphorus luctuosus) – Common in scrubby river edges and thickets near water. Can be found in appropriate habitat along the length of the Cristalino, but many birders look for it on Ariosto Island in the Rio Teles Pires.
Natterer’s Slaty-Antshrike (Thamnophilus stictocephalus) – Fairly common in stunted forest atop the summits of the Serra and Serra Nova trails, also in similar habitat at the far end of the little-birded extension of the Caja Trail.
Ornate Antwren (Myrmotherula ornata) – Uncommon. Prefers areas of bamboo and dense vine tangles, most often encountered on the Haffer, Rochas and Taboca trails.
Striated Antbird (Drymophila devillei) – Common in appropriate habitat. In fact, there is probably a pair in just about every stand of Guadua bamboo at Cristalino. The local ssp. subochracea may be a distinctive taxon.
Manu Antbird (Cercomacra manu) – Uncommon at Cristalino. Found in extensive stands of bamboo on the Taboca and Haffer Trails. Probably most reliable on the Haffer Trail around 900m where the trail takes a 90° turn to the right.
White-backed Fire-eye (Pyriglena leuconota) – Obligate antswarm follower and as such erratic and unpredictable.
Spix’s Warbling-Antbird (Hypocnemis striata) – Very common on most trails. Recently split with the revision of species limits in the Hypocnemis cantator complex – this is now a Brazilian endemic.
Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird (Myrmeciza hemimelaena) – Restricted to the west/south bank of the Teles Pires river, where it is uncommon in forest fragments around Alta Floresta. Can be found in the forest at the Floresta Amazonica Hotel.
Dot-backed Antbird (Hylophylax punctulata) – Uncommon to fairly common in suitable igapó and varzea forest habitat. Never found far from water.
Scale-backed Antbird (Willisornis poecilinotus) – An uncommon follower at army antswarms. Currently treated as a single superspecies, Willisornis undoubtedly contains several species-level taxa. The local ssp. here is W.p.nigrigula.
Bare-eyed Antbird (Rhegmatorhina gymnops) – Another obligate antswarm follower. Should be found at most sizeable Eciton ant swarms.
Black-spotted Bare-eye (Phlegopsis nigromaculata) – As above. Perhaps the obligate antbird one is most likely to encounter (at least by voice) away from ants, but in these situations they tend to be near-impossible to see.
Striated Antthrush (Chamaeza nobilis) – Scarce. Encountered occasionally on the Saleiro loop of the Rochas Trail, and on the Haffer Trail from 700m onwards. If singing distantly, can sound remarkably similar to the song of the Black-girdled Barbet.
Spotted Antpitta (Hylopezus macularis) – Uncommon to fairly common in terra firme. Often encountered on the Rochas Trail between its intersection with the Figueira and the Tower.
Amazonian Antpitta (Hylopezus berlepschi) – Uncommon. Prefers dense thickets, often near water. There are several territories along the wide trail on Ariosto Island, which is probably the best place to see this charming little antpitta.
Chestnut-belted Gnateater (Conopophaga aurita) – The snethlageae race is a likely split, the Snethlage’s Gnateater. Uncommon but easily overlooked in the dry season when it is not particularly vocal. Sings a lot in April and May. There are several reliable territories on the trail system behind the lodge, in areas of dense lower growth in terra firme forest, including one along the Saleiro stream a short distance off the Rochas Trail.
White-browed Purpletuft (Iodopleura isabellae) – Fairly common in the canopy, seen frequently from the summits of the Serra and Serra Nova Trails, also from Tower.
Purple-throated Cotinga (Porphyrolaema porphyrolaema) – Scarce at Cristalino where best looked for at the summit of the Serra Trail or from the Tower.
Pompadour Cotinga (Xipholena punicea) – Uncommon and erratic to seasonally fairly common. The best chances to see this bird are from the Tower or the Serra Trail, but also along the river. Undoubtedly widespread on the trail system and overlooked by many observers unfamiliar with its call.
Amazonian Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus ornatus) – Uncommon. Probably most reliable on larger river islands on the Rio Teles Pires, such as the Ariosto Island. Also seen with some frequency along the Rio Cristalino, especially immediately after strong rains.
Band-tailed Manakin (Pipra fasciicauda) – Known from four leks at Cristalino. In descending order of reliability: at the end of the Serra Nova Trail; at 450m on the Taboca Trail; beyond the streambed on the Cacau Trail; and occasionally at the streambed on the Haffer Trail.
Snow-capped Manakin (Lepidothrix nattereri) – Always frustrating to see at Cristalino, but fairly widespread. There are good leks on the Haffer (300m), Cacau (600-800m), Serra Nova Trail (both before and after the large Brazilnut trees) and Teles Pires trails. There is also a lek a short distance off to the right of the Rochas trail just past its intersection with the Figueira trail.
Fiery-capped Manakin (Machaeropterus pyrocephalus) – Widespread but usually quite difficult to see. Good spots include on the Saleiro loop of the Rochas Trail (especially near the stream), on the road to the Teles Pires boat landing just before the top of the hill (in the low secondary forest where the Estrada do Nilson branches off to the right), and sometimes around the bungalow clearing.
Flame-crested Manakin (Heterocercus linteatus) - Restricted to forest along the river and (sometimes) larger streams. Reliable stakeouts include the beginning of the Amazona Kawalli Trail, the New Saleiro between the lodge and the Serra Trail, and on the Caja Trail where it turns away from the river edge and enters tall terra firme.
Zimmer’s Tody-Tyrant (Hemitriccus minimus) – Scarce, restricted to low stature forests such as those at the lagoon on the Manakin Trail, on the summit of the Serra Trail, igapó on the Amazona Kawalli Trail and vine forest on the Teles Pires Trail.
Cinnamon-crested Spadebill (Platyrinchus saturatus) – Inconspicuous, perhaps erratic but possibly has strict habitat requirements. Occasionally found near the junction of the Rochas and Figueira Trails, on the lower and middle reaches of the Serra Trail, and in transitional forests on the Cacau Trail.
Amazonian Royal Flycatcher (Onycorhynchus coronatus) – Unobtrusive and uncommon, restricted to streamside vegetation and found at streambeds on the Taboca, Cacau, Haffer and Teles Pires trails.
Cinereous Mourner (Laniocera hypopyrrha) – Uncommon. Good spots include the Taboca stream (900m), the Saleiro loop of the Rochas Trail (near the small bamboo patch), and on the Serra Nova Trail.
Tooth-billed Wren (Odontorchilus cinereus) – Fairly common in canopy flocks and widespread at Cristalino. Usually seen from the Tower, where a pair nested in a hollow support beam in 2008.
Musician Wren (Cyphorhinus arada) – Uncommon to fairly common. Local guides will invariably take you to the Castanheira Trail to see it, but they can be found elsewhere such as the Rochas, Caja and Cacau Trails. Also usually present on the overgrown spur trail linking the Taboca trail with the Caja extension.
Guianan Gnatcatcher (Polioptila guianensis) – Rare at Cristalino. Occasionally seen on the Castanheira and Serra Trails. Much more common south of Alta Floresta on the Serra dos Caiabis, and north of Cristalino at the Pousada Rio Azul.
Rose-breasted Chat (Granatellus pelzelni) – This beautiful warbler is fairly common at Cristalino, especially in vine tangles in terra firme, often in or near bamboo. Easy to find on the Taboca and Haffer trails. Listen for the odd erk-erk-erk calls which are given more frequently than the full song.
Red-billed Pied-Tanager (Lamprospiza melanoleuca) – Fairly common in the canopy of tall terra firme, often seen in small single-species flocks from the Tower, on the Serra and the Serra Nova trails.
Paradise Tanager (Tangara chilensis) – This striking tanager is rather common in canopy flocks at Cristalino, and is seen frequently from the Tower and the Serra summit.
White-bellied Dacnis (Dacnis albiventer) – Extremely rare. I don’t know of any recent confirmed records of the species.
Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak (Parkerthraustes humeralis) – Uncommon to seasonally fairly common. Best looked for at the Tower where small family groups can be seen accompanying canopy flocks. Appears to breed from April – June.
