Birding in Mato Grosso and Brazil
Birdfinding information and guided tours in Amazonia and beyond
South Brazil: Landscapes, Waterbirds, and Endemics
Silver and Ringed Teal both occur in the extreme south of Brazil
April 2009 (15 days) - dates to be confirmed
Straight-billed and Curve-billed Reedhaunters are two specialties of this tour which are found only in south Brazil, northern Argentina and Uruguay.
Itinerary:
All photos on this page were taken during our scouting trip in April 2008
Silver and Ringed Teal both occur in the extreme south of Brazil
April 2009 (15 days) - dates to be confirmed
The southern states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul are often forgotten by visiting birders. In this tour we explore the avian riches of south Brazil, tracking down a wide selection of endemic and poorly-known species while enjoying a level of development and infrastructure superior to anywhere else in the country, and nearly equal any northern nation. We visit the south in the month of April, a departure from the norm which dictates that all birding in Brazil must be done between September and November. April is the equivalent of the austral autumn, and visitors from the north may be struck by the similarities between the southern highlands and their home countries: the comfortable afternoon temperatures and slightly chilly mornings, the leaves of imported maple trees turning colours, or perhaps even the German and Italian-influenced cuisine in parts of Rio Grande do Sul will make a visitor wonder if they actually left home in the first place.
The birds we see will definitely shake that feeling. With names like Sickle-winged Nightjar, Canebrake Groundcreeper and Curve-billed Reedhaunter and the otherworldly appearances of the hulking and skulking Giant Antshrike, the blood-red Brazilian Tanager and the spectacle of a flock of massive Southern Screamers soaring with Maguari Storks, you will be sure that you can't get this at home. The landscapes, too, are impressive. We'll have lunch in Brazil's highest town, visit Brazil's largest canyon, and drive the beautiful Graciosa road down through jungle-clad mountains to the lush tropical coast.
The birds we see will definitely shake that feeling. With names like Sickle-winged Nightjar, Canebrake Groundcreeper and Curve-billed Reedhaunter and the otherworldly appearances of the hulking and skulking Giant Antshrike, the blood-red Brazilian Tanager and the spectacle of a flock of massive Southern Screamers soaring with Maguari Storks, you will be sure that you can't get this at home. The landscapes, too, are impressive. We'll have lunch in Brazil's highest town, visit Brazil's largest canyon, and drive the beautiful Graciosa road down through jungle-clad mountains to the lush tropical coast.
Straight-billed and Curve-billed Reedhaunters are two specialties of this tour which are found only in south Brazil, northern Argentina and Uruguay.
DAY 1: Arrival in Curitiba.
We'll meet in the early afternoon at the airport in Curitiba, the capital of the southern state of Paraná. Instead of doing the usual first day 'duding', we'll go right after a couple of elusive target species in the vast marshes fringing the city: Wetland Tapaculo and Sickle-winged Nightjar. After checking into our hotel we'll drive to a city park in Curitiba to try for Long-tufted Screech-Owl. Night in Curitiba.
DAY 2: Serra da Graciosa.
Our first morning will be spent on the lovely Estrada da Graciosa, a narrow road which winds sinuously down the Serra da Graciosa (part of the Serra do Mar, the Atlantic coastal mountains) through beautiful montane forests. A quiet side road at the top may produce Speckle-breasted Antpitta, Canebrake Groundcreeper, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant and Giant Antshrike to name but a few of the possibilities. We should hear our first Hooded Berryeaters here and we'll need to scour the subcanopy to pick up one of the beautiful males in they are singing nearby. Lower down another stop will target more charismatic species including Sharpbill, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Squamate Antbird and Black-cheeked Gnateater. We'll have lunch in Morretes before checking into our hotel nearby in the afternoon. In late afternoon we'll drive down to the coastal mangroves to search for the endangered endemic Red-tailed Amazon as it flies to roost in the extensive mangrove system.
DAY 3: Coastal Paraná to Itapoá.
First thing in the morning we'll bird the cobbled track in front of our hotel through good lowland forest where snazzy endemics such as Solitary Tinamou, Saw-billed Hermit and Star-throated Antwren all occur. We then drive south to the state of Santa Catarina, where marshes along the border hold the recently-described endemic Marsh Antwren, a species restricted to fragmented coastal marshes in just a tiny area of Paraná and Santa Catarina. From here it isn't far to Itapoá and the Volta Velha reserve, where we'll be based for three nights.
DAY 4: Volta Velha.
The Volta Velha reserve is becoming famous amongst world birders as the best place to see the poorly-known endemic Kaempfer's Tody-Tyrant. This cute little flycatcher was discovered in 1929 only to be recorded just once until 1991 when it was rediscovered in northern Santa Catarina. It is now known to occur at a couple of localities, both here and in Paraná, of which Volta Velha is one of the more reliable spots. We'll look for this endangered species on two good trails through excellent coastal forest. Volta Velha also holds a couple of other range-restricted restinga specialists, the Restinga Tyrannulet and Black-backed Tanager. Other goodies here include Yellow-legged Tinamou, Olive-green Tanager and Red-necked Tanager.
DAY 5: Volta Velha.
Another full day at Volta Velha. On our most recent visit to the reserve we found two pairs of the Russet-winged Spadebill, a rare and low-density resident of the Atlantic forests of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. This species is difficult everywhere, so it is worthy of a special effort on our part. Otherwise we'll work through the rich avifauna of this 1,100 hectare reserve, looking for Sombre Hummingbird, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Robust Woodpecker, White-breasted Tapaculo, Scaled Antbird and Brazilian Tanager amongst others.
DAY 6: To Urubici.
Today is mostly a travel day, as we have a long drive south along the Santa Catarina coast as far as Florianópolis before turning inland and climbing the serra to our lodgings above the town of Urubici. A look around the grounds of the hotel in the afternoon could turn up Blue-billed Black-Tyrant, Cliff Flycatcher, White-throated and Planalto Woodcreepers or perhaps even Vinaceous Amazon.
DAY 7: Urubici and Urupema.
We'll bird the hotel grounds in the morning again, where there should be good numbers of Azure Jays about. The Azure Jay is a typical species of the south Brazilian highlands, but it has for unknown reasons been undergoing a gradual decline in much of its range. Southern Santa Catarina and northern Rio Grande do Sul remain a stronghold for this charismatic species. After breakfast
we're off to the Morro da Igreja, where aside from stunning panoramic views of the serra catarinense we'll see our first Serra Geral endemic, the Long-tailed Cinclodes. Also up here are Olive Spinetail, Brown-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant and Large-tailed Antshrike. We'll have lunch in São Joaquim, the highest town in Brazil and one of the few places in the country where snow falls every year (but don't worry, only in June and July). Our afternoon will be spent around the small town of Urupema searching for the endangered Red-spectacled Amazon. The bulk of the world's population of this species winters around this town, migrating from breeding grounds further south to feed on the ripening cones of the Araucaria or Paraná Pine tree. We'll drive as far as Vacaria in the state of Rio Grande do Sul to spend the night.
DAY 8: Campos da Cima de Serra.
This morning we'll bird the rolling fields and upland marshes between Vacaria and Bom Jesus. The fields should hold Buff-necked Ibis, Lesser Grass-Finch and plenty of Yellow-rumped Marshbirds. The marshes could have Plumbeous Rail, Speckled Teal and Yellow-billed Pintail, Spot-flanked Gallinule or White-winged Coot. Brushy areas in between are good for Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch and Striolated Tit-Spinetail, a handsome Serra Geral endemic. In the afternoon we'll bird the grounds and adjacent area of our historic hotel, where Mottled Piculet, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, Greenish Tyrannulet, Chestnut-backed and Chestnut-headed Tanager are all possible. Two nights in São Francisco de Paula.
DAY 9: Itaimbezinho canyon.
Farm roads near São Francisco de Paula run through a lot of uncultivated habitat, rolling stony plains interspersed with small marshes dominated by Eryngium reeds. These marshes are home to the Straight-billed Reedhaunter, a locally distributed species of Argentina, Uruguay and south Brazil. Here we will also be looking for flocks of Saffron-cowled Blackbird as they follow around pairs of Black-and-white Monjitas in an odd association between the two species. Nearby we'll check out a forest reserve where Black-capped Piprites is sometimes recorded. The afternoon is reserved for enjoying the spectacle of the stunning Itaimbezinho canyon in the Aparados da Serra National Park. The park isn't without avian attractions, and here we could find the southern form of Plovercrest, Biscutate Swift or Thick-billed Saltator.
DAY 10: To Mostardas.
The earliest hours of the morning will be spent tracking down any remaining highland targets before we check out of our hotel. On the descent from the highlands to the coast we will stop several times trying to track down Blue-bellied Parrot, a difficult endemic distributed from Espirito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul. From here we head south down the coast to Mostardas, a long drive we may break with a stop for seawatching if the weather conditions are right. We'll stay two nights in Mostardas.
DAY 11: Lagoa do Peixe.
Today we have a full day to explore the Lagoa do Peixe National Park, a vast coastal lagoon excellent for a wide variety of waders and other waterbirds. This is the best spot in Brazil for Chilean Flamingo and also an area of global importance for migratory shorebirds. The lagoon will probably rather low due to the time of year (end of the dry season), but this should concentrate large numbers of gulls, herons, storks and waders in the areas with remaining water. Both Black-necked and Coscoroba Swans are resident on the lagoon. A drive along the ocean beach should be good for migrant shorebirds, including the endangered Red Knot, along with many terns and seabirds if there is a wind blowing. Common Miner lives in the dunes at the edge of the beach. A good marsh near Mostardas is an excellent place to watch birds heading to roost in late afternoon, especially the big flocks of Brown-and-yellow Marshbirds and White-faced Whistling-Ducks. The tapes will come out here as we try to lure a Rufous-sided Crake, Spotted Rail or Red-and-white Crake into view to join the Giant Wood-Rails and Plumbeous Rails which forage in plain sight.
DAY 12: Lagoa do Peixe to Rio Grande.
We'll return to the same marsh for our early morning birding before hitting the road again to drive down the Mostardas peninsula to São José do Norte. After lunch in São José a ferry will take us across the mouth of the Laguna dos Patos to Rio Grande, the second largest port in Brazil and oldest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In the afternoon we'll check out a bay on the Laguna dos Patos near the superport for White-tufted and Great Grebes, Red-gartered Coot and Hudsonian Godwit. Night in the nearby resort town of Cassino.
DAY 13: Taim.
The better part of the day will be spent at the Taim Ecological Station about two hours south of Cassino. Here we'll find impressive concentrations of bulky Southern Screamers, swans, Maguari Storks, Long-winged and Cinereous Harriers and a variety of waterfowl including the dapper Ringed Teal and the exquisite Silver Teal. Taim is sometimes referred to as 'the Pantanal of the South' and we'll see plenty of Capybaras and caiman to back up this assertion. Drier fields may hold Buff-breasted Sandpiper and the contrasting mostly-black Spectacled Tyrant alongside ghostly White Monjitas. In reedbeds we'll look for Curve-billed Reedhaunter, Wren-like Rushbird and Sulphur-bearded Spinetail. Patches of scrub and dry forest have Gilded Sapphire, Stripe-crowned Spinetail and Blue-and-yellow Tanager. An afternoon drive on the beach at Cassino could produce early austral migrants like Olrog's Gull or Austral Negrito. Night in Cassino.
Snowy-crowned Tern occurs along the ocean beaches of Rio Grande do Sul
DAY 14: Pelotas, on to Porto Alegre.
Today we make the long drive back to Porto Alegre, birding the extensive marshes near Pelotas on our way. In this area we'll look for South American Snipe, Rosy-billed Pochard and Ringed Teal and anything else that may have slipped under the radar at either Taim or Lagoa do Peixe. We spend the final night of the tour in Porto Alegre, where we'll have a pleasant farewell dinner.
DAY 15: Scytalopus and Departure.
For the last morning of the tour we'll bird the marshes around Viamão, a suburb of Porto Alegre. Our target species will be the same bird we kicked the tour off with, the elusive Wetland Tapaculo. While the bird was described from the Curitiba area, apparently one of its largest population strongholds is on the fringes of Porto Alegre. Of course if we already nailed this bird the first time or you simply want to rest up before your journey home, feel free to relax around the hotel or do a little souvenir shopping. Early afternoon flights to São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro to make international connections in the evening.
We'll meet in the early afternoon at the airport in Curitiba, the capital of the southern state of Paraná. Instead of doing the usual first day 'duding', we'll go right after a couple of elusive target species in the vast marshes fringing the city: Wetland Tapaculo and Sickle-winged Nightjar. After checking into our hotel we'll drive to a city park in Curitiba to try for Long-tufted Screech-Owl. Night in Curitiba.
DAY 2: Serra da Graciosa.
Our first morning will be spent on the lovely Estrada da Graciosa, a narrow road which winds sinuously down the Serra da Graciosa (part of the Serra do Mar, the Atlantic coastal mountains) through beautiful montane forests. A quiet side road at the top may produce Speckle-breasted Antpitta, Canebrake Groundcreeper, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant and Giant Antshrike to name but a few of the possibilities. We should hear our first Hooded Berryeaters here and we'll need to scour the subcanopy to pick up one of the beautiful males in they are singing nearby. Lower down another stop will target more charismatic species including Sharpbill, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Squamate Antbird and Black-cheeked Gnateater. We'll have lunch in Morretes before checking into our hotel nearby in the afternoon. In late afternoon we'll drive down to the coastal mangroves to search for the endangered endemic Red-tailed Amazon as it flies to roost in the extensive mangrove system.
DAY 3: Coastal Paraná to Itapoá.
First thing in the morning we'll bird the cobbled track in front of our hotel through good lowland forest where snazzy endemics such as Solitary Tinamou, Saw-billed Hermit and Star-throated Antwren all occur. We then drive south to the state of Santa Catarina, where marshes along the border hold the recently-described endemic Marsh Antwren, a species restricted to fragmented coastal marshes in just a tiny area of Paraná and Santa Catarina. From here it isn't far to Itapoá and the Volta Velha reserve, where we'll be based for three nights.
DAY 4: Volta Velha.
The Volta Velha reserve is becoming famous amongst world birders as the best place to see the poorly-known endemic Kaempfer's Tody-Tyrant. This cute little flycatcher was discovered in 1929 only to be recorded just once until 1991 when it was rediscovered in northern Santa Catarina. It is now known to occur at a couple of localities, both here and in Paraná, of which Volta Velha is one of the more reliable spots. We'll look for this endangered species on two good trails through excellent coastal forest. Volta Velha also holds a couple of other range-restricted restinga specialists, the Restinga Tyrannulet and Black-backed Tanager. Other goodies here include Yellow-legged Tinamou, Olive-green Tanager and Red-necked Tanager.
DAY 5: Volta Velha.
Another full day at Volta Velha. On our most recent visit to the reserve we found two pairs of the Russet-winged Spadebill, a rare and low-density resident of the Atlantic forests of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. This species is difficult everywhere, so it is worthy of a special effort on our part. Otherwise we'll work through the rich avifauna of this 1,100 hectare reserve, looking for Sombre Hummingbird, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Robust Woodpecker, White-breasted Tapaculo, Scaled Antbird and Brazilian Tanager amongst others.
DAY 6: To Urubici.
Today is mostly a travel day, as we have a long drive south along the Santa Catarina coast as far as Florianópolis before turning inland and climbing the serra to our lodgings above the town of Urubici. A look around the grounds of the hotel in the afternoon could turn up Blue-billed Black-Tyrant, Cliff Flycatcher, White-throated and Planalto Woodcreepers or perhaps even Vinaceous Amazon.
DAY 7: Urubici and Urupema.
We'll bird the hotel grounds in the morning again, where there should be good numbers of Azure Jays about. The Azure Jay is a typical species of the south Brazilian highlands, but it has for unknown reasons been undergoing a gradual decline in much of its range. Southern Santa Catarina and northern Rio Grande do Sul remain a stronghold for this charismatic species. After breakfast
we're off to the Morro da Igreja, where aside from stunning panoramic views of the serra catarinense we'll see our first Serra Geral endemic, the Long-tailed Cinclodes. Also up here are Olive Spinetail, Brown-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant and Large-tailed Antshrike. We'll have lunch in São Joaquim, the highest town in Brazil and one of the few places in the country where snow falls every year (but don't worry, only in June and July). Our afternoon will be spent around the small town of Urupema searching for the endangered Red-spectacled Amazon. The bulk of the world's population of this species winters around this town, migrating from breeding grounds further south to feed on the ripening cones of the Araucaria or Paraná Pine tree. We'll drive as far as Vacaria in the state of Rio Grande do Sul to spend the night.DAY 8: Campos da Cima de Serra.
This morning we'll bird the rolling fields and upland marshes between Vacaria and Bom Jesus. The fields should hold Buff-necked Ibis, Lesser Grass-Finch and plenty of Yellow-rumped Marshbirds. The marshes could have Plumbeous Rail, Speckled Teal and Yellow-billed Pintail, Spot-flanked Gallinule or White-winged Coot. Brushy areas in between are good for Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch and Striolated Tit-Spinetail, a handsome Serra Geral endemic. In the afternoon we'll bird the grounds and adjacent area of our historic hotel, where Mottled Piculet, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, Greenish Tyrannulet, Chestnut-backed and Chestnut-headed Tanager are all possible. Two nights in São Francisco de Paula.
DAY 9: Itaimbezinho canyon.
Farm roads near São Francisco de Paula run through a lot of uncultivated habitat, rolling stony plains interspersed with small marshes dominated by Eryngium reeds. These marshes are home to the Straight-billed Reedhaunter, a locally distributed species of Argentina, Uruguay and south Brazil. Here we will also be looking for flocks of Saffron-cowled Blackbird as they follow around pairs of Black-and-white Monjitas in an odd association between the two species. Nearby we'll check out a forest reserve where Black-capped Piprites is sometimes recorded. The afternoon is reserved for enjoying the spectacle of the stunning Itaimbezinho canyon in the Aparados da Serra National Park. The park isn't without avian attractions, and here we could find the southern form of Plovercrest, Biscutate Swift or Thick-billed Saltator.
DAY 10: To Mostardas.
The earliest hours of the morning will be spent tracking down any remaining highland targets before we check out of our hotel. On the descent from the highlands to the coast we will stop several times trying to track down Blue-bellied Parrot, a difficult endemic distributed from Espirito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul. From here we head south down the coast to Mostardas, a long drive we may break with a stop for seawatching if the weather conditions are right. We'll stay two nights in Mostardas.
DAY 11: Lagoa do Peixe.
Today we have a full day to explore the Lagoa do Peixe National Park, a vast coastal lagoon excellent for a wide variety of waders and other waterbirds. This is the best spot in Brazil for Chilean Flamingo and also an area of global importance for migratory shorebirds. The lagoon will probably rather low due to the time of year (end of the dry season), but this should concentrate large numbers of gulls, herons, storks and waders in the areas with remaining water. Both Black-necked and Coscoroba Swans are resident on the lagoon. A drive along the ocean beach should be good for migrant shorebirds, including the endangered Red Knot, along with many terns and seabirds if there is a wind blowing. Common Miner lives in the dunes at the edge of the beach. A good marsh near Mostardas is an excellent place to watch birds heading to roost in late afternoon, especially the big flocks of Brown-and-yellow Marshbirds and White-faced Whistling-Ducks. The tapes will come out here as we try to lure a Rufous-sided Crake, Spotted Rail or Red-and-white Crake into view to join the Giant Wood-Rails and Plumbeous Rails which forage in plain sight.
DAY 12: Lagoa do Peixe to Rio Grande.
We'll return to the same marsh for our early morning birding before hitting the road again to drive down the Mostardas peninsula to São José do Norte. After lunch in São José a ferry will take us across the mouth of the Laguna dos Patos to Rio Grande, the second largest port in Brazil and oldest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In the afternoon we'll check out a bay on the Laguna dos Patos near the superport for White-tufted and Great Grebes, Red-gartered Coot and Hudsonian Godwit. Night in the nearby resort town of Cassino.
DAY 13: Taim.
The better part of the day will be spent at the Taim Ecological Station about two hours south of Cassino. Here we'll find impressive concentrations of bulky Southern Screamers, swans, Maguari Storks, Long-winged and Cinereous Harriers and a variety of waterfowl including the dapper Ringed Teal and the exquisite Silver Teal. Taim is sometimes referred to as 'the Pantanal of the South' and we'll see plenty of Capybaras and caiman to back up this assertion. Drier fields may hold Buff-breasted Sandpiper and the contrasting mostly-black Spectacled Tyrant alongside ghostly White Monjitas. In reedbeds we'll look for Curve-billed Reedhaunter, Wren-like Rushbird and Sulphur-bearded Spinetail. Patches of scrub and dry forest have Gilded Sapphire, Stripe-crowned Spinetail and Blue-and-yellow Tanager. An afternoon drive on the beach at Cassino could produce early austral migrants like Olrog's Gull or Austral Negrito. Night in Cassino.
Snowy-crowned Tern occurs along the ocean beaches of Rio Grande do Sul
DAY 14: Pelotas, on to Porto Alegre.
Today we make the long drive back to Porto Alegre, birding the extensive marshes near Pelotas on our way. In this area we'll look for South American Snipe, Rosy-billed Pochard and Ringed Teal and anything else that may have slipped under the radar at either Taim or Lagoa do Peixe. We spend the final night of the tour in Porto Alegre, where we'll have a pleasant farewell dinner.
DAY 15: Scytalopus and Departure.
For the last morning of the tour we'll bird the marshes around Viamão, a suburb of Porto Alegre. Our target species will be the same bird we kicked the tour off with, the elusive Wetland Tapaculo. While the bird was described from the Curitiba area, apparently one of its largest population strongholds is on the fringes of Porto Alegre. Of course if we already nailed this bird the first time or you simply want to rest up before your journey home, feel free to relax around the hotel or do a little souvenir shopping. Early afternoon flights to São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro to make international connections in the evening.
All photos on this page were taken during our scouting trip in April 2008
PRICE: The cost of this tour is $3350 USD/CAD per person based on double occupancy starting in Curitiba and ending in Porto Alegre. We will be happy to advise regarding domestic flights to help the tour begin and end smoothly. A minimum of two participants is required for the trip to run. (This price is based on exchange rates as of 01 May 2008, and is subject to change)
DIFFICULTY: Fairly easy. Most of the birding is done from alongside quiet roads or on wide flat trails. This is a fairly fast-paced trip focussing on the specialties of the region. A couple of the travel days involve up to five hours of driving, but we will break these trips up with plenty of bathroom, snack and birding stops. The walk to see the Itaimbezinho canyon (Day 9) is several kilometres, but the trail is wide and flat. There is also a much shorter trail near the visitor's centre where one can see the canyon.
CLIMATE: In April we can expect the weather to be rather variable from north to south during our trip. Generally speaking the afternoons will be pleasantly warm to hot (in the lowlands) while the mornings can be chilly, especially in the highlands. Dressing in layers is important. Rain is possible at any time during this tour.
ACCOMMODATION: Good to excellent throughout the trip. We stay mostly in modern hotels with ensuite facilities and hot water. In the highlands all rooms are equipped with heaters as well.
For inquiries as to availability and pricing in other currencies, please contact us via e-mail at sclateria@yahoo.ca.
DIFFICULTY: Fairly easy. Most of the birding is done from alongside quiet roads or on wide flat trails. This is a fairly fast-paced trip focussing on the specialties of the region. A couple of the travel days involve up to five hours of driving, but we will break these trips up with plenty of bathroom, snack and birding stops. The walk to see the Itaimbezinho canyon (Day 9) is several kilometres, but the trail is wide and flat. There is also a much shorter trail near the visitor's centre where one can see the canyon.
CLIMATE: In April we can expect the weather to be rather variable from north to south during our trip. Generally speaking the afternoons will be pleasantly warm to hot (in the lowlands) while the mornings can be chilly, especially in the highlands. Dressing in layers is important. Rain is possible at any time during this tour.
ACCOMMODATION: Good to excellent throughout the trip. We stay mostly in modern hotels with ensuite facilities and hot water. In the highlands all rooms are equipped with heaters as well.
For inquiries as to availability and pricing in other currencies, please contact us via e-mail at sclateria@yahoo.ca.
