Geodyssey | Neotropical birdwatching | Introducing Brazil's Atlantic Rain Forest

Neotropical Birdwatching | Small Group Birdwatching Holidays | Level 1 birdwatching trips | Introducing Brazil's Atlantic Rain Forest

Brazil is a magical country in which both culture and environment are equally exciting. It is almost the size of the USA with a multiracial population of 140 million concentrated in its southern states. Away from the thrum of the huge cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is very rich in wildlife and contains many of South America’s most endangered birds.

Atlantic rain forest once followed the coast for 4000km in a continual expanse from Natal into Argentina. Birds have evolved in their own ways in the fabulous ecosystems of this important biogeographical region, producing a very rich and varied avifauna. The forest has been broken up and reduced by farming since colonial times, but what remains is packed with spectacular birds. Almost all of the families and genera of South America’s complex avifauna are well represented, and there is a high proportion of endemic species.

In this introductory tour we concentrate on two endemic bird areas: the uplands of the Serra do Mar and the lowland rain forests on the coast. These areas are vitally important for conservation and hold an extraordinary number of endangered and otherwise rare or localised species. They house the majority of the endemic species of the Atlantic rain forest and a good many species more widely distributed throughout South America.

These areas are especially fruitful for the neotropical beginner partly because of the relatively high abundances of each species. Concentrating our efforts in this relatively small but fascinating area allows us to look in much greater depth than would normally be the case, and enables us to really get to grips with the birds we see. In the process we will find a high proportion of the region’s endemic birds, resulting in a happy combination of learning our craft and beginning to build a long list. It is an excellent introduction to South America’s birdlife and a springboard for further trips to the continent.

Our tour starts in the incomparable Itatiaia National Park, in the Serra do Mar endemic bird area where we devote our time to exploring the impressive mosaic of forest microhabitats. In contrast to these uplands the nearby coastal rain forests present us with an entirely different suite of habitats and species. At dawn this narrow strip of forest at the base of the Serra do Mar is alive with birds: a cacophony of tropical sounds with a truly electric display of colours.

Such a spectacular array of brightly coloured birds makes learning to identify them a pleasure. A feature of the majority of South American families is the superficial similarity of many species. With attention to the right details the differences can be worked out. These may revolve around bill shape, or minor but consistent plumage details. We learn how to use these observations to tell species and genera apart, helping us identify birds throughout the neotropics.

Colours and plumage can be insufficient even when birds are seen well, but in the variable light of the forest we need more clues.

A knowledge of vocalisations is often critical to identifying neotropical birds. To the beginning birder this would seem to involve rote-learning an endless variety of calls and songs—a mountainous task. This is not the case. There are some very simple patterns within the vocal repertoires of all the major families. Having picked these up we can often identify unseen birds, if not to species level then to family.

A basic understanding of habitat requirements is another important tool. Some species are associated with very specific types of vegetation at particular elevations: bamboo thickets, perhaps, or open forest floor below 1200m, or thickly vegetated narrow gulleys above 1500m. To see such birds it is essential to get to the right spot. In other cases a bird’s habitat requirements are more generalised, but still helpful in finding or identifying it from others.

Perching posture and how birds move can also be very helpful in identifying them. Do they flit about, constantly fidgeting in the outer branches as some tyrannulets do? Are they probing suspended dead leaves, as antwrens do? Or are they investigating large bromeliads as the Pale-browed Treehunter does?

These behaviours are closely linked with feeding strategies, which range from omnivorous to very refined and specific. We will take time to watch parrots noisily feeding in fruiting trees at the peak of their ripeness, and gluttonous toucans gobbling fruit or predating Oropendola chicks. We will possibly see raptors hunting through the forest chasing birds in mixed flocks. The search for food dominates the lives of many birds, but particularly hummingbirds and tanagers who always seem to be frantically searching for their next meal. Others have much less difficulty sustaining themselves and can spend their time in other ways. Throughout the forests we have the opportunity to witness the bizarre courtship rituals and displays of cotingas and manakins that are so emblematic of South America’s birdlife.

Flocking is similarly linked to feeding. Some species are only to be found in mixed flocks where they may follow or lead the flock, or act as sentinels. Detailed feeding preferences such as outer branches or the underside of mossy branches can also help to ease the confusion of a birdwatcher new to the neotropics. These approaches work well everywhere. Our experience of the Atlantic rain forests will help us greatly when birding elsewhere in the continent.

Species we see include the superb Saffron Toucanet, Red-breasted Toucan, and a constant procession of gaudy tanagers and hummingbirds at feeders. We will see mixed flocks in the forest and the species often associated with them, such as the lovely Spot-billed Toucanet and Rufous-capped Motmot. We will watch endemic Blue Manakins at a lek—often a really magical moment for visiting birders. We may be lucky and see the pretty but very uncommon White-bearded Antshrike or any number of others. We should also be able to find the much sought-after Swallow-tailed Cotinga.

Our accommodation and food is very good, while logistics work as well as anywhere in Latin America, making this a relatively easy tour. Our main hotel is comfortable, well situated for the sites we visit, and has excellent birding in its own gardens and nearby. On most days we only undertake some moderate walking, although we may well be outside all day. Facilities for accompanying non-birders are excellent too, and we have included a memorable day of sightseeing in Rio de Janeiro as a grand finale.

Rio de Janeiro

Day 1 Overnight international flights from the UK arrive at Rio de Janeiro in the morning. We are met at the airport and transferred to Itatiaia National Park.

Itatiaia NP

Days 2-7 Itatiaia National Park protects a stunningly beautiful area of Atlantic forest and mountainous habitats in the Serra da Mantequiera between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. It holds a higher diversity of birds than any other park in the region, including about 130 regional endemics.

The park’s topography, rising from 900m to the Agulhas Negras peak at 2797m, allows us to experience the succession of forest types from tropical to temperate, and the birds that live in them. At the lower levels of the park the forests are upper tropical and subtropical and support a lush tree canopy often woven together with a thick tangle of vines. There are some flowering trees, and a dense understorey of heliconias and shrubs. As we climb higher we see increasing numbers of bromeliads and orchids decorating many of the emergent trees, while the understorey becomes dominated by dense stands of tall guadua bamboo. Higher still the forests are a darker green and support a mat of mosses and lichens and profuse arrangements of bromeliads. The understorey here is dark and moss-covered, with patches of chusqea bamboo.

We will learn to ‘read’ these forest types as we discover the different assortments of birds that inhabit them. We will begin to pick up the basic differences in posture, movement, behaviour and patterns of vocalisation, as well as size and plumage, that will be the foundation of our field skills for the future.

Our perfectly located hotel provides us with a near constant parade of multi-coloured tanagers and iridescent hummingbirds coming to the feeders outside the dining room. Not only can we watch these spectacular birds at close quarters we are also able to photograph them with ease. Also present are pretty little Saffron Toucanets and large numbers of Dusky-legged Guans, that wander around the grounds. At dusk Natterer’s Nighthawks hunt over the swimming pool while a pair of Buff-browed Owls are often to be seen in large trees above the hotel.

On a choice of trails we are able to access the forest’s interior to find large mixed flocks, along with raptors, parrots and toucans. We will cover a great many species, but in terms of highlights we may see Spot-billed Toucanet, Robust Woodpecker, the dainty little Ferruginous and Bertoni’s Antbirds and many others as we start to build our neotropical lists. In the dense bamboo stands we will try to see the rare and poorly known White-bearded Antshrike—an excellent exercise in tracking down an elusive bird.

At the park’s upper levels we will be treated to the eerie chorus of Black-and-gold Cotingas calling from their mist-enshrouded canopy. We may also see Large-tailed Antshrike and Rufous-backed Antvireo here as well.

As we get more advanced we will also explore higher elevation habitats of treeline scrub and grasslands. Here we should find a number of the park’s other specialities such as the Itatiaia Spinetail. We make a special effort to see the incomparable Black-breasted Plovercrest: a beautiful species of hummingbird only found at higher elevations. We also visit an isolated grove of ‘monkey-puzzle’ (Araucaria) trees to see the Araucaria Tit-Spinetail. The mixed flocks here contain Brassy-breasted, Green-headed Tanagers along with Thick-billed Saltators, the stunning Diademed Tanagers and many others. Night birding here may reward us with the extraordinary display of Long-trained Nightjar or the sighting of a beautiful Rusty-barred Owl.

The park has an important role in conservation and we will learn something of this during our stay. It will be made all the more significant as our own understanding of the park’s birds and their habitats develops.

Day 8 To conclude an intensive and varied week we continue birding for much of our last day in Itatiaia, before heading down to Rio for 2 nights.

Rio de Janeiro

Day 9 After a leisurely breakfast we explore the stunning city with sugar loaf mountains that rise dramatically in the landscape and break up the city in a spectacular fashion. We visit Corcovado National Park, where the statue of Christ the Redeemer looks down over the city and its bays and beaches from atop a 700m peak.

Day 10 Today we transfer to the airport for our homeward flights.

Dates and prices

Leader: Eustace Barnes

price

04 November 2007

£1,220

12 November 2008

£1,340

11 November 2009

£1,475*

*guide price

Prices include all transport within the destination, all accommodation, all meals, services of an experienced professional ornithologist guide throughout (Eustace Barnes).

Prices do not include international flights. For a guide to fares see Flights.

For full details and booking conditions refer to brochure insert.