Aracari
Birding in Brazil
Just a quick report from Parque do Zizo (www.parquedozizo.com.br). I went there a couple weeks ago with ecuadorian guide Lelis Navarrete and his client Robert Johnson. Even though we stayed for just a day and a half, we recorded 140 species, and I'm not counting the ones in rural areas before reaching the private reserve in rainforest.
We arrived there at night annd from the car we saw two different Tropical Screech-Owls (very close) and some Pauraques. Arriving at the lodge clearing we could immediately hear a Tawny-browed Owl nearby and, of greater interest, what we first thought to be a Buff-fronted Owl in the distance! I have photographed this rare owl before at the lodge clearing, so it could be it again. After getting closer to the sound source we realized though that it was "just" a Black-capped Screech-Owl.
Very early start at 04:30 AM (too early actually!). We could still hear the Tawny-browed Owls and then the loud wing rattle of a Black-fronted Piping-Guan. They were coming to feed on the cecropia trees just above the new kitchen of the lodge. We actually saw this elusive species while having breakfast.
We started at the Rio Ouro Fino trail. The first 200 meters are in open, secondary habitat with some bamboo, where we recorded a lot of species, including Ferruginous and Scaled Antbirds, White-shouldered Fire-eye, White-throated Spadebill, Crested Becard, etc. When the trail got into primary tall montane rainforest we soon startled a pair of Spot-winged Wood-Quails! They were with babies and at one moment the babies were actually very close to us and so one of the adult birds came in quickly and took the babies away. We saw all this within a few meters from us.
Later on we had amazing views of a Black-cheeked Gnateater (I wish I had my camera with me at the moment), Black-throated Grosbeak, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager and soon afterwards the highly localized Salvadori's Antwren. This is a true Zizo specialty, very few trips fail to record it. Following the pictoresque Ouro Fino river we saw a Riverbank Warbler, lots of White-collared and Grey-rumped Swifts, a male and female Surucua Trogon, the Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, Plain-winged Woodcreeper, an Squamate Antbird that showed exceptionally well and a Pin-tailed Manakin at a lek. Before getting at the lodge we also found Blue Manakin and a pair of Ochre-collared Piculets and Pale-browed Treehunter, both pairs copulating (apparently love is in the air). We also saw a canopy flock with Oustalet's and Bay-ringed Tyrannulets and a new species to the list, and a considerable range extension to the south, a Yellow-breasted Flycatcher.
We looked in vain for Royal Flycatcher, which usually occurs in this part of the trail (swampy with a lot of vines).
At lunch we saw a Short-tailed Hawk soaring, Three-striped Flycatcher and several more common species around the lodge. We also saw a colorful Tiger Rat Snake. It was trying to get to the nests of a local resident pair of Rufous-bellied Thrushes. The birds didn't let it though, attacking the snake and pecking its head on the fly! The snake eventually gave up. A great show!
At the Main Trail we focused our efforts on a big fig tree that is fruiting right now. We recorded a lot of different species there, including Red-capped Parrots, Maroon-bellied Parakeets, White-tailed Trogon, Saffron Toucanet, Olivaceous Elaenia, a nesting pair of Azure-shouldered Tanager, Magpie Tanager and Blue-naped Chlorophonia.
Later on we saw a Black Hawk-Eagle soaring low over the lodge, a female Bare-throated Bellbird, a Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper by the river, Giant Antshrike, Black-tailed Tityra, Crescent-chested Puffbird, etc.
For a full list visit the park's blog at www.parquedozizo.wordpress.com
We arrived there at night annd from the car we saw two different Tropical Screech-Owls (very close) and some Pauraques. Arriving at the lodge clearing we could immediately hear a Tawny-browed Owl nearby and, of greater interest, what we first thought to be a Buff-fronted Owl in the distance! I have photographed this rare owl before at the lodge clearing, so it could be it again. After getting closer to the sound source we realized though that it was "just" a Black-capped Screech-Owl.
Very early start at 04:30 AM (too early actually!). We could still hear the Tawny-browed Owls and then the loud wing rattle of a Black-fronted Piping-Guan. They were coming to feed on the cecropia trees just above the new kitchen of the lodge. We actually saw this elusive species while having breakfast.
We started at the Rio Ouro Fino trail. The first 200 meters are in open, secondary habitat with some bamboo, where we recorded a lot of species, including Ferruginous and Scaled Antbirds, White-shouldered Fire-eye, White-throated Spadebill, Crested Becard, etc. When the trail got into primary tall montane rainforest we soon startled a pair of Spot-winged Wood-Quails! They were with babies and at one moment the babies were actually very close to us and so one of the adult birds came in quickly and took the babies away. We saw all this within a few meters from us.
Later on we had amazing views of a Black-cheeked Gnateater (I wish I had my camera with me at the moment), Black-throated Grosbeak, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager and soon afterwards the highly localized Salvadori's Antwren. This is a true Zizo specialty, very few trips fail to record it. Following the pictoresque Ouro Fino river we saw a Riverbank Warbler, lots of White-collared and Grey-rumped Swifts, a male and female Surucua Trogon, the Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, Plain-winged Woodcreeper, an Squamate Antbird that showed exceptionally well and a Pin-tailed Manakin at a lek. Before getting at the lodge we also found Blue Manakin and a pair of Ochre-collared Piculets and Pale-browed Treehunter, both pairs copulating (apparently love is in the air). We also saw a canopy flock with Oustalet's and Bay-ringed Tyrannulets and a new species to the list, and a considerable range extension to the south, a Yellow-breasted Flycatcher.
We looked in vain for Royal Flycatcher, which usually occurs in this part of the trail (swampy with a lot of vines).
At lunch we saw a Short-tailed Hawk soaring, Three-striped Flycatcher and several more common species around the lodge. We also saw a colorful Tiger Rat Snake. It was trying to get to the nests of a local resident pair of Rufous-bellied Thrushes. The birds didn't let it though, attacking the snake and pecking its head on the fly! The snake eventually gave up. A great show!
At the Main Trail we focused our efforts on a big fig tree that is fruiting right now. We recorded a lot of different species there, including Red-capped Parrots, Maroon-bellied Parakeets, White-tailed Trogon, Saffron Toucanet, Olivaceous Elaenia, a nesting pair of Azure-shouldered Tanager, Magpie Tanager and Blue-naped Chlorophonia.
Later on we saw a Black Hawk-Eagle soaring low over the lodge, a female Bare-throated Bellbird, a Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper by the river, Giant Antshrike, Black-tailed Tityra, Crescent-chested Puffbird, etc.
For a full list visit the park's blog at www.parquedozizo.wordpress.com
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