São Paulo: Birding the Best of Mata Atlântica (1 Viewer)

[lgonz1008]

If birding South America was set in priorities, then the welcoming atmosphere and relatively short flights to Ecuador and Colombia or the gateway to Antarctica via Chile or Argentina make these countries as places that most birders want to explore first. However, anyone familiar with the rich vastness that Brazil provides will gladly jump out and proclaim this country as one of the best birding regions in the world.

Brazil is the 4th country with the most endemic bird species in the world, and the only one in the top 5 in the Western Hemisphere, this is in part due to the large size of the nation, but the amazing variety of lowland habitats also indulge this variety, our goal on this 11-day trip was to see as many of the endemic species that call the Atlantic Rainforest (Mata Atlântica) home. The trip was overall extremely successful, and we managed to encounter a total of 152 endemic species to the country and the bioregion, add to that a couple dozen more widespread but tricky species and we left with a trip total of 362 birds!

This trip was done by two birders, that had never traveled this far south in the Neotropics and without the help of world-class guide Demis Bucci, we would have not seen a third of our targets as the alternative name to Mata Atlântica as the Silent Rainforest is very fitting, with bird activity rarely being more than a call here and there, unless you were in the feeders or stumbled upon a mixed flock. Having a guide is not mandatory to explore the region, but it makes a lot of things easier when trying to find leks and territories of the many skulking species.

Detailed Itinerary:​

• October 31 (Arrival and first day in São Paulo)​

Overnight flights were the trend for arrival at São Paulo, my friend took longer flights since he came from Europe, while I just had one long flight from Miami. Upon arrival in the airport, we got some money and waited for Demis, unfortunately, due to some alarm issues, the original pickup time of 6:30AM, was moved to 9:00AM, but since this only happened once through the whole trip, we wrote it off as a small hiccup and began our drive south out of São Paulo and into our base for the upcoming days in Legado das Águas.​

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The drive out of the city took us parallel to Rio Tietê, where we noted our first lifers of the trip as the slow traffic let us through. Some easy targets we picked up included Picazuro Pigeon, Guira Cuckoo, Bare-faced Ibis, Rufous Hornero, Chalk-browed Mockingbird and the only Green-barred Woodpecker of the trip, this also gave us one of the few mammals of the trip in the form of Capybara, which is possible around the river but nowhere else in the itinerary. After a stop at a gas station for fuel and a quick snack, we entered Vale do Sol in Miracatu, where the combination of open habitat and forested hedges brought a beautiful variety of widespread and sought-after endemics, with species like White-eared Puffbird, Swallow-tailed Manakin, Planalto Tyrannulet and Yellow-legged Thrush being among the highlights. As we kept climbing the road, we had an extremely brief encounter with a Black Hawk-Eagle and soon became acquainted with the loudest bird of the trip, the Bare-throated Bellbird!​

Around 1:30PM, we entered Legado das Águas, a relatively new hotspot for birding in Southeast Brazil and a must stop for any visiting birders in the future. The region contains some of the best protected forests left in Mata Atlântica and while the focus of the property is to care for the hydroelectric dams, the recent expansion into ecotourism ensures that we could see over 150 species over the next 3 days. On the drive in, we briefly noted a pair of Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail and a Roadside Hawk, but we were on a time crunch because lunch time ended at 2 and some of us hadn’t had more than airplane food in over 2 days! The meals were serve yourself buffet-style and with close views of the feeders, the toughest part about the experience was keeping the food down as Plain Parakeet, Olive-green, Ruby-crowned, Green-headed and Red-necked Tanager came in to feed on the bananas that were put out.​

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After dropping our baggage in the rooms, we ran back out to do some more targeted birding. Starting with a very obliging pair of Cliff Flycatcher, we also encountered 2 vocal pairs of Ferruginous Antbird and a skittish Pin-tailed Manakin before we drove to the nesting tree of an Ornate Hawk-Eagle. In route, we made a stop in a place where Demis has had Black-headed Berryeater and soon after we arrived, the bird was found and disappeared giving us some of the worst lifer views we could have hoped for; thankfully, the reason why the bird left was for one of the most iconic birds of the region, a Saffron Toucanet! We enjoyed obscured but solid views of this mega before we kept going to our original destination. Another stop in route had us seeing the breeding pair of Bat Falcon that have started a small population of the species within the region, this pair had managed to raise 4 successful batches in the years they’ve been there and now every dam within Legado das Águas has at least one of these raptors hunting around it.​

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When we finally reached the nest, we had some backlit but imposing views of the largest raptor in Mata Atlântica, the Ornate Hawk-Eagle, if the Harpy Eagle wasn’t so charismatic, this would be the top raptor to see in the Neotropics and we had amazing looks at it on our first day in Brazil. From the Hawk-Eagle, we moved to bird the road close to the nest and this gave us good views of Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-headed Tanager, and after a long struggle, White-breasted Tapaculo. Our final goal for the night was to make a dent on the huge list of nightbirds that are found in the region, starting with fly-by views of Short-tailed Nighthawk, we also had a brief encounter with Tropical Screech-Owl by the cabins and a bit of driving got us amazing looks at Tawny-browed Owl and hearing the single whistles of Ocellated Poorwill. We called it a night from there, and after enjoying the delicious dinner, we went to sleep in beds that left us feeling like André the Giant but made do because of the jetlag we were experiencing.​

• November 1 (Legado das Águas)​

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First proper morning in Brazil had us exploring the road leading to the lodge in hope of a few more targets for the trip, these came in a variety of colors and sizes with a more cooperative female Pin-tailed Manakin and Rough-legged Tyrannulet tried to steal the show from a pair of Ochre-rumped Antbird and a single Sibilant Sirystes called at the trailhead, flyovers included Scaly-headed Parrot and the first Channel-billed (Ariel) Toucan of the trip. A drive out failed to produce our main target of Rufous-capped Motmot, but seeing a pair of Golden-crowned Warbler next to the car was nice. Walking through a short trail gave us point-blank views of three special endemics, Atlantic Black-throated Trogon, Ochre-collared Piculet and Spot-breasted Antvireo. Overall, a very productive start for the day before breakfast, the feeders in the early morning also brought a bigger variety of birds, with new standouts being Black Jacobin, Violet-capped Woodnymph and Chestnut-bellied Euphonia.​

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Back into the field, we explored the trail behind the greenhouse. This turned out to be the most mixed experience trail of the trip, as it easily revealed some of its birds while others would not show, but all of them were a struggle to photograph. The first bird to give us this experience was a male Black-capped Becard, a widespread but difficult bird to see in this part of its range, from there, the trickly of activity was slow but eventually we’d connect Star-throated, Unicolored and Streak-capped Antwren, but missed out on the rare Salvadori’s Antwren. A flyover pair of Blond-crested Woodpecker gave brief and frustrating views, but eventually a mixed flock showed a variety of Furnariids and Flycatchers, including new species like White-eyed and Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, Sao Paulo Bristle-Tyrant, Oustalet’s Tyrannulet and Gray-headed Tody-Flycatcher. As the habitat changed in the trail, we encountered a male Pin-tailed Manakin that stayed still for some ID shots, while the highlight of the walk came in as a cooperative pair of Black-cheeked Gnateater came to see who was in their part of the forest. The final bird of note as we excited the trail was a Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, which we heard for a good while before it finally showed from a decent vantage point by the stream.​

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Lunch break was very surprising as the feeders were ransacked by a troupe of Black Capuchin, and we found a nesting pair of Black-tailed Tityra in the mango tree behind the restaurant. During the break time, my friend went to take a nap while I enjoyed the feeders, this turned to be a blessing as an agitated pair of Plain Parakeet gave away the location of another Saffron Toucanet, by the time I called my friend, the bird flew out, but seeing a pair of Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet and a Gray-capped Tyrannulet was a good consolation prize.​

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Late afternoon took us to a different part of the reserve, this time the goal was to make our first of many attempts for Slaty Bristlefront, sadly the bird was not around, but the area included many new trip birds, such as Crested Becard, Long-tailed Tyrant and Green-winged Saltator in the open areas, while the forested parts gave us a confiding Greenish Schiffornis, alongside a variety of Flycatchers like Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, Gray-hooded Attila and Three-striped Flycatcher. At the end of the trail, we noted an amazing flyover as a Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle was seen hunting over the clearing. As light faded, we attempted to get ID views of Squamate Antbird and Rufous-capped Antthrush, both birds were seen but much better views would be had later in the trip for both.​

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Our owling session for the night began with a shot in the dark for Silky-tailed Nightjar, this bird is an extremely rare resident of the region with the species being reported less than 10 times within Legado das Águas. Amazingly, the bird responded, and after a long back and forth, we saw what looked like a huge white moth flying next to our feet; a quick spotlight where it landed revealed that the “moth” was the tail feathers of an adult Silky-tailed Nightjar! Unfortunately, the bird flew out before we could get a picture, but the thrill of seeing this rare denizen of the forest will not be forgotten any time soon. From there, we calmed down and tried for a more “common” but sought-after endemic, the Black-capped Screech-Owl, thankfully, this bird was not scared by a Tropical Screech-Owl as we experienced the night before and we managed to have great views of this adorable owl before we called it a night.​

 

[temmie]

Great stuff after only 2 days of birding! I haven't birded South of Sao Paulo so at least 5 new birds for me, Silky-tailed Nightjar the most gripping one!

Not wanting to be pedantic but the biggest raptor of the Mata Atlantica is, ofcourse, Harpy Eagle, which still occurs around e.g. Sooretama and Veracel, but numbers must be thin on the ground...

 

[lgonz1008]

Great stuff after only 2 days of birding! I haven't birded South of Sao Paulo so at least 5 new birds for me, Silky-tailed Nightjar the most gripping one!

Not wanting to be pedantic but the biggest raptor of the Mata Atlantica is, ofcourse, Harpy Eagle, which still occurs around e.g. Sooretama and Veracel, but numbers must be thin on the ground...

The nightjar definitely blindsided us, even the guide was surprised that it landed next to us.

If we go by pedantics, Crested Eagle is also a rare resident of Mata Atlantica, but last bird seen in the region is nearly 20 years ago. Sadly, I don't think any of us will be going to Mata Atlantica in the search of these raptors when there's better habitat elsewhere.

 

[lgonz1008]

• November 2 (Legado das Águas)

Early morning and again we attempted to find the Slaty Bristlefront on the spot from yesterday, but the bird would not call. Thankfully, other interesting targets caught our attention such a lekking pair of Dusky-throated Hermit, a vocal but skulking pair of Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, and two surprisingly bold skulkers in the shape of White-breasted Tapaculo and Rufous-capped Spinetail. The highlight of the walk, however, went to some amazing, unobstructed views of Cinnamon-vented Piha, an uncommon and endemic species from the montane forest of Mata Atlântica.​

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After breakfast, we made a longish drive to a spot that was known for holding megas right from the road. Upon arrival, a male Bare-throated Bellbird was seen in a close distance, while the mixed flocks revealed Flame-crested Tanager, Gray-capped Tyrannulet, Yellow-olive Flatbill and Rufous-tailed Attila. Our attention soon turned to a roadside bamboo strand, from where we heard and managed amazing views of Squamate Antbird and Rufous Gnateater, these two birds would have been enough to make the morning worthwhile, but a series of short, high-pitched whistles had us craning our necks as Buff-throated Purpletuft came out to provide some of the best views of this endangered endemic! Turns out that outside of Ubatuba, Legado das Águas is the best site in the world to connect with this species. Our attention then turned to a small trail where we had a territorial pair of Scaled Antbird in the understory and an active nest of Surucua Trogon in a bromeliad by the road.​

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As we began the drive back for lunch, a roadside stop provided amazing views of the widespread Green-backed Trogon and the newly split Atlantic Plain-Xenops. In the next stop we managed to find a pair of White-collared Foliage-gleaner, alongside Bay-ringed Tyrannulet, Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher, Black-throated Grosbeak and a family group of Magpie Tanager; some species began to make their presence known in song as well, with Spotted Bamboowren remaining as the only heard-only Tapaculo we would encounter on the trip, others like Long-billed Gnatwren and Whiskered Flycatcher, were more cooperative with a bit of coaxing.​

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Our final stop was back at the Silky-tailed Nightjar site, as we had dropped some banana candies there last night and wanted to avoid leaving litter in the forest. This turned out to be a blessing as we would find the last two new birds for the day here in the form of Plain-winged Woodcreeper, and a set of deep “woo” calls revealed the only male Spot-billed Toucanet we would see all trip, thankfully the bird was cooperative, and we managed to get good shots of this gaudy Mata Atlântica endemic.​

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Our lunchtime by the feeders were enjoyable as we managed amazing views of a male Festive Coquette attempting to impress a female, but the nonstop rain made it clear that afternoon birding would be very difficult. This unfortunately came true as we attempted to return to the trail behind the lodge in hopes of finding Russet-winged Spadebill and Buff-bellied Puffbird, but the rain made it impossible to see or hear anything in the forest. We also spent a couple of hours avoiding the rains in a recently installed hide, but none of the Tinamou species of the area made an appearance. This left us with one of the few times that the weather worked against us, but after a morning like that, who would complain?​

 

[RafaelMatias]

Crowned Eagle is also a rare resident of Mata Atlantica, but last bird seen in the region is nearly 20 years ago.

There have been records in São Paulo (state) in 2017 and 2022, in Paraná (Iguaçu) in 2022 and in Bahia (at 3 localities of Mata Atlântica) in 2012, 2019 and also this year as well. All photographed.

PS. Assumed Crested Eagle, not Crowned which is another magnificent eagle, but from Africa. (fixed typo)

 

[lgonz1008]

There have been records in São Paulo (state) in 2017 and 2022, in Paraná (Iguaçu) in 2022 and in Bahia (at 3 localities of Mata Atlântica) in 2012, 2019 and also this year as well. All photographed.

PS. Assumed Crested Eagle, not Crowned which another magnificent eagle, but from Africa.

I definitely put the wrong name, thanks for pointing it out, I updated it.

Seems like the records are more recent than I read from the field of the region, thanks for sharing.

Either way, I'll bet my luck on seeing this species on Panama or elsewhere with known nesting sites.

 

[temmie]

That Purpletuft is an awesome bird, if seen well. They often are high in the canopy though... But connecting with one is already hard enough so great you had that one (among a great list of other specialties).

ps: Crested is indeed a bird no one would ever target in SE-Brazil or around Iguazu, but it's just nice to think about the fact you could see one while birding in those forests... Same with Harpy, but Harpy sometimes has a known nesting site, so if the opportunity arises, it could be an awesome bonus species in SE Brazil.

 

[lgonz1008]

Photos from the first 3 days:
1. Atlantic Black-throated Trogon
2. Black-cheeked Gnateater
3. Pin-tailed Manakin
4. Saffron Toucanet
5. Chestnut-bellied Euphonia
6. Gray-hooded Attila
7. White-breasted Tapaculo
8. Cinnamon-vented Piha
9. Buff-throated Purpletuft
10. Squamate Antbird
11. Ferruginous Antbird
12. Magpie Tanager
13. Spot-billed Toucanet
14. Festive Coquette
15. Blue Dacnis

 

[lgonz1008]

That Purpletuft is an awesome bird, if seen well. They often are high in the canopy though... But connecting with one is already hard enough so great you had that one (among a great list of other specialties).

Let me know if the photo I took of it qualifies as a seen well species in your book.

 

[RafaelMatias]

I definitely put the wrong name, thanks for pointing it out, I updated it.

Seems like the records are more recent than I read from the field of the region, thanks for sharing.

Either way, I'll bet my luck on seeing this species on Panama or elsewhere with known nesting sites.

No worries, I think it was clear what species you were referring to in any case. Yeah, it's definitely rare within the Mata Atlântica, but the habitat is vast and people tend to visit the same spots, where other species are guaranteed. Indeed the possibility of coming across one of those, even if really thin, is a plus for someone visiting the area. I'm following this report with great interest, fantastic stuff.

 

[lgonz1008]

• November 3 (Legado das Águas and transfer to Atma Anna)​

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Today was the final day in Legado das Águas and this meant that we had to run against the clock to see as many species as possible on our way out. Starting out with a new attempt for the Rufous-capped Motmot, we managed to hear two birds behind the cabins and see a third one by the road but overcast weather and early morning lighting conditions meant that no photos could be taken. A new attempt to see Black-headed Berryeater was made and in the process, we managed to get ID shots of a pair of Unicolored Antwren and Ochre-breasted Foliage-gleaner, eventually the secretive Cotinga was heard calling, and we had great views of a singing male for about 5 minutes before a gliding Rufous-thighed Kite scared every bird in the vicinity.​

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As we made our way out, we back traced to the Purpletuft site, along the way we tried and failed for Buff-bellied Puffbird, but brief views of a Half-collared Sparrow compensated for it, other birds we noted on the way out included a Red-ruffed Fruitcrow in the mist, a singing Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch in a field, an immature male Bare-throated Bellbird avoiding the rain under a cecropia. Upon reaching the first exit gate, we made a brief stop, which proved very productive to add some open habitat species like Southern Yellowthroat and Blue-black Grassquit, along with close-up views of Rufous-margined Antwren. Heading towards our lunch site, we made another stop due to the photo opportunity provided by a beautiful Channel-billed (Ariel) Toucan on the side of the road along with obstructed but clear views of Wing-barred Piprites. A clear stream trail was walked in hopes of connecting with Brazilian Laniisoma, but sadly the bird that was previously reported could not be relocated, but in it’s place we encountered a vocal Riverbank Warbler before going to Pousada Salve Floresta for lunch. While the food was being prepared, we decided to walk around the trails for about an hour in a failed attempt to see at least 1 of the 4 Yellow-legged Tinamou that were calling! Despite this, the trail and grounds of the pousada proved to be productive, with the first proper views of Maroon-bellied (Maroon-tailed) Parakeet, a nesting colony of Red-rumped Cacique, a family of Masked Water-Tyrant and a flyover Sick’s Swift. The feeders were equally productive with Dusky-legged Guan and Azure-shouldered Tanager being new species for the trip.​

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By midafternoon, we were travelling out of the reserve, we enjoyed the last views of the forests at Legado das Águas, while the calls of Hooded Berryeater made it clear that we changed the elevation as this montane endemic cannot be found in the areas we explored before. Another standout bird from this part of the road was a Pavonine Cuckoo that had recently arrived at the region from their Amazonian non-breeding grounds. The final stop of the day had us in the backroads around the city of Tapiraí, in the fading light we managed to see a Rufescent Tiger-Heron in the lake, while the nearby bamboo patches revealed two megas of the region, Giant and White-bearded Antshrike. As the sun set, we attempted to see one of many Variegated Antpitta that were heard around us, but the owling session proved extremely productive as we heard Common Potoo and Tawny-browed Owl, along with seeing a Mottled Owl at eye-level and having a pair of Rusty-barred Owl flying over our heads. As usual, the owling session lasted less than an hour, but it just showed off how good night birding is in the region. Our arrival at our lodging in Atma Anna was well into the night, but the amenities of the room left us extremely happy and sleeping comfortably.​

 

[temmie]

Let me know if the photo I took of it qualifies as a seen well species in your book.

It's better than mine so it's excellent! 🙃

Seriously it's a very good one as it's not too high up / relatively close (but how close it was depends also on how good your camera gear is: what lens/body combo did you use?)

 

[lgonz1008]

It's better than mine so it's excellent! 🙃

Seriously it's a very good one as it's not too high up / relatively close (but how close it was depends also on how good your camera gear is: what lens/body combo did you use?)

I just have a Nikon Coolpix P1000, so a point-and-shoot with a big zoom that does well as long as the lighting conditions aren't too low or the bird is flying.

But the Purpletuft also helped, stayed in the canopy about 10-13 meters up, but the road had an incline, so stepping back gave us a more eye level view with it.

 

[lgonz1008]

• November 4 (Transfer to Parque Estadual Intervales)

With the rare opportunity of “sleeping in” until 6:30, my friend took up the chance while I waited for the morning showers to stop and walk around the property gardens to add a few species to the trip in little under an hour. Some of the standouts included Glittering-bellied and Sapphire-spangled Emerald, Pallid Spinetail, Small-billed Elaenia, Swainson’s Flycatcher, Tropical Parula and an out of season Black-backed Tanager, the latter was noteworthy as the species leaves the interior for the coast during the summer months. After breakfast, we went back out to relocate the Tanager for my friend, alongside getting amazing views of the araucaria forest specialist, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, by 8 we were on the road and our focus today was to see some open habitat species as we made our way to Parque Estadual Intervales, the southernmost place on our trip.​

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Our first stop in route had us stopping at a random home in the town of Turvo, the property looked good for some waterbirds, we asked the owner if we could walk around and the go ahead was given as quickly as one says “bom dia”. Sure enough, the pond in the property had Brazilian Teal, Purple Gallinule and Wattled Jacana in the water, while the cattails were home to Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Chestnut-capped Blackbird and Wing-banded Hornero. Different stops along the road had us getting brief views of White Woodpecker, cooperative pairs of Spix’s Spinetail and Yellow-bellied Elaenia, and the only Swallow-tailed Hummingbird from the trip was a quick flyby while a Striped Cuckoo sang in the distance.​

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By 9:30, we had entered more open cattle ranch habitat, and this gave us a new set of open country species, highlights of the area included a hunting Streamer-tailed Tyrant, a territorial pair of Cinnamon Tanager, a calling Red-legged Seriema and a bold Blackish Rail. As we progressed through the road, we also had flyover flocks of White-collared Swift and White-eyed Parakeet, other species noted included Buff-necked Ibis, Toco Toucan, White-tailed Hawk, Burrowing Owl and Plush-crested Jay. In the early afternoon, we arrived at Restaurante da Neide, our eating venue, while at Intervales and this proved to be great on both the food and bird front, as a variety of common but beautiful species could be seen at the feeders with a vagrant Gray-throated Warbling Finch being a great bonus before entering the park.​

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Parque Estadual Intervales is a prime example of conservation success within Brazil, the land within park boundaries is mostly reclaimed farms and since the late 1980s, the property moved into being managed by the Forest Foundation and with it becoming an UNESCO site due to the crucial placing for the protection of Mata Atlântica. It should come as no surprise that is one of the best places within Brazil to find the toughest endemics of the region and during our 2 days here, we were planning to make the most of it. Something that’s very clear, it is not possible to explore the park without the help of a local guide from the nearby town; these guides have been living here for generations and their hard work is what ensures that the park remains protected and in pristine condition. That isn’t to say that birding on your isn’t possible as places around the lodges and clearing are fine for exploration and made do with this for the first afternoon as we familiarized ourselves with some of the specialties of the park.​

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Starting at the entrance of the park, the marshy habitat proved to be the best place to get views of widespread species like Green Ibis, Campo Flicker and the migratory Yellow-browed Tyrant, along with another vagrant from the south in the form of Grayish Baywing and a true specialty of this marsh, the Orange-breasted Thornbird. The forested areas also had their own set of goodies with having a family of Blond-crested Woodpecker foraging at eye level in a clearing being a clear highlight, even if that wasn’t the best moment of the afternoon. This goes to our exploration of the short trail next to Pousada Lontra, which gave us extended views and photo opportunities with White-throated Spadebill and a calling Rufous-capped Antthrush! The trees around our lodging, the well-known among birders, Pousada Pica-Pou, proved to be a magnet for Tanagers, with Diademed, Golden-chevroned and Fawn-breasted Tanager being among the standouts we noticed. With called it a night relatively early as we had a lot of ground to cover tomorrow, but we had decent views of a Common Pauraque on the way back to the lodge from the restaurant, adding to our expanding nightbird list.​

 

[lgonz1008]

• November 5 (Parque Estadual Intervales)

Calling this park legendary wouldn’t do it justice to how well the place treated us as the first bird we heard when we left our rooms was one of the toughest endemics of the region in the shape of Blue-bellied Parrot! While the photos were awful and we arrived a bit late for breakfast, we did not care as we had seen one of the contenders for bird of the trip.​

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Picking up our local guide at the restaurant and beginning an uphill climb, we were birding Estrada do Carmo for the first few hours of the morning. This trail begins with a brisk incline that meant we had to get out of the car if we wanted to use it on the way back, but eventually it became flatter as we walked through pristine habitat, as both widespread and restricted species were noted. On the widespread side, we encountered a lek of Swallow-tailed Manakin, a calling Scale-throated Hermit, a nesting Ruddy Quail-Dove, our only Black-goggled Tanager of the trip and up to 4 different Short-tailed Antthrush calling, including one that provided amazing views. However, the more difficult species that make the park legendary also showed themselves as we encountered 3 different Black-fronted Piping-Guan, Red-breasted Toucan, a trio of calling White-bearded Antshrike, the bamboo specialist Large-headed Flatbill, Rufous-capped Greenlet, and the last mammal of the trip in the form of an Ocelot! The later was particularly special as it was a lifer for my friend and I, but neither guide had seen one within Intervales in over 5 years. The walk back to the car continued to give species we wanted to see, with the rising thermals, raptors like Black Hawk-Eagle, Hook-billed and Gray-headed Kite were noted and passing by the nest of a Rufous-capped Motmot, we noticed busy parent carrying what remained of a frog to feed its chick. A mixed flock close to a bamboo patch provided an amazing variety of specialties that included White-browed Foliage-gleaner, Brown-breasted Pygmy-Tyrant, White-browed Warbler, Uniform Finch and Temminck’s Seedeater, while the last bird seen on the trail was a White-throated Woodcreeper.​

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A quick check on the feeding stations for either Solitary Tinamou and Spot-winged Wood-Quail did not show either species but seeing two amazing endemics in form of the beautiful Bertoni’s Antbird and the skulking Gray-bellied Spinetail. Our final stop before lunch had us back at the marsh by the entrance, where a Sooty Tyrannulet was seen on the wires, but the standout bird was seeing up close one of the many Red-and-white Crake calling around us. The lunch station provided much of the same species we had already seen, but close-ups of Golden-winged Cacique and Bran-colored Flycatcher were greatly appreciated.​

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With a short nap break, we were back at the field at 2, this time trying for a different marsh skulker in Rufous-sided Crake, and like the one in the morning, the bird obliged with amazing views. From there, we did a brisk walk in a difficult terrain for the sole purpose of seeing another legendary bird of Mata Atlântica, the walk went by so quickly, that we only stopped briefly when a pair of Black-fronted Piping-Guan were above our heads and when the guide stopped to point at a Rusty-breasted Nunlet at eye-level. Now, the question is this, what bird could be making us go this quickly in such a difficult terrain? The answer is simple, Atlantic Royal Flycatcher. A pair had started nesting at the end of the trail and with the impending threat of rain, we wanted to see them before the skies opened on us. The rain did catch up to us when we reached the birds, but that didn’t matter as both the male and female were out in the open and passing the time. Eventually, the rain became our friends as a single drop landed right on the top of the female, which prompted her to fan out the crest right in front of us! Some people spend days waiting for these birds just for this moment, and here you had a pair of newbies seeing it within the first 10 minutes of seeing the bird!​

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After the amazing experience with the Royal Flycatcher, we drove just outside of the southern exit of Intervales with a simple goal in mind, to find a hummingbird. Sadly, the bird did not cooperate with good photos, but seeing a male Purple-crowned Plovercrest always makes one smile. Adding to the experience, we also encountered the gray subspecies of Variable Antshrike and another endemic of the region, the Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin. Back in the park proper, we stopped behind the entrance station building, where we enjoyed a Tom and Jerry skit as Demis was outsmarted by a Dusky-tailed Antbird for nearly 10 minutes as the bird kept moving all around us, except the gap he hoped the bird would be seen through. A small mixed flock gave us great views of a few species, including Red-necked, Diademed and the only Chestnut-backed Tanager of the trip, along with 3 interchangeable Flycatchers, Small-headed Elaenia, Mottle-cheeked and Greenish Tyrannulet. The final bird of note here was a flyover Pileated Parrot; after hearing this species all trip, it was nice to finally tick it off the heard-only list.​

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Before going for an early dinner, we drove to the trail behind our lodge, where a nest of Red-ruffed Fruitcrow was located. Demis told us to not have much hope as the birds are extremely skittish in the region, as we had noticed a few days prior, but whether it was due to the proximity to the nest or just the magical luck we’ve had at Intervales, the bird showed beautifully with amazing pictures to boot! With that said, our birding time was not done yet, as after dinner we went on an owling session that had us looking at a pair of Long-tufted Screech-Owl within 10 minutes of starting, I’d be hard pressed to find easier owling sessions anywhere else like we’ve had on this trip!​

 

[lgonz1008]

• November 6 (Parque Estadual Intervales and transfer to São Luíz do Paraitinga)

The morning started with one last attempt for Helmeted Woodpecker, this bird is legendarily difficult target of the region and while a bird was reported in the past week in Estrada do Carmo, no luck came our way either day for it, the consolation prize was a family of Robust Woodpecker, so nobody left disappointed after seeing the largest woodpecker in Brazil.​

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Our main goal for the morning was simple, connect with the Slaty Bristlefront, this bird is usually one of the more responsive species of the region when in the right habitat/territories, but at this time of year, it seemed like all the birds we busy nesting instead, so we made our way down a trail that in the worst case scenario, we would have walked over 3 hours but encounter this member of the Tapaculo family. The trail had other species too, including a family group of Brown Tanager and a Variegated Antpitta on the nest to keep our attention before we reached a place where the local guide said to give it a try and sure enough, we got a response. What followed was a game of cat-and-mouse that ended with us being tricked multiple times by this skulking species, but eventually we got to see a male Slaty Bristlefront with a white feather on its back crossing the trail ahead of us while we focused our cameras on the gaps between the bushes.​

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After that successfully ending our attempt with the Bristlefront, we revisited the forest feeding station and were greeted by a covey of Spot-winged Wood-Quail that gave us amazing views of the male, two females and three chicks to complete our time at Parque Estadual Intervales. Due to the early completion of our time in the park, we were now left with extra time during our long drive to São Luíz do Paraitinga and after a bit of thinking, we figured that trying for a bird that originally wasn’t in the itinerary would be possible as we began a long drive with the only stop being to buy some food to eat on the drive there.​

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By midafternoon we arrived at the right marshy habitat that this species calls home and with a bit of playback we soon had 2 male Sao Paulo Antwren calling in front of us! These beautiful birds are sadly amongst the most endangered birds in the world with a population of less than 100 individuals by some estimates, the site we visited for them is protected, but unless further efforts are made, this species might become rarer than some of Brazil’s critically endangered birds in the near future. Having located our target, we move around the nearby areas to see what other species we could add, and this allowed us to find a small flock of Yellow-rumped Marshbird along with a White-eared Puffbird and a Planalto Hermit before we continued our way to our lodging for the following nights, Pousada Oikos.​

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As we had less than an hour of light left, we reached the São Luíz do Paraitinga area and here we were able to see some new open habitat species like Chopi Blackbird and Firewood-gatherer. While waiting for light to fade, we managed to call in another special Antshrike as a male Large-tailed Antshrike gave us a quick show in fading light, once we moved from the bird, we went to a patch of road that’s a preferred roost site for a Long-trained Nightjar, and while the bird didn’t settle due to the wet conditions of the road, we managed to see a male and two females of beautiful nocturnal endemic, which ended our long travel day that had us on the road for over 8 hours but managed to see some incredible birds.​

 

[lgonz1008]

Photos from days 4 and 5:

1. Black-headed Berryeater
2. Channel-billed (Ariel) Toucan
3. Maroon-bellied (Maroon-tailed) Parakeet
4. Dusky-legged Guan
5. Pavonine Cuckoo
6. Mottled Owl
7. Rusty-barred Owl
8. Black-backed Tanager
9. Araucaria Tit-Spinetail
10. Blackish Rail
11. Streamer-tailed Tyrant
12. Green Ibis
13. Orange-breasted Thornbird
14. Rufous-capped Antthrush
15. Blond-crested Woodpecker

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Photos from days 4 and 5

A truly amazing trip with wonderful photos. Looking forward to the next installments!!!

Thanks so much for sharing

 

[lgonz1008]

• November 7 (Sítio Cotinga and São Luíz do Paraitinga)

Another pre-dawn departure had us on the highest point of the trip as we would visit a future must-stop within São Paulo state, Sítio Cotinga. Located between 2 state parks at an elevation of 1600m, this place is home to many of the species one would find further north at Rio de Janeiro state in places like Nova Friburgo and Itatiaia National Park; adding to that, an amazing biologist couple own and manage the property, and the site being a great place to see the endemic Black-and-gold Cotinga, this place is sure to become a highlight for anyone wanting to do high elevation birding in Mata Atlântica but don’t have the time to visit Rio.​

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Sadly, the namesake Cotinga was a no-show for us, but later that same week, they reported 10 males in the same tree we had a Bare-throated Bellbird singing through our time there! The entrance road can be a bit tricky to drive through, and 4-wheel drive is currently recommended, but our trusty ride managed to do it thanks to the careful driving from Demis. Some highlights we noted before even reaching the property included White-rumped Monjita, Velvety Black-Tyrant and the incredibly rare, Gray-backed Tachuri. Once inside the property, we were greeted and quickly told to enjoy breakfast made of ingredients that were grown in the property or purchased from nearby farms. With that said, the birding took priority for us and after having our fill, we began to enjoy, and feel overwhelmed, by the biggest variety of new species we had had since the beginning of the trip! Mixed flocks included White-barred Piculet, Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner, Olivaceous Elaenia, White-crested Tyrannulet and Brassy-breasted Tanager; while on the feeders, we noted Brazilian Ruby, Buff-throated Warbling Finch, Burnished-buff Tanager and Thick-billed Saltator.​

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Once the first impressions relaxed, we began walking some of the open trails in the hopes of finding the important targets of the day, this started with amazing views and shots of a male Green-crowned Plovercrest, easily one of the most beautiful hummingbirds in the world, followed by a territorial trio of Rufous-tailed Antbird, a female Large-tailed Antshrike, and finally, an adult male Surucua Trogon of the orange-bellied subspecies. When we began the climb into the forest trail, we attempted for Bay-chested Warbling Finch and Black-and-gold Cotinga, but neither species was seen nor heard. Some standouts we did encounter in the forest trail included Rufous-tailed Antthrush, Orange-eyed Thornbird, Serra do Mar Bristle-Tyrant and heard Brown Tinamou as we arrived at the property limits. From here, we sat down and began a long attempt to see and connect with Speckle-breasted Antpitta, and the walk back out added to the list White-browed Woodpecker and Shear-tailed Gray Tyrant.​

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After lunch, we returned to the trail to connect with a surprisingly quiet Mouse-colored Tapaculo and a mixed flock gave us the only Scalloped Woodcreeper of the trip. From there, the drive back to Pousada Oikos had us exploring the Catuçaba had us hitting the brakes on the car as a flock of Curl-crested Jay, and later a Great Kiskadee, were seen mobbing a Chaco Eagle! This mega raptor is normally seen in pristine grasslands and savanna, but a few individuals seem to have settled in the cattle pastures and farms north of São Paulo. After the thrill of the eagle left us, we added other species for the trip, including Amazon Kingfisher, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper and Rufous-fronted Thornbird.​

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The rest of the afternoon became a challenge of how much pressure can a single bird give, as we spent hours trying to find the ghost of Mata Atlântica, the Swallow-tailed Cotinga. I may have inadvertently put some pressure on Demis when I was asked what my number 1 trip target and this bird came as my answer. While the bird was a no-show, many of the spots that the species was previously seen in the area had been turned into eucalyptus plantations, removing the habitat for this species and our other main target of the afternoon, Ultramarine Grosbeak. Some species that we noted during this search included Swallow-tailed Kite, Crested Black-Tyrant and Crested Oropendola. Eventually, we managed to convince Demis to try some other birds, as we didn’t like putting such pressure on him, and we moved to the same patch of road we covered yesterday, this time, we noticed flowering bushes with about a dozen hummingbird species, including a new species, White-throated Hummingbird. As we waited for dusk, in hopes to see the Long-trained Nightjar on the road, we briefly saw a Barred Forest-Falcon cross the road and while we did see the nightjar flying, the only perched birds we saw were a pair of Tropical Screech-Owl and a vocal Common Potoo.​

 

[lgonz1008]

• November 8 (Pousada Oikos and transfer to Ubatuba)

Almost as if to say that the day was going to be tough, our morning began with a downpour, this didn’t stop us as we made our way a road within Parque Estadual Serra do Mar, where between the brief breaks of the rain, we found two new birds, Tufted Antshrike and Drab-breasted Pygmy-Tyrant. However, the water didn’t seem like it would stop, so we returned for breakfast and waited for the bad weather to pass, this wasn’t so bad, as the hummingbird feeders were full even with the rain.​

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Eventually, both the clouds in the skies and in our heads would clear, as the owner of the property told us that he had seen a Swallow-tailed Cotinga a few weeks ago while guiding some visitors, this was a signal to run to the car and try our luck. When we got there, the rains had stopped, the sun was out and birds were calling all around, we parked the car and walked a trail between farms hoping to find the bird, unfortunately, the only birds that showed was a flyover Whistling Heron and Golden-rumped Euphonia that was pushed out of the tree by a pair of White-rumped Monjita. Going back to the main road, we tried walking towards a forest where we were seeing flocks of Scaly-headed Parrot and Maroon-bellied (Maroon-tailed) Parakeet land to dry their feathers, and at that moment, it happened.​

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From the peripheral of my eye, I saw a flash of yellow and gray with a long tail, Swallow-tailed Cotinga! The bird disappeared into the forest but seeing that it came from the road we had just walked, we decided to return and see if maybe we were missing something, sure enough, we missed the obvious cup-shaped nest right above our car with a second cotinga inside. We spend the next hour with these birds and soon noticed a second nest in another tree and counted 3 birds, 1 male and 2 females. Outside of the odd fact that whenever the male was in one nest, there was a female in the other, we couldn’t believe our luck and just smiled, we had just seen our trip bird. From there, we went on another road, hoping to find the grosbeak, but instead, all I could say was “there’s a Swallow-tailed Cotinga in that tree”. Moved to a new site, far from the earlier birds and we had found another pair of nests, with a single male and 2 females; not counting how amazing our luck had turned, this made us wonder how little we know about this species, since this behavior seems to be undocumented, but we noticed it on two separate sites in the last hour.​

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Trying to continue the good fortune, we attempted to visit the trail from the morning, but outside of a difficult back and forth with a pair of Such’s Antthrush that did not come out and me finally getting my big fall of the trip, nothing of note happened before the rains began, and we called it a loss as we drove down to Ubatuba for our last leg of the trip. Our destination within Ubatuba was Ninho da Cambacica, easily the best place to see the Brazilian endemic, Frilled Coquette. Since we arrived in the rain, lighting conditions left a lot to be desired, but seeing 13 different species of hummingbirds from the feeders was a good way to pass the time. Outside of the hummingbirds we had previously seen and both Festive and Frilled Coquette, we also added new species for the trip, including Saw-billed and Reddish Hermit, Black-throated Mango, White-chinned Sapphire, White-vented Violetear and Sombre Hummingbird. The grain and fruit feeders also brought in Gray-fronted Dove, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, Green Honeycreeper and Black-throated Grosbeak, this relaxing afternoon gave us a chance to catch up with some rest as tomorrow we had a long day ahead of us.​