JFC's Birding: The Good Old Days - South Eastern Brazil - 26th June, 2003

Our 6th and final blog on David's and myself trip to South Eastern Brazil in 2003. The weather was excellent and the local people very friendly with generally good accommodation.

Views taken along the Agulhas Negras Road

View of Hotel Simon in Itatiaia Nat. Park, where we stayed for

several nights on our return from Antarctica in January, 1993.

View taken at Ubatuba

Great White and Snowy Egrets at Ubatuba

Araucaria Tit-Spinetail

Leptasthenura Setario

Unfortunately, this species has been classified as near threatened due to the destruction of Araucaria forest as a result of clearance for pastureland and cultivation. We recorded two pairs in the Araucaria trees along the Agulhas Negras Road.

Black and Gold Cotinga

Tijuca atra

Endemic to Brazil. It is threatened by habitat loss although it is present in several national parks. We saw them at several sites including four lekking birds along the Agulhas Negras Road.

Male Blue-naped Chlorophonia

Chlorophonia cyanea

It has a large range in South America, with seven sub-species. They are associated with humid forests and they also occur in gardens and parks especially in the Atlantic Forest region. We saw eight feeding in a flowering tree in the Caraca Nat. Park, and twelve were present in the Itatiaia Nat. Park.

Diademed Tanager

Stephanophorus diadematus

We only saw these Tanagers along the Agulhas Negres road with 20 on our first visit and an impressive 60 on the following day. Its range is in S Brazil, NE Argentina and Uruguay and it is chiefly found in open areas and the edges of montane forests.

Green-headed Tanager

Tangura seledon

Its range is in SE Brazil, E.Paraguay and NE Argentina and chiefly spends its time in the tree canopy. We recorded it on six dates with a daily maximum of 15 in Itatiaia Nat. Park.

Blue Naped Chlorophonia and Green Headed Tanager in

Itatiaia Nat. Park.

Golden Chevroned Tanager

Thrapus ornate

Endemic to Brazil, with the main habitats being in both moist lowland and montane forests. We saw it on eight dates with a daily maximum of 20 in the Itatiaia Nat. Park.

Male Helmeted Manakin

Antilophia galeata

This Manakin has a large range in South America and can be found in various types of forests often near water. We just found a single male in the forest at the base of the Casca D'Ante waterfall.

Rufous Tailed Ant-Thrush

Chamaeza ruficauda

This Ant-thrush was a species we really wanted to see on this trip. It is endemic to the Atlantic Forest in SE Brazil and NE Argentina and can be difficult to find in the dark forest undergrowth. We were fortunate to discover two of these skulking birds in the forest undergrowth along the Agulhas Negras road, and after careful approach we obtained good views and manage to photograph them without to much disturbance. Without doubt one of the highlights of our trip

Saffaron Toucanet

Baillonius balloni

The range of this Toucanet is the Atlantic Forest of SE Brazil, E Paraguay and NE Argentina. They mostly occur in lowland and montane regions up to 1,550m, generally on slopes and by streams.

Its numbers sadly are declining due to habitat destruction, hunting and capture for the pet trade and they have now been classified as Near Threatened.
We saw a party of 5 in the Serra dos Orgaos Nat. Park and parties of 6 and 8 in the Itatiaia Nat. Park.

Shear-Tailed Grey-Tyrant.

Muscipipra vetula

It is found in SE Brazil, E. Paraguay and NE Argentina in moist lowland and montane forsests. After much searching, we finally obtained good views of a pair along the Agulhas Negras road.

Streamer Tailed Tyrant

Gubernetes yetapa

It has a large range in South America and its natural habitat are dry or flooded lowland grasslands. During our trip, we saw small numbers on six dates.

Tail Banded Hornero

Furnarius figulus

Endemic to Brazil, with its natural habitats are woodland areas, especially near water. We just saw two individuals during our trip at Semiduro.

Three-toed Jacamars

Jacamaraleyon ruficapillusonly

This was one of our most wanted species on the trip. It is endemic to SE Brazil and is found in drier parts of the Atlantic Forest. Habitat loss and degradation has lead to a steep decline in its population with an estimate of only 355-1,500 individuals and it is now classified as vulnerable.

We had superb views of a party of six along the Semiduro road and was one of the main highlights of our trip.

Tropical Parula

Parula pitayumi

We just saw two briefly in the clearing at Corcovado. It breeds from NW Mexico through Central America to N. Argentina. It has been seen in Texas and we remember looking for it in Texas many years ago but without success.