SE BRAZIL ITINERARY

Day 1. Drive to Itatiaia National Park (180 k) from Rio. Pm at Itatiaia NP

Days 2-4 (am):Itatiaia NP (3 days or so). Excellent introduction to Atlantic Forest endemics.Habitats: Atlantic Forest,
900-2,000 m. Key species: Rufous-tailed Antbird, Large-tailed Antshrike, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Itatiaia Thistletail, Diademed Tanager, Slaty-breasted Wood-rail, Plovercrest, Serra do Mar Tyrant-manakin, Long-tailed Potoo, Rufous-backed Antvireo, three antthrushes, two species of warbling-finch, Black-capped Piprites, Black-and-gold Cotinga, several spp. of black-tyrant, Tawny-browed Owl, Shear-tailed Grey-Tyrant, Slaty Bristlefront, Golden-winged Cacique, many foliage-gleaners, Giant
Antshrike, Variegated and Speckle-breasted Antpittas, Saffron Toucanet.  Outside possibilities: Elegant Mourner, White-bearded Antshrike and Swallow-tailed Cotinga.

8 November: PM: Drive to Ubatuba(180 k)

9-10 November: Ubatuba and nearby environs (2 days). Lowland Atlantic Forest, 50-100 m. Black-hooded Antwren, Plain Parakeet, Squamate Antbird, Fork-tailed Tody-tyrant, Buff-throated Purpletuft, Red-eyed Thornbird, Saw-billed Hermit, Mantled Hawk, Unicoloured and Salvadori's Antwrens, Sao Paulo Tyrannulet, Azure-shouldered Tanager, Mantled Hawk, Tufted and
Spot-backed Antshrikes, Spotted Bamboowren. Many other common, lowland endemics are on offer in this region. In two days we should almost certainly record over 100 species here. Good species lists for many localities are available in Wheatley et
al., but for this site bear in mind that he includes species from the highland areas near the town which we won't visit.

11 November: Day drive to Itirapina (460 k), visiting a newly discovered site for Marsh Antwren en route. 

12 November: Itirapina (1 day). Cerrado. Giant Snipe , Red-legged Seriema, Bearded Tachuri, Sharp-tailed Grass-tyrant, Cock-tailed Tyrant, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Collared Crescentchest, Curl-crested Jay, Capped Seedeater, Wedge-tailed
Grass-finch, Ocellated Crake (usually just a heard-only), Lesser Grass-finch (rare), Helmeted Manakin, Black-throated
Saltator, Lesser Nothura, and Red Pileated Finch. Outside chance of Ochre-breasted Pipit. Plenty of widespread open-country species such as monjitas.

13 November: Day's drive to Serra da Canastra NP (480 k)

14-15 November: Serra da Canastra NP (2 days). Campo, cerrado and gallery forests. Our principal target will be Brazilian Merganser. Other species, include quite some overlap with Itirapina, but also: Ochre-breasted and Hellmayr's Pipits, Golden-capped Parakeet, White-bellied Warbler, Southern Bristle-tyrant, White-eared Puffbird, Black-masked Finch, Brasilia Tapaculo, Grey-backed Tachuri, Russet-mantled (Planalto) Foliage-gleaner, Spotted Nothura, Red-winged Tinamou, Yellow-billed Blue-finch, and Crowned Eagle. Outside possibilities include: Sickle-winged Nightjar, Long-billed Antwren and Black-bellied Seedeater. Mammals should include Maned Wolf and Giant Anteater.

16 November: Drive to Belo Horizonte (200 k) in am. We'll try and fit in a look for Three-toed Jacamar in Belo Horizonte. Drive on to Serra do Cip 120 k); pm at Serra do Cipo.

16 November: Serra do Cipo. Campo endemics: Hyacinth Visorbearer, Cipo Canastero, Grey-backed Tachuri, Horned Sungem, Pale-throated Serra-finch, White-naped Jay, Grey-eyed Greenlet, Cinereous Warbling-finch, White-banded and White-rumped Tanagers. PM drive to Serra da Caraca. Atlantic Forest: Dusky-legged Guan, White-breasted Tapaculo, Large-
tailed Antshrike, Black-capped Antwren, Dusky-tailed Antbird, Hangnest Tody-tyrant, Serra Antwren. At night, Maned Wolves visit the monastery where we will stay to take food put out for them by the monks. 

17 November. Following some further birding at Caraca, we will drive to Pindobas IV (385 k)

18-19 November: Pindobas IV (2 days). Cherry-throated Tanager and other Atlantic Forest endemics (mainly repeats, but will give us an extra chance at e.g. Long-trained Nightjar and Giant Antshrike), as well as Oustalet's Tyrannulet, Golden-tailed and Brown-backed Parrotlets.

20 November: Drive to Sooretama and/or Linhares (300/285 k); pm reserve.

21-22 November: Sooretama and / or Linhares (2 days). Lowland Atlantic Forest, c.100-200 m. Specialities: Black-headed Berryeater, Red-billed Curassow, Red-browed Parrot, Blue-breasted Parakeet, Minute Hermit, White-necked Hawk, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Banded and White-winged Cotingas (both difficult), Striated Softtail, Black-cheeked Gnateater,
Plumbeous Antshrike, Solitary Tinamou. 

23 November: Drive to Teresopolis, where we will overnight.

24 November: Following a visit to nearby area to find Crescent-chested Puffbird, Rio de Janeiro Antbird and Three-toed Jacamar, we will drive back to Rio, visiting a site for the highly range-restricted Restinga Antwren in an area just off our route.

Price: US$3,500 from Rio.

Download our trip report as a PDF file by clicking here.