Limosa - Birdwatching and Wildlife Hoildays Worldwide

Plain and simply, Brazil is a fun place to go birding, and our trip this year (its fifth successive running in conjunction with our friends 'across the pond', Field Guides) was true to usual form...lots of great birds, a fun group, the wonderful Brazilian people (and our great local guides Ricardo, Oliveira, and Vitinho), great food (oh, that passion fruit mousse!), not to mention a few caiprinihas and limonadas we managed to consume here and there along the way.

Hyacinth Macaws, it goes without saying, again scored top billing for bird of the trip, and they are indeed incomparable...what magnificent creatures. But there were some serious runners-up: how about those Frilled Coquettes, mesmerizing us for minutes on end with their aerial courtship pas-de-deux, a rare sight for birders? Or perhaps those fantastic Black-fronted Piping-Guans, right in the open on the river rocks, that Graham somehow teed up for us? Perhaps your personal choice was the stunning pair of Blond-crested Woodpeckers, or the great views of Undulated and Small-billed tinamous within a few minutes of each other. But what about the fine comparison looks at a Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail and a pair of Blackish Rails just a few minutes apart, or that fantastically cooperative Sharpbill that Michael somehow managed to spot in the treetops for scope views, or the crescendo from the first distant looks to our final Seriema?

All these among more than 430 species of birds recorded for the trip in a little over two weeks, including more than 220 for the ranch alone, plus some great mammals (Giant Anteater always tops the list here, and we indeed had some fabulous views this year, including that memorable moment with the seriema in our binoculars when it walked right in front of one of the Giant Anteaters...what a great combo view!).

Graham and I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this southern corner of Brazil with you...thanks to all for helping to make it so much fun. And remember, it's a five-year visa...what a great excuse to get back!

List total: 434 bird taxa and 19 mammal taxa

GREATER RHEA (Rhea americana) PC: Daily; our most fun encounter was with a large male accompanied by 14 young ones.

* BROWN TINAMOU (Crypturellus obsoletus) IF & IT: a voice in the woods at Itatiaia & Iguaçu...we were quite close to one at I but it just wouldn't budge to come out into the open.

UNDULATED TINAMOU (Crypturellus undulatus) PC: A daily voice here, and we finally had good views of an adult male calling while a mostly grown juvenile lingered nearby on our last (two-tinamou!) full day.

SMALL-BILLED TINAMOU (Crypturellus parvirostris) PC: The other star of our two-tinamou day, it was seen wonderfully well as it (and then a second!) walked out across the dirt road to the cerradão and through the grasses next to Vitinho. With its red bill and pretty plumage and scaled flanks, more like a rail than a tinamou.

BROWN BOOBY (Sula leucogaster) Offshore in Rio

Phalacrocoracidae
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) PC, Rio, IT: widespread near water

ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga) PC, IT: a few at Iguaçu and daily at Caiman

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD (Fregata magnificens) Rio only, where it is quite common

WHISTLING HERON (Syrigma sibilatrix) PC: several nice views at Caiman, and we also spotted one bird on our first day's drive from Rio to IT.

CAPPED HERON (Pilherodius pileatus) PC: Great views (after some unsatisfying fly-bys) of one of two birds around the pond at the dump near the cerradão; with its rich buffy neck coloration and blue face, this one's a beauty in breeding plumage.

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COCOI HERON (Ardea cocoi) PC: daily

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GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba) PC, elsewhere: widespread near water

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SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula) PC & elsewhere: widespread near water

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CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis) PC & elsewhere: widespread near water

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STRIATED HERON (Butorides striatus) PC & elsewhere: widespread near water

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BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax) PC & IT, including the one at the Paizinho bridge at Caiman that was making a good living catching small fish next to the caiman.

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RUFESCENT TIGER-HERON (Tigrisoma lineatum) PC & IT: One at Iguaçu and daily good looks at Caiman

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LEAST BITTERN (Ixobrychus exilis) PC: Phyllis spotted one of these distinctively patterned birds for us one morning near the bridge outside the lodge

WOOD STORK (Mycteria americana) PC: daily at Caiman

MAGUARI STORK (Ciconia maguari) PC: rare on the ranch and only there when the water levels come up, so the two we saw very well one morning were a good find.

JABIRU (Jabiru mycteria) PC: daily at Caiman, and always a magnificent sight.

PLUMBEOUS IBIS (Theristicus caerulescens) PC: good looks daily at Caiman, and one of the early alarm clocks at the lodge, where several pairs always roost in the palms.

BUFF-NECKED IBIS (Theristicus caudatus) PC: also daily at the lodge, and another of our dawn alarm clocks.

GREEN IBIS (Mesembrinibis cayennensis) PC: scarce this year at Caiman, at least visually, but we did have good looks at a bird near the corrals.

BARE-FACED (WHISPERING) IBIS (Phimosus infuscatus) PC: Long strings of these birds were a common sight at dawn and dusk at Caiman, and there were numerous foraging birds present during our drives as well, especially along the Cordilheira road.

WHITE-FACED IBIS (Plegadis chihi) PC: A few young birds were hanging around with the numerous other ibis near the lodge at Caiman.

ROSEATE SPOONBILL (Platalea ajaja) PC: Small numbers almost daily at Caiman.

SOUTHERN SCREAMER (Chauna torquata) PC: daily at Caiman. What an immense bird, especially in flight, and more of a honker than a screamer.

WHITE-FACED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna viduata) PC & IT: A few at Iguaçu, and seen well daily at Caiman.

BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis) PC: seen well daily at Caiman.

MUSCOVY DUCK (Cairina moschata) IF & PC: One at Iguaçu, and we finally managed to clear Rick's longtime nemesis bird with daily views at Caiman.

BRAZILIAN TEAL (Amazonetta brasiliensis) IF & PC: A couple at the border marsh at Iguaçu, then a couple of pairs at Caiman, where it is relatively scarce.

BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus) PC & IT & IF: widespread and common along our route.

TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura) PC & IT & IF: widespread and yet not very common along our route.

LESSER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE (Cathartes burrovianus) PC: small numbers daily

KING VULTURE (Sarcoramphus papa) PC & IF: one at Iguaçu was a good sighting, then another couple of very distant soaring birds at Caiman.

Pandionidae
OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus) PC: just one bird, here at what must be very close to the southern limit of its wintering range.

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (Elanoides forficatus) IF: a few sightings at Iguaçu

PEARL KITE (Gampsonyx swainsonii) PC: one bird spotted by Graham and scoped near the cerradão at Caiman

SNAIL KITE (Rostrhamus sociabilis) PC & IF: small numbers at Iguaçu near the Devil's Throat, then numerous at Caiman this year thanks to the good water levels (none there last year due to the drought!). It was also interesting to see the pinkish egg masses of this species' main prey item, the apple snail, on grass stems and fence posts all around Caiman.

RUFOUS-THIGHED KITE (Harpagus diodon) IF: Singles soaring at Itatiaia

PLUMBEOUS KITE (Ictinia plumbea) PC & IF: this common southern breeder migrates to Middle America during the austral winter.

RUFOUS-THIGHED HAWK (Accipiter erythronemius) IT: one sighting at Itatiaia of this close relative of Sharp-shinned Hawk

CRANE HAWK (Geranospiza caerulescens gracilis) PC: 2 to 4 birds on several days at Caiman. This southern race has a pale (not red) eye and is barred below (not plain), as compared to birds from northern South America.

GREAT BLACK-HAWK (Buteogallus urubitinga) PC: a couple of sightings of probably the same adult along the Cordilheira road at Caiman

SAVANNA HAWK (Buteogallus meridionalis) PC: One or a few daily at Caiman

BLACK-COLLARED HAWK (Busarellus nigricollis) PC: good views daily at Caiman of this spectacular raptor, including one finishing off an eel-like fish near Baiazinha lodge during one of our afternoon visits.

ROADSIDE HAWK (Buteo magnirostris) PC, IF, IT: regular in all open areas along our route. The birds at F and I are of a very dark-headed southern race, while those at Caiman are somewhat lighter-headed, though typically still darker-headed than birds from northern South America.

SHORT-TAILED HAWK (Buteo brachyurus) Rio: 1 dark-morph bird spotted soaring near the Sugarloaf

WHITE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albicaudatus) IT & Rio: One bird spotted from the bus during our drive from Rio to Itatiaia, then a couple of birds soaring and hunting in the high country at Agulhas Negras. Our final sighting, presumed this species, was of a very ratty immature bird soaring with the Short-tail and the vultures at the Sugarloaf and identified by shape mostly, the very long wings of this species usually a giveaway.

BLACK HAWK-EAGLE (Spizaetus tyrannus) IT: Nice views of a bird that soared by quite low above us during our walk along the Treis Picos trail; another heard at Agulhas Negras.

SOUTHERN CARACARA (Caracara plancus) PC: A few here and there in open country on the early part of our itinerary, then daily in good numbers at Caiman. The split for this species from the northerly Crested Caracara supposedly occurs in northeastern Brazil, and the southern birds are darker and less contrasty than the northern birds.

YELLOW-HEADED CARACARA (Milvago chimachima) PC: Similar distribution along our route to Southern C., but in much smaller numbers

LAUGHING FALCON (Herpetotheres cachinnans) PC: A couple of singles at Caiman

*BARRED FOREST-FALCON (Micrastur ruficollis) IT & IF, where it remained just a distant voice in the forest

AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius) PC: A few singles here and there in open areas before we reached Caiman (where it's actually most common just outside the ranch in the more open and intensively ranched or farmed areas).

APLOMADO FALCON (Falco femoralis) PC: Graham spotted one of these for the second bus en route out of Caiman for Campo Grande, and once stopped, folks actually got to see three birds...a nice find! This was Michael's nemesis bird, and we missed it in the first bus... :-(

BAT FALCON (Falco rufigularis) PC & IF: a couple in the Iguaçu area, and several more at Caiman

PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus) PC: Graham originally had sighted one from the Rio hotel room, then Michael spotted one during our drive back to Campo Grande from Caiman.

CHACO CHACHALACA (Ortalis canicollis) PC: Abundant at Caiman, and part of the daily alarm chorus at the lodge there.

DUSKY-LEGGED GUAN (Penelope obscura) IT: One of our yardbirds at the Itatiaia hotel, where it was good fun to hear and see these birds every morning and evening, and to watch them occasionally do their wing-rattling flight displays between trees overhead.

BLUE-THROATED PIPING-GUAN (Pipile cumanensis) PC: Our first peeks were teases for some of the group, but we finally caught up nicely with this large tree-topper with the strange throat wattle and spooky-looking pale head.

E BLACK-FRONTED PIPING-GUAN (Pipile jacutinga) IF: Definitely one of the great birds of the trip. Graham spotted a couple of these fantastic birds for us on the walk back from the Devil's Throat, and called us back to the walkway, where we got to watch the pair right out in the open on rocks in the river...what a treat! This is an Atlantic Forest specialty whose numbers have been greatly reduced by habitat destruction and hunting pressure...Iguaçu is one of the places where is it doing relatively well, but it can still be difficult to find, though near the river and falls is traditionally a good bet early and late in the day.

BARE-FACED CURASSOW (Crax fasciolata) PC: Our last morning's outing at Caiman was in search of this species along the trail near Cordilheira lodge (we often see them near Baiazinha, but recent rises in water levels had met them less likely there), and we did find it though we didn't all get a satisfactory look...a calling male was perched high in a tree as we approached, but we realized it too late and we watched it fly off, though a few folks did get to see it perched briefly thereafter, exposing its high curly crest.

LIMPKIN (Aramus guarauna) PC: abundant at Caiman, where it is also one of the most commonly heard bird voices!

GRAY-BREASTED CRAKE (Laterallus exilis) PC: a regular voice in the early morning at the bridge near the lodge at Caiman, and we had some fairly good views of a pair along the marsh edge one day.

GRAY-NECKED WOOD-RAIL (Aramides cajanea) PC: singles and pairs at Caiman

E SLATY-BREASTED WOOD-RAIL (Aramides saracura) IT & IF: heard regularly at the hotel at Itatiaia, but we couldn't draw it out...but one benefit of our flight delay out of Iguaçu was getting to see this species well at the fish farm, and right after seeing Blackish Rail...for a great comparison.

* ASH-THROATED CRAKE (Porzana albicollis) PC: heard at Baiazinha

BLACKISH RAIL (Pardirallus nigricans) IF: Great views of a pair at the fish farm during our flight delay at Iguaçu

AZURE GALLINULE (Porphyrio flavirostris) PC: Scoped at Baiazinha

COMMON MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus) IF: A few in the Iguaçu area

SUNGREBE (Heliornis fulica) PC: A few of us got to see this one fly as it was flushed by canoeists near the Paizinho bridge, but we never could spot it after that...often a tough one, as it does not like to be out in the open at all!

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RED-LEGGED SERIEMA (Cariama cristata) PC: We started with just distant scope views along the Nova Miranda road, but they steadily improved with other individuals, till we had wonderful looks at a bird in the open right near the truck...what a great bird!

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WATTLED JACANA (Jacana jacana) PC & IF: a few at Iguaçu, and common at Caiman

WHITE-BACKED STILT (Himantopus melanurus) PC: this one is rare at Caiman, and we were lucky to find one, thanks to the relatively high water levels. Lumped by some authorities with Black-necked Stilt, split by others (as Clements does).

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Charadriidae
PIED LAPWING (Vanellus cayanus) PC: This was a great find near Cordilheira lodge at Caiman, where the species is rare (actually, it's not really very common anywhere, though regular along rivers with sandy banks in Amazonia).

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SOUTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus chilensis) PC and throughout our route in open areas; we also watched some graceful flight displays with those very slow wingbeats

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SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria) PC & IF

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SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularia) IF: a couple near the Devil's Throat at Iguaçu

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WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (Calidris fuscicollis) PC: a few of these southbound migrants at Caiman (they reach as far south as Tierra del Fuego)

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PECTORAL SANDPIPER (Calidris melanotos) PC: a few of these as well at Caiman

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KELP GULL (Larus dominicanus) Rio area only

ROYAL TERN (Sterna maxima) A few of these wintering birds in the Rio area

SOUTH AMERICAN TERN (Sterna hirundinacea) Likewise, a few in the Rio area, though we were never anywhere we could stop the bus to have a better look.

YELLOW-BILLED TERN (Sterna superciliaris) PC: Small numbers around the large lake right outside the lodge at Caiman; the local representative of the Least Tern complex.

LARGE-BILLED TERN (Phaetusa simplex) PC: Great views of this dramatic tern around the lodge at Caiman

BLACK SKIMMER (Rynchops niger) PC: a small group outside the lodge at Caiman

I ROCK DOVE (Columba livia) Widespread in cities and towns along our route

PICAZURO PIGEON (Columba picazuro) PC & IT & IF: widespread in open areas along our route (not a forest pigeon), and easy to tell by its pale wing crescents in flight.

PALE-VENTED PIGEON (Columba cayennensis) PC & IF: Common at Iguaçu and Caiman

PLUMBEOUS PIGEON (Columba plumbea) IT: quite common at Itatiaia, especially in the higher parts of the park, including Agulhas Negras

EARED DOVE (Zenaida auriculata) IF: the local Mourning Dove type at Iguaçu

PLAIN-BREASTED GROUND-DOVE (Columbina minuta) PC: a few of these smaller doves on one of our days at Caiman, along the Cordilheira road

RUDDY GROUND-DOVE (Columbina talpacoti) PC & IF & IT: widespread and fairly common in open areas along our route

PICUI GROUND-DOVE (Columbina picui) PC: regular in small numbers at Caiman

SCALED DOVE (Columbina squammata) PC: fairly common at Caiman

LONG-TAILED GROUND-DOVE (Uropelia campestris) PC: good views of this elegant, tiny dove with the black-and-white banded wingbars, especially along the Cordilheira road at Caiman

WHITE-TIPPED DOVE (Leptotila verreauxi) PC & IF

GRAY-FRONTED DOVE (Leptotila rufaxilla) IT & IF: a few sighted at Itatiaia, and a couple heard at Iguaçu

HYACINTH MACAW (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) PC: Always a top highlight of this tour, and this year was no exception. We had daily fly-bys of several pairs near the lodge in the early morning, and spectacular views of a pair that perched on fenceposts right behind the lodge as we drove out one morning...what a fantastic bird! Caiman is the site of a longterm research project into the species' biology and conservation status. The world's largest parrot.

RED-AND-GREEN MACAW (Ara chloropterus) PC: A pair several times near the lodge, and then great views of another pair frequenting a nest hole in a large tree near the cerradão at Caiman.

GOLDEN-COLLARED MACAW (Primolius auricollis) PC: good scope views of this elegant small macaw, as well as numerous flight views during our stay at Caiman.

BLUE-CROWNED PARAKEET (Aratinga acuticaudata) PC: just a few at Caiman this year, and we saw a couple only briefly across the bridge from the lodge one morning before they flew off.

WHITE-EYED PARAKEET (Aratinga leucophthalmus) PC & IF: fairly common at Iguaçu and small numbers at Caiman as well

PEACH-FRONTED PARAKEET (Aratinga aurea) PC: good looks at a number of these attractive small parakeets at Caiman, where it seemed a little less common than usual this visit.

NANDAY PARAKEET (Nandayus nenday) PC: definitely one of the beauties in the parrot world, and we had some fine views at Caiman, where it is common.

BLAZE-WINGED PARAKEET (Pyrrhura devillei) PC: certainly the most range-restricted species we saw this year, its distribution just a small dot on the map of this part of South America...we had some very nice views of several small groups, especially along the way to Baiazinha at Caiman.

MAROON-BELLIED PARAKEET (Pyrrhura frontalis) IT & IF: a regular sight and sound in the forest treetops at Itatiaia, where we had great views of a couple at a nest or roost hole outside the hotel one morning; we also glimpsed a few at Iguaçu.

MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus) PC: fairly common and conspicuous at Caiman, where some birds were busy building their large stick nests.

BLUE-WINGED PARROTLET (Forpus xanthopterygius) PC, IF, IT: small numbers here and there in all three areas along our route.

E PLAIN PARAKEET (Brotogeris tirica) IT: a couple of quick fly-bys our first day at Itatiaia.

YELLOW-CHEVRONED PARAKEET (Brotogeris chiriri) PC: common at Caiman, where a small group was around the poinciana tree right outside the lodge every morning.

SCALY-HEADED PARROT (Pionus maximiliani) PC & IF & IT: regular in small numbers at Itatiaia and Iguaçu, where birds show an inconspicuous eyering, and quite common at Caiman, where birds are quite different in appearance, showing a very obvious large white eyering.

BLUE-FRONTED PARROT (Amazona aestiva) PC: common at Caiman, where we had good looks.

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PEARLY-BREASTED CUCKOO (Coccyzus euleri) IF: one heard along the Pouço Preto trail at Iguaçu, and Barry had three around the pool at the hotel on the Brazilian side.

DARK-BILLED CUCKOO (Coccyzus melacoryphus) PC & IF: A few good views of individuals of this Mangrove Cuckoo relative at Iguaçu and Caiman.

SQUIRREL CUCKOO (Piaya cayana) PC & IF & IT: small numbers in all three main areas along our route.

GREATER ANI (Crotophaga major) PC & IF: quite common at Iguaçu (and certainly vocal!) and common this year at Caiman, thanks to the water levels.

SMOOTH-BILLED ANI (Crotophaga ani) PC & IT & IF: fairly common in all open areas along our route.

GUIRA CUCKOO (Guira guira) PC & IF & IT: a few in the Itatiaia and Iguaçu areas, but this species, along with Hyacinth Macaw and Rufous Hornero, should probably be the mascot of Caiman, where it is ubiquitous by sight and sound.

STRIPED CUCKOO (Tapera naevia) PC: one scoped at Caiman

GREAT HORNED OWL (Bubo virginianus) PC: one flushed in the open area near the cerradão, where it was then pursued into the next tree by a band of small birds.

FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium brasilianum) PC & IT: a pair always near the hotel at Itatiaia, and likewise at the lodge at Caiman, where we also saw a couple of birds elsewhere on the ranch.

BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia) PC & IF: the amazingly red birds at Iguaçu near the border (due to the red soil color), and then the pair at Baiazinha at Caiman.

GREAT POTOO (Nyctibius grandis) PC: great views of a stakeout day-roosting bird on our first morning at Caiman, where we could even see the strange vertical slits in the eyelid!

SHORT-TAILED NIGHTHAWK (Lurocalis semitorquatus nattereri) IT: seen by just a couple of us at dawn at the hotel at Itatiaia.

NACUNDA NIGHTHAWK (Podager nacunda) PC: on JP's first visit to Caiman in 1994, we spotted what we thought were cowpats out in the field near the lodge, when a group of Capybaras walked by and the cowpats flew away...Nacundas! This year's experience wasn't much different...an odd-looking dark mass in the field as we were watching shorebirds, and which Penny hadn't mentioned because she thought it was a dead bird! Of course, not so, and we had great looks at this handsome large nighthawk!

PAURAQUE (Nyctidromus albicollis) PC: a few on our nightdrives at Caiman

E GREAT DUSKY SWIFT (Cypseloides senex) IF: great views of birds clinging to the rock faces at the waterfalls at Iguaçu, and of course the cloud of thousands of birds above the Devil's Throat...quite a spectacle! And we even spotted a distant egg on a nest across the water while we were watching the Toco Toucan rob the next of a kiskadee or kingbird.

WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT (Streptoprocne zonaris) IT: Small numbers at Itatiaia

E BISCUTATE SWIFT (Streptoprocne biscutata) IT: good views of a few birds overhead at Agulhas Negras...got to be fairly close to these birds to distinguish them from the White-collareds.

GRAY-RUMPED SWIFT (Chaetura cinereiventris) IF: a few spotted overhead at Iguaçu

SICK'S SWIFT (Chaetura meridionalis) PC & IT: common at Itatiaia, where it is the regular swift right around the hotel, and we also spotted one of these at Caiman.

E SCALE-THROATED HERMIT (Phaethornis eurynome) IT: one or two daily at Itatiaia, where it visited the hotel feeders.

PLANALTO HERMIT (Phaethornis pretrei) IT: Jean was the only one to see this species, spotting one at the Hotel Simon feeders.

E DUSKY-THROATED HERMIT (Phaethornis squalidus squalidus) IT: one seen at the Ype feeders at Itatiaia.

SWALLOW-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Eupetomena macroura) PC & IT: singles daily in the Itatiaia area, and one spotted at Caiman, where it is quite uncommon.

E BLACK JACOBIN (Melanotrochilus fuscus) IT: common and well seen at Itatiaia

WHITE-VENTED VIOLET-EAR (Colibri serrirostris) IT: Fine views of one perched bird in the high country at Agulhas Negras

BLACK-THROATED MANGO (Anthracothorax nigricollis) PC, IF, IT: A few in each of the three areas of the tour, but our best views were at the feeders at the house in Puerto Iguazu.

E PLOVERCREST (Stephanoxis lalandi) IT & IF: Great scope views of one of the calling males at the loose lek in the high country at Agulhas Negras, and we also spotted briefly a female at Iguaçu...those males are spectacular birds!

E FRILLED COQUETTE (Lophornis magnificus) IT: Another trip highlight was watching a male and female in a minutes-long courtship flight, one alternatingly flying a little higher than the other, pecking at each other's bills, and generally cranking up the tension as we watched...what a treat to see this behavior so well!

GLITTERING-BELLIED EMERALD (Chlorostilbon aureoventris) IF: fine views of a couple of males at the feeders at Puerto Iguazu.

E VIOLET-CAPPED WOODNYMPH (Thalurania glaucopis) IT & IF: Great views daily at Itatiaia at the hotel feeders, and a couple also at Puerto Iguazu at the feeders.

GILDED HUMMINGBIRD (Hylocharis chrysura) PC: Seen very well at Caiman, where numerous males were calling during our visit (though not all of us could hear their high-pitched, sibilant calls).

WHITE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Leucochloris albicollis)IT: A beauty daily at the feeders at the Itatiaia hotel.

VERSICOLORED EMERALD (Agyrtria versicolor) IT & IF: the duller hummer regular daily at the Itatiaia feeders and also at Puerto Iguazu.

E BRAZILIAN RUBY (Clytolaema rubricauda) IT: another regular star at the feeders at Itatiaia; those males are electrifying, and the cinnamon-bellied females are beautiful as well.

BLACK-EARED FAIRY (Heliothryx aurita) IT: One visiting the feeder at the small store low in the park at Itatiaia.

AMETHYST WOODSTAR (Calliphlox amethystina) IT: A female visited the same flowering shrub at the Hotel Simon that the coquettes were hovering around.

BLACK-THROATED TROGON (Trogon rufus) IT: one male at Itatiaia, to offer us good comparisons with the saffron-bellied Itatiaia race of Surucua Trogon

E SURUCUA TROGON (Trogon surrucura) IT & IF: daily by sight or sound at Itatiaia and Iguaçu; two very different populations, the Itatiaia birds with bellies tending toward saffron yellow, with matching eyering color, and the Iguaçu birds red-bellied with red orbital rings.

BLUE-CROWNED TROGON (Trogon curucui) PC: good views on several days at Caiman.

RINGED KINGFISHER (Ceryle torquata) PC: daily at Caiman, and one bird seen en route back to Rio from Itatiaia

AMAZON KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle amazona) PC & IF: two at Iguaçu, then daily at Caiman

GREEN KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle americana) PC & IF: one at Iguaçu, and singles here and there on most days at Caiman.

BLUE-CROWNED MOTMOT (Momotus momota) PC: seen quite nicely near the Paizinho bridge at Caiman.

E RUFOUS-CAPPED MOTMOT (Baryphthengus ruficapillus) IT & IF: one bird visiting a nest hole in a roadside bank gave us good views on our first morning in Itatiaia, then we had another couple of sightings at I and heard one at Iguaçu.

* RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMAR (Galbula ruficauda) PC: heard only at Caiman

SPOT-BACKED PUFFBIRD (Nystalus maculatus) PC: Great views of this small, attractive puffbird at Caiman

CHESTNUT-EARED ARACARI (Pteroglossus castanotis) PC & IF: we had various sightings at Iguaçu and Caiman, though most were distant perched birds and we kept working to get everyone a view in the scopes.

E SAFFRON TOUCANET (Baillonius bailloni) IT: great views at Itatiaia of birds hanging around the hotel or coming to the fruit feeders...an unusual toucanet, alone in its own genus.

E SPOT-BILLED TOUCANET (Selenidera maculirostris) IF: seemingly not vocal during our visit this year, and thus hard to find (this one's not a conspicuous treetop percher like most other toucans and araçaris); those who went out behind the Hotel Tropical at Iguaçu our last afternoon there got lucky with great views of a male in the scope.

E RED-BREASTED TOUCAN (Ramphastos dicolorus) IF & IT: daily in small numbers at Itatiaia, and a few also at Iguaçu.

TOCO TOUCAN (Ramphastos toco) PC & IF: great views of various birds at Iguaçu and Caiman; our first impression, however, was tempered by a bird we watched consuming or stealing the contents of a kingbird or kiskadee nest near the falls at Iguaçu...the dark side of toucans! No wonder so many small birds often mob them when they fly across open spaces!

E WHITE-BARRED PICULET (Picumnus cirratus) IT: several seen well at Itatiaia

E OCHRE-COLLARED PICULET (Picumnus temminckii) IF: seen well at Iguaçu (only one species of piculet in each area we visit on this tour)

WHITE-WEDGED PICULET (Picumnus albosquamatus) PC: seen well at Caiman, though of course we have no idea why someone names this poorly marked bird 'white-wedged'...!

WHITE WOODPECKER (Melanerpes candidus) PC: a few at Caiman

E YELLOW-FRONTED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes flavifrons) IF: a bird at a nest hole in a dead stub at Iguaçu provided good scope looks...definitely one of the more spectacular woodpeckers in this genus.

LITTLE WOODPECKER (Veniliornis passerinus) PC: a few singles in the woodland at Caiman

E WHITE-SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Veniliornis spilogaster) IF & IT: a few mostly heard at Itatiaia and Iguaçu, and we finally all had some good views of one bird at the latter.

GOLDEN-GREEN WOODPECKER (Piculus chrysochloros) PC: another beautiful woodpecker, and with a blue eye! Seen very nicely a couple of times in the woodland at Caiman

E YELLOW-BROWED WOODPECKER (Piculus aurulentus) IT: Seen well on the Treis Picos trail. By looks, at least, a very close relative of Golden-green Woodpecker.

GREEN-BARRED WOODPECKER (Colaptes melanochloros melanochloros) PC & IT: one seen by a few folks at Itatiaia, then we all got to catch up with this white-faced, flicker-like species at Caiman.

CAMPO FLICKER (Colaptes campestris) PC, IF, IT: seen nicely in open areas throughout our route.

PALE-CRESTED WOODPECKER (Celeus lugubris) PC: terrific looks on a couple of occasions in the Caiman woodlands

E BLOND-CRESTED WOODPECKER (Celeus flavescens) IF: One of South America's spectacular woodpeckers (in a generally spectacular genus), and we had fabulous looks at a very responsive pair on the Argentine side at Iguaçu...a trip highlight.

LINEATED WOODPECKER (Dryocopus lineatus) PC & IT & IF: good looks at several singles along the way of this widespread species (though the birds in the Atlantic forest region of SE Brazil differ from other populations by having almost no white markings on the back

E ROBUST WOODPECKER (Campephilus robustus) IT: a pair on our last full day in Itatiaia was a nice treat

CRIMSON-CRESTED WOODPECKER (Campephilus melanoleucos) PC: fabulous looks at a beautiful pair at a nest hole that Vitinho knew about along the Nova Miranda road at Caiman

PALE-LEGGED HORNERO (Furnarius leucopus) PC: good looks at a pair along the road near the Paizinho bridge at Caiman, distinguished from the abundant Rufous Hornero by the prominent white eyebrow and gray crown, not to mention the pinkish legs, of course!

RUFOUS HORNERO (Furnarius rufus) PC, IF, IT: plain and simple, a widespread and common species in open areas throughout our route, and just plain abundant at Caiman, where one can easily see 100 or more in a day if one bothers counting. This is the species with the conspicuous clay 'oven' ('horno' in Spanish, thus the oven-maker, 'hornero') nest in trees everywhere.

E ARAUCARIA TIT-SPINETAIL (Leptasthenura setaria) IT: great looks at a responsive pair of these tiny furnariids in the Araucaria stand in the high country at Agulhas Negras.

CHOTOY SPINETAIL (Schoeniophylax phryganophila) PC: also a nice pair, this time at Caiman

• CHICLI SPINETAIL (Synallaxis spixi) IT: conspicuously quiet during our visit (often a vocal species), and we only heard one pair calling at Itatiaia. E

RUFOUS-CAPPED SPINETAIL (Synallaxis ruficapilla) IT & IF: good views of a pair of these beautiful birds at Itatiaia, then another heard at Iguaçu

WHITE-LORED SPINETAIL (Synallaxis albilora) PC: sometimes quite tough to see well, but we had nice views of this rather plain spinetail, a split from Plain-crowned Spinetail from futher north and quite a common voice at Caiman.

E PALLID SPINETAIL (Cranioleuca pallida) IT: We had several good looks at this bird (and its distinctive thin white eyebrow), which favors mixed-species flocks in forest treetops rather than the bamboo and shrubbery of Rufous-capped Spinetail.

RUSTY-BACKED SPINETAIL (Cranioleuca vulpina) PC: quite close views of a pair near the Paizinho bridge

YELLOW-CHINNED SPINETAIL (Certhiaxis cinnamomea) PC & IF: one at the old airport at Iguaçu, then common by voice and seen well at the marsh near the lodge at Caiman. Yellow-chinned is a misleading name...one can rarely see the few yellowish feathers at the base of the bill (but at least it's better than the old name, Yellow-throated!).

E ITATIAIA THISTLETAIL (Oreophylax moreirae) IT: a distinctive and very localized endemic (hence the name) that we saw well in the shrubbery of the high country of Agulhas Negras.

COMMON THORNBIRD (Phacellodomus rufifrons) PC: though one sees the long stick nests of this species hanging from many trees in the pantanal area, it is quite inconspicuous at Caiman. We had a few looks at a couple of pairs along the Cordilheira road.

GREATER THORNBIRD (Phacellodomus ruber) PC: Great views of this yellow-eyed bird near the lodge at Caiman, where a pair was building a large stick nest in a small tree.

GRAY-CRESTED CACHOLOTE (Pseudoseisura unirufa) PC: a split from the old 'Rufous' Cachalote, now split into this species and the habitat-restricted Caatinga Cachalote of NE Brazil. With a pair actively building a bulky stick nest characteristic of this species right outside the lodge at Caiman, we had some fine views, including the dull gray crest feathers.

PLAIN XENOPS (Xenops minutus) IF: a pair seen fairly distantly in the forest at Iguaçu along the Pouço Preto trail.

STREAKED XENOPS (Xenops rutilans) IT: singles at Itatiaia

E SHARP-BILLED TREEHUNTER (Heliobletus contaminatus) IT: A few of us saw this species briefly while we were watching for Serra do Mar Tyrannulet at Agulhas Negras...which never appeared!

E WHITE-BROWED FOLIAGE-GLEANER (Anabacerthia amaurotis) IT: One along the Agulhas Negras road

BUFF-BROWED FOLIAGE-GLEANER (Syndactyla rufosuperciliata) IT: One along the Treis Picos trail and another along the Agulhas Negras road

E PALE-BROWED TREEHUNTER (Cichlocolaptes leucophrus) IT: It was a real treat to see this oft-elusive species so well...after we heard one call, a bit of playback brought it right in and we were able to watch it in the scope for several minutes...great!

BUFF-FRONTED FOLIAGE-GLEANER (Philydor rufus) IT: The commoner foliage-gleaner at Itatiaia, with most mixed species flocks.

E OCHRE-BREASTED FOLIAGE-GLEANER (Philydor lichtensteini) IF: we had pretty good looks at several birds along the Pouço Preto trail

E BLACK-CAPPED FOLIAGE-GLEANER (Philydor atricapillus) IF: not very cooperative this year, but we did manage some looks for most folks at a pair along the Pouço Preto trail.

E WHITE-COLLARED FOLIAGE-GLEANER (Anabazenops fuscus) IT: often heard, and seen fairly well in the dense bamboo along the trails at Itatiaia. A very distinctive bird, somewhat like a Giant Xenops with its heavy, upturned bill used for digging into the bamboo stalks.

E WHITE-EYED FOLIAGE-GLEANER (Automolus leucophthalmus) IF: a few seen quite well at Iguaçu, including one that perched in one place for quite a long time at the end of our Pouço Preto trail morning.

* SHARP-TAILED STREAMCREEPER (Lochmias nematura nematura) IT: couldn't draw this one out at Itatiaia during our stay, where the species seemed particularly quiet this visit.

E THRUSH-LIKE WOODCREEPER (Dendrocincla turdina) IF: Also seen at the end of our Pouço Preto trail walk

OLIVACEOUS WOODCREEPER (Sittasomus griseicapillus griseicapillus) PC: At Caiman, where this species is quite uncommon, the birds lack the mustard coloration of those at Itatiaia and Iguaçu and are of the subspecies griseicapillus.

E OLIVACEOUS WOODCREEPER (Sittasomus griseicapillus sylviellus) IF & IT: common at Itatiaia, where one hears and sees it regularly. Less so at Iguaçu. The Iguaçu and Itatiaia birds are of the subpsecies sylviellus, with the mustard body coloration. This widespread species, difffering dramatically in appearance and vocalizations across its large range from Mexico to Argentina, will very likely be split into several species some time soon.

E* WHITE-THROATED WOODCREEPER (Xiphocolaptes albicollis) IT: heard every morning from the hotel at Itatiaia as the bird gave its dawn song, but we were never close enough to one to see it.

GREAT RUFOUS WOODCREEPER (Xiphocolaptes major) PC: very nice looks at one of these huge woodcreepers in the woodland along the Cordilheira road at Caiman

PLANALTO WOODCREEPER (Dendrocolaptes platyrostris) PC, IF, IT: seen and heard in all three main areas of our route.

NARROW-BILLED WOODCREEPER (Lepidocolaptes angustirostris) PC: fairly common at Caiman

E SCALED WOODCREEPER (Lepidocolaptes squamatus squamatus) IT: we saw several birds quite well at Itatiaia, showing the black markings on the underparts. Also tends to forage higher in the trees, while Lesser tends to stay down low.

E LESSER WOODCREEPER (Lepidocolaptes fuscus) IF: Finally cuaght up nicely with this one on our last full day at Iguaçu. Tends to stay fairly low in the trees.

RED-BILLED SCYTHEBILL (Campylorhamphus trochilirostris) PC: some great views of this spectacular bird at Caiman.

E BLACK-BILLED SCYTHEBILL (Campylorhamphus falcularius) IT: Good looks at a couple of birds in the bamboo along the Treis Picos trail.

E SPOT-BACKED ANTSHRIKE (Hypoedaleus guttatus) IF: this curious large antshrike, favoring vine tangles high up in the trees for the most part, gave us a good show, at first high in a tree in response, them coming down quite low in a bush for some great views

E* TUFTED ANTSHRIKE (Mackenziaena severa) IF: not vocalizing much this visit and not very responsive, and we didn't manage to draw it out for a look at Iguaçu

E LARGE-TAILED ANTSHRIKE (Mackenziaena leachii) IT: a male came out into the open quite nicely for most of us during our trip up to the Agulhas Negras area...what a beautiful bird, with the silver spots on the black plumage!

GREAT ANTSHRIKE (Taraba major) PC: several good views of red-eyed males at Caiman

BARRED ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus doliatus) PC: also seen quite well

VARIABLE ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus caerulescens) IT: several views of this fairly dull antshrike

RUFOUS-CAPPED ANTSHRIKE (Thamnophilus ruficapillus) IT: one seen in shrubbery along the roadside, of all places, in the fairly open area en route to Agulhas Negras where we stopped to see the Crested Black-Tyrants.

E SPOT-BREASTED ANTVIREO (Dysithamnus stictothorax) IT: after hearing several, we finally got to see a pair quite well along the Treis Picos trail

PLAIN ANTVIREO (Dysithamnus mentalis) IT & IF: also good views of this one for comparison

E RUFOUS-BACKED ANTVIREO (Dysithamnus xanthopterus) IT: a pair of these strikings regional endemics gave us some good views along the Agulhas Negras road

E STAR-THROATED ANTWREN (Myrmotherula gularis) IT: a gem of a little bird, and always in pairs in the understory, not with mixed species flocks as many other antwrens elsewhere often are. Most of us saw one quite nicely at Itatiaia.

RUFOUS-WINGED ANTWREN (Herpsilochmus rufimarginatus) IF: some good views of this treetopper at Iguaçu, where one hears them throughout the forest quite commonly.

RUSTY-BACKED ANTWREN (Formicivora rufa) PC: good views of a pair along the Baiazinha road one afternoon

E FERRUGINOUS ANTBIRD (Drymophila ferruginea) IT: it was a real treat to see this one so well, a pair mobbing something we couldn't see, perhaps a snake. This and Bertoni's Antbird were for the longest time considered to be the same species...they live side by side and they appear virtually identical, but their songs are dramatically different.

E BERTONI'S ANTBIRD (Drymophila rubricollis) IT: also seen well at Itatiaia E* RUFOUS-TAILED ANTBIRD (Drymophila genei) IT: just one heard along the Agulhas Negras road

E OCHRE-RUMPED ANTBIRD (Drymophila ochropyga) IT: another attractive small antbird we saw well in the bamboo on our walk up the jeep trail above the falls at Itatiaia

E STREAK-CAPPED ANTWREN (Terenura maculata) IT & IF: the challenge with this tiny bird it to see its distinctive chestnut back...which we did manage to do a couple of times during several encounters

MATO GROSSO ANTBIRD (Cercomacra melanaria) PC: a responsive pair gave us some nice looks right before we got hit by the wind and heavy rain before lunch our first day at Caiman.

E WHITE-SHOULDERED FIRE-EYE (Pyriglena leucoptera) IT & IF: seen fairly well at Itatiaia, one bird out in the open above us and distinctively pumping its tail slowly down and up, then seen again at Iguaçu briefly

SHORT-TAILED ANTTHRUSH (Chamaeza campanisona) IF: a real surprise (and treat!) was getting the chance to see this skulker singing from a perch up quite high in the understory along the Macuco trail at Iguaçu...thanks to Oliveira's good spotting (we are slowly turning him into a birder over the years!).

E* BRAZILIAN ANTTHRUSH (Chamaeza ruficauda ruficauda) IT: several heard at Itatiaia, but never close enough or in open enough circumstances to allow us a view

E* SUCH'S ANTTHRUSH (Chamaeza meruloides) IT: ditto for this one

* VARIEGATED ANTPITTA (Grallaria varia) IT: we hear this species distantly from the hotel at Itatiaia every trip, but only rarely seem to get close to a singing one along the trails.

RUFOUS GNATEATER (Conopophaga lineata) IT & IF: a couple came in for a look along the jeep trail at Itatiaia, and we had another one fairly well for most of us along the Macuco trail at Iguaçu.

E SPOTTED BAMBOOWREN (Psilorhamphus guttatus) IF: well, we have at least to admit that its ability to skulk is impressive! We had one singing quite close and moving around in bamboo at Iguaçu, but only a few of us saw it well enough to identify. It was like looking for an arboreal mouse...such are tapaculos sometimes!

E* SLATY BRISTLEFRONT (Merulaxis ater) IT: we had a couple of different birds calling, but in the very dense vegetation Jan was the only one who managed a look at one of the birds.

E* MOUSE-COLORED TAPACULO (Scytalopus speluncae) IT

E* WHITE-BREASTED TAPACULO (Scytalopus indigoticus)

IT
Cotingidae
SWALLOW-TAILED COTINGA (Phibalura flavirostris) IT: Graham spotted one of these at Agulhas Negras, then we all worked our way through the scopes for some quite good views as one bird repeatedly sallied from a dead-tree perch. A striking and very distinctive cotinga.

E BLACK-AND-GOLD COTINGA (Tijuca atra) IT: One singing male gave us some nice scope views at Agulhas Negras he appeared out from behind leaves. A great song: a long, ringing monotone whistle that carries for a long distance.

WHITE-BEARDED MANAKIN (Manacus manacus) IF & PC: it was great fun to watch a male display frantically along the Macuco trail at Iguaçu, bouncing rapidly between his favored low sapling perches as a female entered the lek! We also thought we heard one wing-snapping at Caiman.

E BLUE MANAKIN (Chiroxiphia caudata) IT & IF: We had several great views of adult males, juvenile males, and a female...the adult males are certainly incredible birds! This is the genus with the Catherine's Wheel displays, where a dominant male is assisted by one or more subordinate males in displaying to females.

BAND-TAILED MANAKIN (Pipra fasciicauda) IF: We all had views of an immature male along the Pouço Preto, and a few of us saw a stunning adult male as well.

E BLACK-CAPPED PIPRITES (Piprites pileatus) IT: This striking endemic gave us some fine views along the Agulhas Negras road.

SOUTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULET (Camptostoma obsoletum) PC, IT, IF: a few in each of our main areas

YELLOW TYRANNULET (Capsiempis flaveola)
IT & IF: good views of this small bird, which in this region favors bamboo

GRAY ELAENIA (Myiopagis caniceps) PC & IF: one seen in the canopy along the Pouço Preto trail, and another at Caiman...these are quite undistinctive canopy dwellers...the voice tells the tale most of the time.

GREENISH ELAENIA (Myiopagis viridicata) IF & PC: most of us caught us best with this one at Caiman. This is another widespread species occurring from Mexico to Argentina which is likely to be split into several species in the future, as its vocalizations differ dramatically in different regions.

YELLOW-BELLIED ELAENIA (Elaenia flavogaster) IT & IF: heard near Itatiaia, and seen at the old airport at Iguaçu

SMALL-BILLED ELAENIA (Elaenia parvirostris)
IF: one of these fairly neat-looking elaenias was seen at the old airport near the Sheraton.

OLIVACEOUS ELAENIA (Elaenia mesoleuca) IT: fairly common along the Agulhas Negras road at Itatiaia, including one bird on a nest.

LESSER ELAENIA (Elaenia chiriquensis) PC & IF: a pair seen well at the old airport at Iguaçu, then another single at Caiman. Much less crested (and with little or no white showing in the crest) than Yellow-bellied Elaenia, though some vocalizations are similar.

SOOTY TYRANNULET (Serpophaga nigricans) IT: a few of us got on this tiny flycatcher on the rocks in the river before it took off

WHITE-CRESTED TYRANNULET (Serpophaga subcristata) IT: a handsome, clean-looking tyrannulet we saw well in the shrubbery at Agulhas Negras.

E GRAY-HOODED FLYCATCHER (Mionectes rufiventris) IT & IF: a couple briefly at Itatiaia, then great looks at a bird scolding a snake near the falls at Iguaçu

* SEPIA-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (Leptopogon amaurocephalus) IT & IF: seen our first day at Itatiaia briefly, then heard again at Iguaçu

E SOUTHERN BRISTLE-TYRANT (Phylloscartes eximius) IF: these were very quiet during our Pouço Preto day, but we finally caught up with a responsive pair as we were heading out...a pretty little flycatcher with a strong face pattern.

E* SAO PAULO TYRANNULET (Phylloscartes paulistus) IF: with the dry conditions that had preceded our visit to Iguaçu Falls, flock activity in the forest was generally lower than usual, and these birds were very quiet for the most part, making them hard to spot.

E* SERRA DO MAR TYRANNULET (Phylloscartes difficilis) IT: one or two of us got onto this bird briefly at Agulhas Negras.

MOTTLE-CHEEKED TYRANNULET (Phylloscartes ventralis) IT: good views at Agulhas Negras

PLANALTO TYRANNULET (Phyllomyias fasciatus) IT: excellent views of this one, one of a group of small flycatchers in this genus at Itatiaia that can be confusing if one doesn't see them well or know the calls.

* ROUGH-LEGGED TYRANNULET (Phyllomyias burmeisteri) IT & IF

E GRAY-CAPPED TYRANNULET (Phyllomyias griseocapilla) IT: seen well, especially along the Agulhas Negras road...this is the one with the distinctive yellow sides to the underparts

SOUTHERN SCRUB-FLYCATCHER (Sublegatus modestus) PC: a pair along the road to Cordilheira

CAMPO SUIRIRI (Suiriri affinis affinis) PC: excellent close looks at this species, also along the road to Cordilheira...we could even see the pale rump

PLAIN TYRANNULET (Inezia inornata) PC: not the most exciting of birds (well named!) but we saw it well at Caiman on a couple of occasions.

E EARED PYGMY-TYRANT (Myiornis auricularis) IT & IF: this one is about the size of a ping-pong ball! We saw it well on our jeep trail day at Itatiaia and heard it again at Iguaçu.

E DRAB-BREASTED BAMBOO-TYRANT (Hemitriccus diops) IT: a voice in the bamboo several times, then most of us finally caught up with it visually...can be amazingly hard to see sometimes as it sits quietly calling amidst the bamboo tangles.

E* BROWN-BREASTED BAMBOO-TYRANT (Hemitriccus obsoletus) IT

PEARLY-VENTED TODY-TYRANT (Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer) PC: great views of this orange-eyed bird at Caiman...its scientific name is almost longer than the bird!

OCHRE-FACED TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum plumbeiceps) IT & IF: one offered us some pretty good views near at hand at Iguaçu

RUSTY-FRONTED TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum latirostre) PC: A very responsive bird at Caiman came out into the open nicely, showing off the extensive gold edging on its wings.

E YELLOW-LORED TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum poliocephalum) Rio: one along the walkway below the Sugarloaf

COMMON TODY-FLYCATCHER (Todirostrum cinereum) PC: A pair was nesting somewhere around the lodge entrance at Caiman, making daily appearances.

SOUTHERN ANTPIPIT (Corythopis delalandi) IF: several birds heard or seen at Iguaçu, and one bird in particular along the Macuco trail gave us some good views of its bold black breast markings. A loud ringing voice for such a smallish bird!

LARGE-HEADED FLATBILL (Ramphotrigon megacephala) IT: a couple along the Treis Picos trail

YELLOW-OLIVE FLYCATCHER (Tolmomyias sulphurescens sulphurescens) IT & IF: This is the 'real' (nominate) Yellow-olive Flycatcher...the ones you've seen elsewhere sound quite different and will likely be split in the future.

WHITE-THROATED SPADEBILL (Platyrinchus mystaceus) IF: seen quite well along the Pouço Preto trail E

RUSSET-WINGED SPADEBILL (Platyrinchus leucoryphus) IF: Most of us managed to catch up with one of the two we encountered. By spadebill standards, a huge one!

BRAN-COLORED FLYCATCHER (Myiophobus fasciatus) IF: seen well at the old airport

CLIFF (SWALLOW) FLYCATCHER (Hirundinea ferruginea bellicosa)
IT: a regular feature near the museum and army post in or near Itatiaia. Some authorities split this population out as Swallow Flycatcher.

FUSCOUS FLYCATCHER (Cnemotriccus fuscatus) PC & IF: one at the old airport and another at Caiman

EULER'S FLYCATCHER (Lathrotriccus euleri euleri) IT: several seen well along the jeep trail

GRAY MONJITA (Xolmis cinerea) IT & PC: a large, distinctive flycatcher with huge square wing patches we saw very well on our afternoon outing below the park at Itatiaia; also spotted again from the bus en route back to Campo Grande from Caiman.

WHITE-RUMPED MONJITA (Xolmis velata) PC: fairly common at Caiman

WHITE MONJITA (Xolmis irupero) PC: a few of these strikingly white birds at Caiman...talk about standing out in a crowd!

BLUE-BILLED BLACK-TYRANT (Knipolegus cyanirostris) IT: especially common at Agulhas Negras...the species with the well-marked rufous-and-streaky female and the male with little or no white in the wing.

E VELVETY BLACK-TYRANT (Knipolegus nigerrimus) IT: A number of these seen well at Agulhas Negras, in particular flycatching from rocks up high.

CRESTED BLACK-TYRANT (Knipolegus lophotes) IT: Great looks at a couple of pairs on the wires in the open country below Agulhas Negras.

BLACK-BACKED WATER-TYRANT (Fluvicola albiventer) PC: this bird is somewhat irregular at Caiman, dependent on good water levels, and it was a treat to see several during our visit.

MASKED WATER-TYRANT (Fluvicola nengeta) IT: singles at Itatiaia

WHITE-HEADED MARSH-TYRANT (Arundinicola leucocephala) PC: several seen well at Caiman in the marshes

STREAMER-TAILED TYRANT (Gubernetes yetapa) IT: a real treat to see these large flycatchers doing their joint wing-flapping display atop a shrub in the open fields below Itatiaia...this one's a beauty and one of JP's favorite flycatchers.

LONG-TAILED TYRANT (Colonia colonus) IT & IF

CATTLE TYRANT (Machetornis rixosus) PC, IT, IF: common in open areas throughout our route E SHEAR-TAILED GRAY-TYRANT (Muscipipra vetula) IT: good views of a pair at the Biscutate Swift spot

RUFOUS-TAILED ATTILA (Attila phoenicurus) IT: it took us a little bit to spot it, but finally some very nice views of this slim attila with the distinctive voice.

E GRAY-HOODED ATTILA (Attila rufus) IT: heard daily, and we saw one very well our last morning at Itatiaia at the Robust Wooodpecker spot.

RUFOUS CASIORNIS (Casiornis rufa) PC: a pair along the Cordilheira road

SIRYSTES (Sirystes sibilator sibilator) IT

SWAINSON'S FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus swainsoni) PC & IT: a pair at the museum at Itatiaia and another heard at Caiman

SHORT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus ferox) PC: fairly common here

BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus tyrannulus) PC: small numbers here

* LESSER KISKADEE (Philohydor lictor) PC: heard only near the Paizinho...it was a little too far off

GREAT KISKADEE (Pitangus sulphuratus) PC, IT, IF: daily along our route

BOAT-BILLED FLYCATCHER (Megarhynchus pitangua) IT, IF, PC

RUSTY-MARGINED FLYCATCHER (Myiozetetes cayanensis) PC: small numbers at Caiman, and it was interesting to see one at its bulky grass nest in a small shrub by the roadside.

SOCIAL FLYCATCHER (Myiozetetes similis) IT & IF

THREE-STRIPED FLYCATCHER (Conopias trivirgata) IF: seen well on the Argentine side

STREAKED FLYCATCHER (Myiodynastes maculatus) IT, IF, PC

PIRATIC FLYCATCHER (Legatus leucophaius) IT, IF, PC

VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER (Empidonomus varius) IT & IF: compared to Piratic, this is the one with the rufous in the tail and extensive white edging on the wings.

TROPICAL KINGBIRD (Tyrannus melancholicus) PC, IT, IF: daily

;

FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus savana) IT, IF, PC: throughout our route in open areas, though at PC common only off the ranch

;

E GREENISH SCHIFFORNIS (Schiffornis virescens) IT & IF: another real skulker we manager to see very well on a couple of occasions.

;

CHESTNUT-CROWNED BECARD (Pachyramphus castaneus) IT & IF: several pairs seen well, including a couple attending their huge ball-shaped nests.

;

GREEN-BACKED BECARD (Pachyramphus viridis) PC: a nice male along the Baiazinha road

;

WHITE-WINGED BECARD (Pachyramphus polychopterus) PC & IT

;

CRESTED BECARD (Pachyramphus validus) IT: a pair at the nest at the Hotel Simon

;

BLACK-TAILED TITYRA (Tityra cayana) PC: a pair at Caiman seen by some of our group

;

BLACK-CROWNED TITYRA (Tityra inquisitor) IT, IF, PC

SHARPBILL (Oxyruncus cristatus) IT: Michael spotted this one for us, and it was a trip highlight to be able to scope this bird, which sat for a long time (unusual!). This species has an odd, patchy distribution in a number of limited areas from Costa Rica to Bolivia, and their vocal differences suggest that several species may be involved. We saw the cristatus (nominate) subspecies.

BROWN-CHESTED MARTIN (Progne tapera) PC: very common near water at Caiman

GRAY-BREASTED MARTIN (Progne chalybea) IT, IF, PC: common throughout our route in open areas

WHITE-WINGED SWALLOW (Tachycineta albiventer) PC & IF

BLUE-AND-WHITE SWALLOW (Pygochelidon cyanoleuca) IT & IF & Rio

BLACK-COLLARED SWALLOW (Atticora melanoleuca) IF: several fly-overs as we drove in the jeeps near the river at Iguaçu and another one in flight near the Devil's Throat.

SOUTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (Stelgidopteryx ruficollis) IT, IF, PC

BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)

PC

YELLOWISH PIPIT (Anthus lutescens) PC: one very worn bird at the Maguari spot

BLACK-CAPPED DONACOBIUS (Donacobius atricapilla) PC: fine views of this one at Caiman...placed in with the wrens some time back (as the largest wren), but recent evidence suggests it would better be placed in a family of its own.

THRUSH-LIKE WREN (Campylorhynchus turdinus) PC: the birds at Caiman are very different from those you may have encountered in Amazonia, lacking entirely the spotting below.

FAWN-BREASTED WREN (Thryothorus guarayanus) PC: good views of several birds, especially near the Paizinho bridge

E LONG-BILLED WREN (Thryothorus longirostris) IT: we don't usually see this species on this itinerary, but Ricardo's spot below the park offered just the right 'edgy' habitat, and we had some excellent views of a responsive pair of this Brazilian endemic.

HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon) PC, IT, IF: throughout our route

;

CHALK-BROWED MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus saturninus) PC, IT, IF: throughout our route

YELLOW-LEGGED THRUSH (Platycichla flavipes) IT: one seen and a few others heard along the Agulhas Negras road

RUFOUS-BELLIED THRUSH (Turdus rufiventris) PC, IT, IF: throughout our route

PALE-BREASTED THRUSH (Turdus leucomelas) IT & IF: quite common in both areas

CREAMY-BELLIED THRUSH (Turdus amaurochalinus) IF: one at the old airport, and another at the fish farm

WHITE-NECKED THRUSH (Turdus albicollis) IF: seen quite nicely at the beginning of the Pouço Preto trail; this subspecies is quite distinctive, with rufous on the flanks unlike northerly ones.

E CREAMY-BELLIED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila lactea) IF: a couple of pairs along the Pouço Preto trail

MASKED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila dumicola) PC: we called in a handsome pair along the Cordilheira road at Caiman.

PURPLISH JAY (Cyanocorax cyanomelas) PC: fairly common at the ranch, but not really very purplish...

PLUSH-CRESTED JAY (Cyanocorax chrysops) IF & PC: this dramatic jay was fairly common at Iguaçu and uncommon at the ranch, where Purplish seems to dominate.

I HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) PC, IT, IF: throughout our route

I COMMON WAXBILL (Estrilda astrild) IT: a couple of small flocks in the town just below the park

RED-EYED (CHIVI) VIREO (Vireo olivaceus chivi) IT & IF: some authorities split this South American population out as Chivi Vireo based on vocalizations and plumage

E RUFOUS-CROWNED GREENLET (Hylophilus poicilotis) IT & IF: a regular member of flocks at Itatiaia, and we also spotted a couple at Iguaçu

RUFOUS-BROWED PEPPERSHRIKE (Cyclarhis gujanensis) PC & IF: a regular voice in the trees, but we had to work to get a look at two or three.

HOODED SISKIN (Carduelis magellanica) IT: a pair at our truck stop en route to Itatiaia, then we saw another small group in the highlands at Agulhas Negras.

TROPICAL PARULA (Parula pitiayumi) IF: fairly common at Iguaçu

MASKED YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis aequinoctialis) IT & IF: in the open areas below the park at Itatiaia, and again at the old airport at Iguaçu

GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER (Basileuterus culicivorus) IT & IF: one of the more common woodland understory birds at Itatiaia and Iguaçu

E WHITE-RIMMED (-BROWED) WARBLER (Basileuterus leucoblepharus) IF: quite common by voice along the road up to Agulhas Negras, where we were afforded some nice looks this year. This bird doesn't really have a white eyebrow, but it does have white crescents above and below the eye, so white-rimmed is a much better name (leucoblepharus means white eyelid).

FLAVESCENT WARBLER (Basileuterus flaveolus) PC: one seen by most of us in the cerradão woodland at Caiman

NEOTROPICAL RIVER WARBLER (Phaeothlypis rivularis) IF: some pretty good looks at one bird right along the river edge at the falls on our walk to the Devil's Throat

BANANAQUIT (Coereba flaveola) IT & IF

CHESTNUT-VENTED CONEBILL (Conirostrum speciosum) IT & IF

E BROWN TANAGER (Orchesticus abeillei) IT: this monotypic endemic is, except for the thicker stubby bill, remarkably like Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner in appearance, and we had some fine looks on a couple of occasions at Itatiaia.

MAGPIE TANAGER (Cissopis leveriana) IT & IF: quite conspicuous, if not common

ORANGE-HEADED TANAGER (Thlypopsis sordida) IT: a female or immature male was a nice find at the Long-billed Wren spot below the park.

GUIRA TANAGER (Hemithraupis guira) IF: seen in the treetops along the Pouço Preto trail

E RUFOUS-HEADED TANAGER (Hemithraupis ruficapilla) IT: good looks at this attractive endemic our first afternoon near the museum at Itatiaia

HOODED TANAGER (Nemosia pileata) PC: a couple of pairs at Caiman

E OLIVE-GREEN TANAGER (Orthogonys chloricterus) IT: another interesting monotypic endemic, gregarious in behavior and often traveling around in groups of 5-8 birds; we saw a number quite well along the Treis Picos trail.

E RUBY-CROWNED TANAGER (Tachyphonus coronatus) IT & IF: fairly common at woodland edge, but always hard to see the ruby in the male's crown!

WHITE-LINED TANAGER (Tachyphonus rufus) PC: actually rare at Caiman, where we found a pair (a very common bird to the north in South America.

BLACK-GOGGLED TANAGER (Trichothraupis melanops) IT & IF: we had quite a few encounters with pairs of this unusual tanager, which spends most of its time in the forest understory or mid-story.

RED-CROWNED ANT-TANAGER (Habia rubica) IF: good looks at birds in a small group along the Pouço Preto trail

SILVER-BEAKED TANAGER (Ramphocelus carbo) PC: a widespread beauty we saw very well at Caiman...those gleaming males are quite something in bright sunlight, looking like red velvet!

BRAZILIAN TANAGER (Ramphocelus bresilius) Rio: one bright bird gave us some nice peeks from the cable-car station at the Sugarloaf.

SAYACA TANAGER (Thraupis sayaca) PC, IT, IF: throughout our route

E GOLDEN-CHEVRONED TANAGER (Thraupis ornata) IT: fairly common at Itatiaia, where it sometimes visits the hotel fruit feeders

PALM TANAGER (Thraupis palmarum) PC & IT

E DIADEMED TANAGER (Stephanophorus diadematus) IT: very common along the Agulhas Negras road...it takes good light and being fairly close to get the full impact of this striking bird with its red-and-white crown!

FAWN-BREASTED TANAGER (Pipraeidea melanonota) IT: seen by most of us along the Agulhas Negras road, where a couple put in a brief appearance.

PURPLE-THROATED EUPHONIA (Euphonia chlorotica) PC & IF: regular in these two areas, its common 'beem-beem' song regularly heard

VIOLACEOUS EUPHONIA (Euphonia violacea) IT & IF

GOLDEN-RUMPED EUPHONIA (Euphonia cyanocephala) IT: wonderful views of pairs at the museum and Hotel Simon

E CHESTNUT-BELLIED EUPHONIA (Euphonia pectoralis) IT & IF: a fairly common voice in the forest here, and we had some especially nice looks at a male down low along the Treis Picos trail.

BLUE-NAPED CHLOROPHONIA (Chlorophonia cyanea) IT: we heard and glimpsed several along the Treis Picos trail, and we even managed to get one into the scope for a few minutes for some peeks.

E GREEN-HEADED TANAGER (Tangara seledon) IT & IF: these are just plain stunning, and we saw them very well indeed on several occasions... especially the bird bathing and drinking in the waterspout in the sun at Hotel Simon.

E BRASSY-BREASTED TANAGER (Tangara desmaresti) IT: another beauty seen well at Itatiaia

E GILT-EDGED TANAGER (Tangara cyanoventris) IT: ditto for this one

BURNISHED-BUFF TANAGER (Tangara cayana) IT: very distinctive race here, with almost entirely black underparts in the males

BLUE DACNIS (Dacnis cayana) IT & IF

SWALLOW TANAGER (Tersina viridis)

IT & IF

RED-CRESTED FINCH (Coryphospingus cucullatus) IF: seen particularly well near the old airport

E BAY-CHESTED WARBLING-FINCH (Poospiza thoracica) IT: not conspicuous this year, Red-rumped being much more common

E RED-RUMPED WARBLING-FINCH (Poospiza lateralis) IT: quite a few along the Agulhas Negras road

BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT (Volatinia jacarina) IT, IF, PC: small numbers in open areas throughout our route

RUSTY-COLLARED SEEDEATER (Sporophila collaris) PC: great views of this handsome and distinctive small bird at Caiman

LINED SEEDEATER (Sporophila lineola) PC: just one this year

DOUBLE-COLLARED SEEDEATER (Sporophila caerulescens) PC, IT, IF: most common this year in the Iguaçu area in shrubby habitats

WHITE-BELLIED SEEDEATER (Sporophila leucoptera leucoptera) PC & IT: one or two seen well in the open area below Itatiaia, and heard again at Caiman

CHESTNUT-BELLIED SEED-FINCH (Oryzoborus angolensis) PC & IF: nice views of a fine male near the old airport at Iguaçu

E BLACKISH-BLUE SEEDEATER (Amaurospiza moesta) IF: tough to find on our route this year...we had one near the river at Iguaçu during one of our outings.

SAFFRON FINCH (Sicalis flaveola) PC & IF: a few at Iguaçu, and common at the ranch

WEDGE-TAILED GRASS-FINCH (Emberizoides herbicola) IT: good scope views of this long-tailed bird in the grassy open area below the park

GREAT PAMPA-FINCH (Embernagra platensis) IT: a fine view of a very responsive pair atop a tall shrub at Agulhas Negras, where we watched them duet for several minutes.

RED-CRESTED CARDINAL (Paroaria coronata)
PC: repeated good looks at this beautiful bird at Caiman

YELLOW-BILLED CARDINAL (Paroaria capitata) PC: very common at Caiman

SAFFRON-BILLED SPARROW (Arremon flavirostris) IF: a singing bird offered us some nice, close views along the Macuco trail...a beauty, and closely related to Pectoral Sparrow of Amazonia.

GRASSLAND SPARROW (Ammodramus humeralis) PC: good looks at this Grasshopper Sparrow relative at the ranch

RUFOUS-COLLARED SPARROW (Zonotrichia capensis)

IT & IF: a ubiquitous sight and sound at both Itatiaia and Iguaçu, but seemingly absent at the ranch

GRAYISH SALTATOR (Saltator coerulescens) PC: daily views at the ranch, right outside the lodge...the replacement species for Green-winged Saltator, its close relative.

E* BLACK-THROATED GROSBEAK (Saltator fuliginosus) IT: this one was calling just a bit too far away for us to be able to draw it in.

GREEN-WINGED SALTATOR (Saltator similis) IT & IF: small numbers in both areas

E THICK-BILLED SALTATOR (Saltator maxillosus) IT: some excellent views at Agulhas Negras

UNICOLORED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius cyanopus) PC: a few pairs here and there in the marshes at Caiman

CHESTNUT-CAPPED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius ruficapillus) IF: a distant look at one for a few of us...not hanging around their usual patch of marsh at the border crossing this visit

WHITE-BROWED BLACKBIRD (Sturnella superciliaris) IF: good looks at a few, in particular near the fish farm during our morning delay

BAY-WINGED COWBIRD (Molothrus badius) PC: aka Baywing, which is what Alvaro calls it in the New World Blackbirds book. Not a brood parasite (though sometimes it will use the nests of other species and even kick the rightful owners out), Baywings are more closely related to Chopi Blackbirds than to cowbirds, and Baywings even have to guard their own nests against Screaming Cowbirds hoping to lay eggs in them. The juvenile Screaming Cowbird even looks almost identical in pattern to a Baywing (its primary host), suggesting that Screaming Cowbirds have been parasitizing Baywings for a long, long time. We saw a few Baywings very nicely at Caiman.

SCREAMING COWBIRD (Molothrus rufoaxillaris) PC: a few in pairs around the feet of the cattle near Baiazinha, and one or two of us even got to spot the rufous underwing coverts a time or two when a bird raised its wings. A brood parasite of the Baywing.

SHINY COWBIRD (Molothrus bonariensis) PC, IT, IF: fairly common in open areas throughout our route.

GIANT COWBIRD (Scaphidura oryzivora) PC & IF: a couple of singles at Iguaçu, then small numbers daily at Caiman.

EPAULET ORIOLE (Icterus cayanensis) PC & IF: a couple at Iguaçu, then small numbers daily at Caiman. This race has chestnut, not yellow shoulders.

ORANGE-BACKED TROUPIAL (Icterus croconotus stictifrons) PC & IT: one in the open area below the park at Itatiaia, then nice views daily of this striking bird at Caiman. The old 'Troupial' has now been split into several species: Venezuelan Troupial, Campo Troupial (erroneously on the checklist) ranging in eastern Brazil and with a black hood and back, and Orange-backed Troupial with black bib only and orange back and with two subspecies ranging across Amazonia and southward to Bolivia and northern Argentina. We saw the stictifrons subspecies.

RED-RUMPED CACIQUE (Cacicus haemorrhous) PC, IT, IF: common at Itatiaia and Iguaçu, a just a few here and there at Caiman

GOLDEN-WINGED CACIQUE (Cacicus chrysopterus) PC & IT: a couple along the Treis Picos trail, and a few each day at Caiman, where their all-black-fiber pendant nests are a common sight along the roadsides.

SOLITARY CACIQUE (Cacicus solitarius) PC: daily in small numbers at Caiman

CRESTED OROPENDOLA (Psarocolius decumanus) PC: ditto for this one...actually about the only place we saw them at Caiman was at one smally colony along the road to Cordilheira.

CHOPI BLACKBIRD (Gnorimopsar chopi) PC: very common at Caiman, where we got to scope a few for good looks at the distinctive grooves on the lower mandible and the shaggy head and nape feathers.

I TUFTED-EAR MARMOSET (Callithrix jacchus) Rio: a few in the park at the base of the Sugarloaf...native to NE Brazil and introduced to Rio.

E MASKED TITI MONKEY (Callicebus personatus) IT: We were fortunate to see this species very well on the Treis Picos trail...one hears them daily at Itatiaia, but it can be hard to find them!

BLACK HOWLER MONKEY (Alouatta caraya) PC: heard and seen well at Caiman

BROWN CAPUCHIN (Cebus apella) PC, IT, IF: the ones at Caiman are quite 'blond' in pelage, very different from the darker brown animals at Itatiaia and Iguaçu.

GIANT ANTEATER (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) PC: several terrific views of this magnificent and bizarre creature...definitely nothing like it anywhere! At Caiman they spend most of their time wandering through the open and shrubby areas in search of termites, sometimes tearing open the large termite mounds one sees everywhere.

SIX-BANDED (YELLOW) ARMADILLO (Euphractus sexcinctus) PC

NINE-BANDED ARMADILLO (Dasypus novemcinctus) PC: this is the one with the slimmer head and higher ears that we saw on our last night drive.

BRAZILIAN RABBIT (Sylvilagus brasiliensis) PC

GUIANAN SQUIRREL (Sciurus aestuans) IT

GUINEA PIG (Cavia aperea) IF

CAPYBARA (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) PC: quite a few at Caiman, where it was especially fun to watch the ones among the caiman at the bridge, just trying to blend in, it seemed!

AZARA'S AGOUTI (Dasyprocta azarae) PC & IF

CRAB-EATING FOX (Cerdocyon thous) PC

SOUTH AMERICAN COATI (Nasua nasua) PC, IT, IF

WILD BOAR (Sus scrofa) (aka feral pig) PC: we got to see one, and signs of this species' digging were everywhere inside the woods.

COLLARED PECCARY (Tayassu tajacu) PC & IT: the one running across the road in front of the bus in the forest at Itatiaia was somewhat of a surprise...

WHITE-LIPPED PECCARY (Tayassu pecari) PC: one big group of about 40 crossing the Baiazinha road was a treat.

PAMPAS DEER (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) PC

BROWN BROCKET DEER (Mazama gouazoubira) PC