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NORTHEAST BRAZIL
Saturday 8th January -
Sunday 30th January 2011
(23 days)
Leader:
Luciano Naka
Group Size Limit: 9
Tour Category: Easy to Moderate
The critically endangered Araripe Mankin was only discovered in 1996 and described in 1998. Its population is estimated at fewer than 800, but it is sure to be one of the stars of our tour! (Pete Morris)
(Note: This is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)
The vast expanses of Brazil contain some of South America’s least known and most endangered birds. This huge country boasts an impressive bird list of nearly 1700 species, but it is the very high number of endemics, some 190 in total, that particularly lures the international birder to this enormous chunk of South America.
Many of these endemics live in the humid hill forests along the Atlantic coast, but a considerable number are found in the drier habitats of the northeast. Brazil is so large that it has to be looked on as if it were a continent by itself, and so a single birding trip there can never do it justice. On this exciting journey through Northeast Brazil we will concentrate on finding the little known birds of the caatinga, the deciduous forests, the central Brazilian tablelands and the northern Atlantic humid forests. More than 15 species new to science have been described from this forgotten corner of Brazil in the last 20 years! Ours is the most comprehensive bird tour itinerary available in Northeast Brazil.
The most characteristic habitat of the northeast is caatinga: low thorny woodland and scrub intermixed with many cacti and terrestrial bromeliads. Poor soils and irregular rainfall create a really harsh landscape. This arid and very special environment is highly threatened by overgrazing and clearing for agriculture and is home to several of the rarest birds in the world. Best known amongst these is the magnificent Lear’s Macaw, of which only 250 or so survive in the wild. Another gem is the recently-described, gorgeous Araripe Manakin, which can only be found at the base of the cliffs of the Chapada do Araripe. We will also explore the deciduous forests of Bahia, where several rare antbirds are to be found, and the scenically-pleasing central Brazilian tablelands, home to some lovely endemic hummingbirds. The ‘zona de mata’ (literally meaning forest zone) is restricted to a narrow coastal strip of only 100 kilometres wide, but little is now left of the dense Atlantic coastal forest that greeted the first Europeans in the 16th century, as this better-watered region is where most of the population now lives.
We will start our explorations near Fortaleza, the capital of the state of Ceará, where we will search the mangroves for Little Wood-Rail and where Pygmy Nightjars roost on a nearby rocky outcrop. In the Serra do Baturité we will try to locate Gould’s Toucanet, Ochraceous Piculet and Buff-breasted Tody-Tyrant.
Further south, in the forests of the Chapada do Araripe, we will hope to find Red-shouldered Spinetail, Great Xenops, White-browed Antpitta and the exquisite Araripe Manakin. The famous Estação Ecologica do Raso da Catarina holds most of the remaining population of the spectacular Lear’s Macaw and getting splendid views of these magical creatures will be a primary goal of this tour.
Further east, in remnants of coastal Atlantic Forest, we shall hope to find endemic rarities like White-collared Kite, Forbes’s Blackbird and Yellow-faced Siskin. Further inland, exploration of other remnants of this once vast forest should add Tawny Piculet, Alagoas and Orange-bellied Antwrens, and Seven-coloured Tanager to the tally.
In the coastal forests of Sergipe we will look for the rare Fringe-backed Fire-eye. We will then make our way into the interior, bound for the Chapada Diamantina. Here our main target is the exquisite Hooded Visorbearer, but the supporting cast includes the more subtly-plumaged Sincora Antwren and Buff-throated Pampa-Finch. The Boa Nova area is a transition zone between several bird-rich habitats and holds a high concentration of little-known species, foremost amongst which are Narrow-billed Antwren and the extremely rare Slender Antbird.
Finally, near the coast, we will try to locate the amazing Pink-legged Graveteiro in the shade trees of cocoa plantations and Bahia Tapaculo and Bahia Antwren in the remaining restinga forest habitat. By the time we have to return home we will have gained an excellent understanding of what birding in this forgotten corner of Brazil is all about.
Birdquest has operated tours to northeast Brazil since 2000.
Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels are mostly of normal Birdquest standard. The hotel at Canudos is fairly simple and some rooms have shared bathrooms. The guesthouse at Boa Nova is very simple, but most rooms have private bathrooms. Road transport is by minibus and roads are mostly good.
Walking: The walking effort is easy in most areas, but there are a few moderate grade walks.
Climate: At this season it should be mostly dry and sunny. It is generally hot and humid in the lowlands and foothills. At higher altitudes daytime temperatures are pleasant, but it can get quite cold at night or when it rains.
Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.
Part-Tour Option: Subject to space being available, it is possible to take either the Fortaleza to Murici (near Maceió) or Murici to Salvador sections of this tour. Please contact us for further information.
Pricing
Pricing is available in £ | $
Tour Price: $8240 Fortaleza/Salvador. Price includes all transportation, all accommodations, all meals, bottled water, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants, leader services.
Single Room Supplement: $825.
Deposit: $800. If booking more than 12 months before departure, the initial deposit is only $220.
Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.
Pricing is available in £ | $
Lear's Macaw is also classified as critically endangered and has a tiny world population. Sadly, Northeast Brazil has more than its fair share of endangered species (Pete Morris)
The spectacular Seven-coloured Tanager is a Northeast Brazil endemic, occurring in Pernambuco and Alagoas (Pete Morris)
2 photos
View Gallery Photos From NORTHEAST BRAZIL
The spectacular Hooded Visorbearer is another amazing endemic that we should see well (Pete Morris)
... as is the sneaky Gould's Toucanet (Pete Morris)
We will be hoping for a trio of endemic piculets - this is a male Spotted Piculet (Pete Morris)
... a male Ochraceous Piculet (Pete Morris)
... and a male Tawny Piculet (Pete Morris)
Some great antbirds are on the agenda, including the splendid Stripe-backed Antbird (Pete Morris)
... and the endangered Fringe-backed Fire-eye (Pete Morris)
The rather strange and jay-like Scarlet-throated Tanager (this is a male) can be hard to find (Pete Morris)
There are also several recently recognized endemics to find such as the distinctive Sao Francisco Sparrow (named after the river and not the city!) (Pete Morris)
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