BRAZIL’S PANTANAL & MATO GROSSO TOUR REPORT 2022

7 / 9 - 21 / 25 September 2022

by Leo Garrigues

The original classic version of the Pantanal Birdquest tour had some modifications and additions, in order to visit regions that host some specialties in remote areas of Brazil (with easy access) near the Bolivian border. It was an excellent tour where we managed to tally 559 (+/-) species of birds, including most of our targets, as well as having amazing experiences with 5 different Jaguars during our visit to the Pantanal — definitely the main highlight of the trip!

The favourite bird for the group was the encounter that we had with two Zigzag Herons on the Pixaim River. However, we had many highlights beginning with the pre-extension tour where we got to see some of the most tricky species of the Cerrado, such as the Yellow-faced Parrot, the rare and localized Rufous-sided Scrub Tyrant, the uncommon Checkered Woodpecker, Collared Crescentchest, Pavonine Cuckoo, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Chapada Flycatcher, Caatinga Puffbird, or the big group of Biscutate Swifts just to mention some of the best birds that we managed to see during our days at Chapada Guimaraes.
The main tour involved long drives but in a very comfortable vehicle, that actually gave us very pleasant moments of rest. Once we were at the birding sites, we were really successful seeing our main targets –some of them with very restricted ranges– and probably seen by very few birders. Double-collared Crescentchest, Black-and-tawny Seedeater, the rare, local and endangered Great-billed Seed-Finch, and the restricted range Bolivian Slaty Antshrike were the specialties of Vila Bela de la Santisima Trinidade, and we got to see all of them. At Pimenteiras do Oeste that is another town close to the Bolivian border and our gateway to the Guaporé River, and the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, where we looked for one of the most restricted range species of Piculet, the Rusty-necked Piculet. Other interesting species in the area were the Orinoco Goose, Razor-billed Curassow, Agami Heron, Rondonia Warbling-Antbird, Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin and the Black Manakin, just to mention some examples. The other main specialty of the tour was the critically endangered Cone-billed Tanager that we managed to see during our visit to Jardin da Amazonia. This area also gave us a nice selection of Amazonian birds like Orange-cheeked Parrot, Black-Girdled Barbet, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Gould’s Toucanet, Flammulated Bamboo-Tyrant, Blue-necked Jacamar and the Ocellated Poorwill.

The best way to end the main tour is with the Pantanal, of course. This marvellous area offers a great combination of birding and wildlife. Where we got to see the biggest species of Macaw, the Hyacinth Macaw, had amazing experiences with Giant Otters hunting fish and warning of the presence of Jaguars in the area, and encountered other special birds like the undescribed species of Doradito that occurs in the Pantanal, and many more interesting birds like Maguari Stork, Cinnamon-throated Hermit, Nanday Parakeet, White-fronted Woodpecker, Black-bellied Antwren, Helmeted Manakin, Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Scarlet-headed Blackbird and lots of Jabirus and wetlands birds.

The post-extension tour to Rio Azul Jungle Lodge offered a great complement to this fantastic tour, where we focused on seeing some of the specialties of this southern corner of the Amazon, such as the Bald Parrot, Crimson Topaz, Tapajos Hermit, Pavonine Quetzal, and Flame-crested Manakin. Besides these specialties, we got to see some good birds like the Grey Tinamou, Straight-billed Hermit, Green-tailed Goldenthroat, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, Brown-banded Puffbird, Great Jacamar, Curl-crested Aracari, Xingu Scale-backed Antbird, Pale-bellied Mourner, the rare and overlooked Cinnamon Neopipo and the Short-billed Honeycreeper.

CHAPADA GUIMARAES PRE-EXTENSION
The pre-extension started on September 7th, at the Cuiaba Airport, where we met our local guide, Marlon, and our driver, José. Heading up to Chapada Dos Guimaraes, we spent our first afternoon at Vale da Bençao, followed by a visit to the Mirante Geodesico trying especially for Biscutate Swifts. Valle da Beçao is a transition between Cerrado Forest and Amazonian Forest. Our birding session started a bit slowly during the hottest sections, but as the sun was going down the activity got better and better, as well as the quality of the species that we saw. The highlight of the afternoon was a Pavonine Cuckoo that was very responsive and gave us really nice views. Other species at the site were Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Glittering-throated Emerald, Picui Ground Dove, Burrowing Owl, Blue-crowned Trogon, Amazonian Motmot, Brown and Rufous-tailed Jacamars, Lettered Aracari, Channel-billed and Toco Toucans, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Great Antshrike, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Crested Becard, Purplish Jays, Moustached Wren, Masked Gnatcatcher, White-necked, Pale-breasted and Rufous-bellied Thrushes, Saffron-billed Sparrow, Chopi Blackbird, White-lined Tanager, Sayaca Tanager and Guianan Brown Capuchin (monkeys) as well. The very last section of the day at Mirante Geodesico didn’t add to many birds and we didn’t get convincing sights of Biscutate Swifts but we got to see Lesser Elaenia, Crested Black Tyrant and Nacunda Nighthawk flying at dusk.

After an amazing early breakfast, we birded Cerrado habitat at the Agua Fria Road, where we spent the first part of the morning. The site gave us great views of Checkered Woodpecker, Chapada and Suiriri Flycatchers, Collared Crescentchest, and Coal-crested Finch as the highlights of the morning. Other birds were White-vented Violetear, Red-and-green Macaw, Red-shouldered Macaw, White-eared Puffbird, Plain-crested Elaenia, Curl-crested Jay, Black-throated Saltator, Red-pileated Finch, Plumbeous Seedeater, and White-rumped and Shrike-like Tanagers. Once it got hot and the Cerrado activity dropped, we went again to Vale da Bençao to look for other potential species that we missed the day before. Our birding session at Vale da Bençao produced good birds such as the female Frilled Coquette, Planalto and Buff-throated Woodcreepers, Large-billed Antwren, Plain Antvireo, Western Fire-eye, Southern Antpipit, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Band-tailed and Fiery-capped Manakins, Golden-crowned Warbler (the white-bellied form hypoleucus) and Sayaca Tanager.
In the afternoon, we went to the Aroe Jari road where we got a combination of open agricultural fields at the first part of the road and a nice Cerrado Forest in the far section of the road. In the open fields we got to see the first Greater Rheas of our trip, as well as Red-legged Seriema, White-tailed Kite, White-tailed Hawk, Aplomado Falcon, Yellowish Pipit, Grassland Sparrow, White-browed Blackbird and large groups of swallows including Brown-chested Martin, White-rumped, Barn and American Cliff Swallows. At the Cerrado habitat we were mostly focused on finding the Yellow-faced Parrot, which is a Cerrado specialist with a localized distribution, being rare in most of its range. Luckily, we managed to see 5 birds flying on the way to their roosting site. Other birds seen that afternoon were Brown-crested Flycatcher, Guira Tanager, and Pheasant Cuckoo calling at the distance. At dusk, we managed to see Least Nighthawk and, once dark, we got to see Little Nightjar, and also heard Rufous Nightjar and Pauraque. On the way back, we spotted a Lowland Tapir running in the open fields, and a Barn Owl.

We did really well our day before, so we had a chance to try for one of the most difficult Cerrado specialties: the Rufous-sided Scrub-Tyrant, that seems to have very specific localized territories in the area of Chapada Dos Guimaraes. Thanks to Eduardo Patrial and Pete Morris who gave me important information, we went to try for it, though without success for the first 2 hours of our morning. When we were almost going to give up, and were walking back to our vehicle, finally we heard one bird calling. With a bit of patience, we managed to get really good views of the bird, and nice photos too. Other birds that we got that morning were Glittering-bellied Emerald, Guira Cuckoo, Caatinga and White-eared Puffbirds, White-woodpecker, Rusty-backed Antwren, Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Plain-crested and Lesser Elaenias, Grey Monjita, Swainson’s Flycatcher, Double-collared Seedeater, and Cinnamon, Black-faced and Burnished-buff Tanagers, among others.
After lunch, we spent some time at Jamaça Road, which is an area with some forest and some shade to spend the hottest time of the day. Here we saw things like Hooded Tanager, Large-billed Antwren, Western Fire-eye, Small-billed and White-crested Elaenias, Band-tailed Manakin and Chivi Vireo. After that we made a stop at Mirante Geodesico because we still needed the Blue Finch, but despite all the effort and time that we invested, it refused to appear. But at least we got good birds such as Rusty-Margined Guan, Helmeted Manakin, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Chestnut-vented Conebill, Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch, Wedge-tailed Grass Finch, Cliff Flycatcher, Planalto Tyrannulet, Savanna Hawk and, finally, a big group of Biscutate Swifts.
After that it was time to go back to Cuiaba to get ready for the main tour.

THE PANTANAL & MATO GROSSO MAIN TOUR
Today we were focused on the drive, so after breakfast we left Cuiaba to head out to Villa Bella de La Santísima Trinidade, our first long drive of the trip with more than 500 km, but with fast roads. We got to the area around 2:30 pm which allowed us to start to look for our targets. The first one we tried was the Double-collared Crescentchest, that initially answered us but didn’t come out. But later on, we got really good views of it, as well as of Rusty-backed Antwren. After seeing the Crescentchest, we did a brief try for Bolivian Slaty Antshrike that didn’t answer at all, but we added some other interesting species like Plain Inezia and Rufous Casiornis. Then we went to look for seedeaters, with our main target being the Black-and-tawny Seedeater, which is restricted to E Bolivia and SW Brazil. Finally, we spotted a big group of seedeaters with different species. The most abundant was the Black-and-tawny Seedeater, but there also were Tawny-bellied and Dark-throated Seedeaters. Other birds seen in our afternoon session were the Maguari Stork, Buff-necked Ibis, Whistling Heron, Savanna and White-tailed Hawks, Aplomado Falcon, Toco Toucan, White-rumped and Grey Monjitas, Yellowish Pipit, Black-faced Tanager, and last but not least a group of 4 Buff-breasted Sandpipers which is a rare boreal migrant in Brazil.

After an early breakfast, we went to try a different area of Vila Bela, with more wetlands and some patches of Amazon Forest. First, we tried the wetlands habitat with the main intention of looking for Great-billed Seed-Finch, which is an endangered species due to the Brazilian tradition of trapping birds for the cagebird trade, and this species is quite prized for its singing ability. Luckily, we managed to find just one sub-adult male of the Great-billed Seed-Finch in our first birding stop of the day! Other birds that were seen in that first part of the morning were Horned Screamer, Muscovy Duck, Red-throated Piping-Guan (that overlaps with Blue-throated Piping-Guan), Fork-tailed Palm Swift, White-tailed Goldenthroat (which is an uncommon and local species), Plain-breasted and Picui Ground-Doves, Limpkin, White-backed Stilt, Sunbittern, Jabiru, Plumbeous, Buff-necked, Green and Bare-faced Ibises, Hoatzin, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Black-collared Hawk, Snail Kite, Little Woodpecker, Yellow-crowned and Turquoise Parrots, Blue-and-yellow and Red-and-green Macaws, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Black-capped Donacobius, Red-breasted Blackbird, Solitary Cacique, Variable Oriole, Bluish-grey Saltator and Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch. We still needed to look for the Bolivian Slaty Antshrike, so for this one we had to check patches of forest where we managed to get it, as well other birds like Small-billed Elaenia, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Black-tailed Tityra, and Guira and Turquoise Tanagers. After our birding session of the morning, we went back to our hotel to pack and continue our journey to a new area at Pimenteiras do Oeste, where we arrived at night.

We had a full day at Pimenteiras, where initially we did a boat ride along the Guaporé river, which is the natural border with Brazil and Bolivia. Here we did a brief visit to the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park where we managed to see our main target, the Rusty-necked Piculet that also is the main reason that we were visiting this remote site of South America. Other birds seen along the Guaporé river and Noel Kempff Mercado NP were the Southern and Horned Screamers, Orinoco Goose, Red-throated Piping Guan, Razor-billed Curassow, Agami Heron, Sand-coloured Nighthawk, Pied Plover, White-rumped Sandpiper (an uncommon boreal migrant in Brazil), Black Skimmer, Yellow-billed and Large-billed Terns, Great Black-Hawk, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Red-necked Aracari, Southern Mealy and Orange-winged Amazons, Dusky-headed Parakeet, Buff-throated Woodcreeper, Rusty-backed Spinetail, Rufous-margined Antwren, Band-tailed and White-browed Antbirds, Amazonian Inezia, Swainson’s Flycatcher, Bare-necked Fruitcrow, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Red-capped Cardinal and White-bellied (Bicolored) Seedeater (the Bolivian subspecies S. leucoptera bicolor) was photographed by Jonathan. Another interesting sighting was a mysterious Hermit that we saw feeding on a flowering tree by the park ranger station. I initially called it Cinnamon-throated Hermit, because that is what seemed most likely based on location, though it appeared larger and with a paler throat. Later on, when I checked my digital guide of Bolivia, I noticed that it showed a disjunct population of Needle-billed Hermit specifically in the Noel Kempff Mercado NP, and now wonder if that was what we saw?
We also did some birding by the trails of the Pousada do Renato, on the Brazilian side, where the forest was a bit drier than the other side of the river. Here we managed to see different birds like the Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Brown Jacamar, Lettered Aracari, Southern White-fringed Antwren, Rondonia Warbling Antbird, Large Elaenia, Fulvous-crowned Scrub Tyrant, Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant, the skulker Chattering Gnatwren, Orange-backed Troupial and Swallow Tanager.
The last part of the day, we went to try for Zigzag Heron. We didn’t see it, but we got good views of Band-tailed Nighthawk and Ladder-tailed Nightjar.

This day was the longest drive of the trip with a bit more than 700km, so it was mostly a driving day, but we did some birding in the first part of the morning around Pimenteras do Oeste. We were looking for specific targets and those were the Bronzy Jacamar that we got right away in an area of tall forest. Also, we got to see Moustached Wren and Purple-throated Euphonia. After seeing the Bronzy Jacamar, we tried a different habitat of Campinaranas, which is Amazonian Forest with white sandy soils. Here our target was the Black Manakin, and we managed to see at least two birds, one adult male, and probably a young male that looked like a female, but it was quite responsive and a bit territorial. Other birds that we got in the Campinaranas habitat were Black Nunbird, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Tropical Parula, Red-legged Honeycreeper and the only sighting of Yellow-bellied Seedeater for the trip. After that, we knew that a long drive was waiting for us so we started our journey to a very nice Pousada named Jardin da Amazonia in Sâo José do Rio Claro where we were going to spend the next 3 nights.

The main reason to visit Jardin da Amazonia was to look for the endangered Cone-billed Tanager. In order to look for it we had to take a boat ride along the Rio Sumidouro Grande to get to an oxbow lake that was the site where this bird is known to occur. At the oxbow lake, we had to move around in small canoes in groups of 2 persons per canoe. Once we got to the area, we started to do some playback. We got one male answering us, and eventually we managed to spot it. Then, we noticed that were 3 different individuals: the adult male, a female and a young bird. Once we saw them, we didn’t use anymore playback and we just enjoyed our views of this rare and endangered endemic. After seeing the Cone-billed Tanager, we went back to do some birding along the river, where our local boatman took us to a lek or territories where Amazonian Umbrellabirds tends to hang around. With a bit of patience, we managed good views of them. Other birds that we saw that morning along the river were Scaled and Ruddy Pigeons, Santarem Parakeet, Red-bellied and Red-shouldered Macaws, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Amazonian Streaked Antwren, the endemic Glossy Antshrike, Drab Water Tyrant, Grey-crowned Flatbill, and Bare-necked Fruitcrow, among others. We spent the rest of the morning around the lodge where we added Sulphury Flycatcher, Bar-breasted Piculet, Amazonian Antshrike, and Epaulet Oriole to our list.
In the afternoon, we worked some forest trails and the fishponds of the property where we managed to see some interesting birds associated with water such as Silvered Antbird and Green-and-rufous Kingfisher. We also had nice views of Undulated Tinamou, Reddish Hermit, Versicoloured Emerald, Blue-necked Jacamar, Red-necked Aracari, Gould’s Toucanet, Elegant Woodcreeper, Black-throated Antbird, White-throated Kingbird and Swallow Tanager. At dusk, we did another try for Zigzag Heron, which answered but didn’t came close enough. Greater Bulldog Bats put on a good show in the fishponds.

It was a full day on the trails of Jardin da Amazonia, where we tried to reach the most mature sections of forest on the property, with a combination of secondary growth as well. The first bird that we looked for was the Orange-cheeked Parrot that was feeding on fruiting trees by our rooms. After that, we went to the trails for the rest of the morning. The activity started a bit slowly because the day was threatening rain. The eventual light rain actually helped us to have nice temperatures in the hottest moments of the day. During the day we had nice views of a pair of Chapmans Swift with good details of the coloration of the rump and heard their vocalizations. Other species seen included Long-billed Starthroat, King Vulture, Double-toothed Kite, Amazonian Motmot, a nesting pair of Pied Puffbirds, Black-girdled Barbet, Gould’s Toucanet, Dusky-capped Woodcreeper, Dot-winged, White-flanked and Large-billed Antwrens, White-shouldered and Amazonian Antshrikes, Natterer’s Slaty-Antshrike, Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird, Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet, Zimmer’s and Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrants, Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant, Flammulated Bamboo-Tyrant, Greyish Mourner, Rufous Casiornis, Cinnamon Attila, Snow-capped Manakin, White-naped Xenopsaris, Grey-chested Greenlet, Chattering Gnatwren, Rufous-bellied Euphonia, Yellow-backed Tanager, Short-billed Honeycreeper, and Flame-crested and Turquoise Tanagers. At night, we got to see Ocellated Poorwill, Blackish Nightjar and Common Pauraque.

Today we had a full morning of birding before heading back to Cuiaba. So, we prioritized some of the targets that we still needed to find. We started before dawn to try for the Tawny-bellied Screech Owl and managed to get nice views. Just before dawn, we started to hear Barred Forest-Falcon and Cryptic Forest-Falcon. We saw the former, but only heard the latter. Other birds of interest were the Southern Antpipit, Rufous-capped Nunlet, a roosting Blackish Nightjar, Amethyst Woodstar, Black Hawk-Eagle, better views of Black-girdled Barbet, Ringed Woodpecker, Common Scale-backed Antbird, Small-billed Elaenia, Swainson’s Flycatcher, Brown-winged Schiffornis, Dusky-capped Greenlet, and Blue-necked, Masked and Paradise Tanagers. Another encounter of interest was a Small-billed Tinamou that we saw on the edge of the entrance road, as well a Red-winged Tinamou that we flushed on the way out once we were leaving the Pousada in the agricultural fields. After our productive days of birding in the Pousada Jardin da Amazonia it was time to drive to Cuiaba. While stopping at a gas station, we managed to see some birds like the White-lored Spinetail, Thrush-like and Buff-breasted Wrens, Thick-billed Euphonia, Shiny Cowbird, Bluish-grey Saltator and Double-collared Seedeater. We arrived at our hotel around 6:00 pm to our Hotel in Cuiaba. It was the last day that Marlon accompanied us during the trip, a great help to get to all the sites we visited and spot the birds. In the next days in Pantanal, we got the assistance of Bianca (Marlon’s wife) who is a Biologist Birding Guide in the area, as well study the reproduction of Harpy Eagles in the region.

After breakfast, we met Bianca and with no time to lose, we started moving. Our first stop outside of Cuiaba was at a small lagoon with some ducks, where we got close views of White-faced Whistling-Ducks, Brazilian Teals, Least Grebes, White-backed Stilts, Pale-legged Hornero, Green-barred Woodpecker and a Fulvous-crowned Scrub Tyrant. The next stop was to look for the Streamer-tailed Tyrant, and we got brief looks of three birds displaying above us. We also saw some Unicolored Blackbirds in the same area. Once at Pousada Piuval, we got some additions to the trip like Golden-collared Macaw, Campo Flicker, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Chotoy Spinetail, Greyish Baywing and the Yellow-billed Cardinal. In the afternoon, we went to check the roads and trails of the property of Pousada Piuval, where initially we went to look for a tree with a nest of the White-fronted Woodpecker. We saw the woodpecker really well, along with our first sightings of the majestic Hyacinth Macaw. Some of the birds seen during the rest of the afternoon were Chaco Chachalaca, Chestnut-bellied Guan, Bare-faced Curassow, Grey-cowled Wood Rail, Plumbeous, Buff-necked, Green and Bare-faced Ibises, Caatinga Puffbird, Red-legged Seriema, Monk Parakeet, Grey-crested Cacholote, Black-bellied Antwren (that was one of the main targets of Piuval), Planalto Slaty Antshrike, Forest Elaenia, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Helmeted Manakin, Purplish Jay, Masked Gnatcatcher and Saffron-billed Sparrow. At night we got to see the Black-banded Owl and several Pauraques.

Today we started early to check again what Pousada Piuval could produce and we added several birds to our growing list. Some of the birds that were seen in our morning were the Long-tailed Ground-Dove, Crane Hawk, nice views of White-wedged Piculet, Pale-crested and Lineated Woodpeckers, good views of Collared Forest-Falcon, our first Scaly-headed Parrot, Buff-throated Woodcreeper, White-lored Spinetail, Yellow-olive Flatbill, Orange-backed Flatbill, Orange-backed Troupial, Variable Oriole, Flavescent Warbler, Grey-headed Tanager, Chestnut-vented Conebill, and a single individual of Black-and-gold Howler Monkey. After a late breakfast we packed our stuff and began our journey to Porto Jofre, stopping at Pousada Rio Claro to have lunch. Their feeders had Nanday and Blue-crowned Parakeets, and other birds like Greyish Baywing, Yellow-billed Cardinal and Saffron Finch. Other birds that we saw along the Transpantaneira Road were the Great Potoo, the Scarlet-headed Blackbird at Bianca’s site that proved to be quite effective, the uncommon Little Cuckoo, Rufous-fronted Thornbird (the subspecies sincipitalis), Grey-crested Cachalote, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Great Antshrike, Large Elaenia (austral migrant), Common Tody-Flycatcher, Black-backed Water Tyrant, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Rufous Casiornis, White-rumped Swallow, Giant Cowbird, and Rusty-collared Seedeater. The final bit of the afternoon we spent at the sprawling marshes of Campos do Joffre to look for an interesting species that at the moment is known as Subtropical Doradito, but it seems that is an undescribed species of Doradito that on our list we named as “Pantanal Doradito”. In the same area where we saw the Doradito we also got the Cinereous-breasted Spinetail and close views of the Maguari Stork. After that, we continued to the end of the Transpantaneira Road where Hotel Porto Jofre is located.

Today we did the boat ride to look for Jaguars along the Cuiabá and Three Brothers Rivers, an area where Jaguars are reliably seen during the dry months in the Pantanal. We also looked for birds, but the priority was to enjoy our Jaguar encounters. All told, we got to see 5 different Jaguars during our morning, but the best were 3 sibling jaguars who gave us quite a show as they moved along the banks and then swam across the river in front of us. It was quite an experience to see the natural behaviour of these normally secretive animals. Besides the Jaguars, we also had fun watching Giant Otters hunting and eating their fish right in front of us. We saw a total of 10 Giant Otters during our morning, in 2 different groups in different sections of the river. Regarding birds, we got very close views of Southern Screamer, several Blue-throated Piping Guans, nice views of Bare-faced Curassow, Gilded Sapphire, Striped Cuckoo, Grey-fronted Dove, Sungrebe, Pied Plover, big numbers of Black Skimmers, Yellow-billed and Large-billed Terns, Sunbittern, the first Harris’s Hawk of the trip, Grey-lined Hawk, Hyacinth Macaw, the first sighting of Greater Thornbird of the trip, Lesser Kiskadee, Streaked Flycatcher, Solitary Cacique and Rusty-collared Seedeater, among others. In the afternoon, we were supposed to do another boat ride either to look for more Jaguars, or other birds, but some members of the group were more interested in visiting the marshes of Campos do Jofre along the Transpantaneira Road. So, we split the group in two and some came with me to Campos do Jofre and the others who wanted to do another boat ride went with Bianca. The second boat ride got another encounter with a Sungrebe, the only sighting of Greater Ani for the main tour, Collared Plover, Boat-billed Heron, American Pygmy-Kingfisher, Rusty-backed Spinetail and Crested Oropendolas. At Campos do Jofre, we again saw the “Pantanal Doradito” (Doradito sp.), along with White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Pectoral Sandpiper, Maguari Stork, Cinereous-breasted Spinetail, Scarlet-headed Blackbird, Southern Yellowthroat, White-bellied Seedeater, good activity of Martins and Swallows that included Grey-breasted, Brown-chested and Sand Martins (Bank Swallow) and Southern Rough-winged Swallow. At dusk, we got to see Nacunda and Band-tailed Nighthawks.

We left Porto Jofre Hotel after an early breakfast. Our first stop was to look for White-eyed Attila in a palm forest, where we also got to see Cream-colored Woodpecker and other regular Pantanal forest birds. After that, we spent part of the morning at Campos do Jofre, where we saw Nacunda Nighthawks roosting, and had good shorebird activity including White-rumped, Pectoral and Solitary Sandpipers, as well as Lesser Yellowlegs. Also, we showed the White-headed Marsh-Tyrant and Southern Yellowthroat to the rest of the group and we got to see the “Pantanal” Doradito again. We looked for the White-tailed Mockingbird but didn’t manage to find it, though we did encounter the uncommon Yellow-browed Tyrant. Another regular stop along the Transpantaneira Road is the roosting site of Horned Owl, where we got to see 4 individuals (the adults and two young birds). By mid-day, we reached the Hotel Pantanal Mato Grosso, located next to the Pixaim River, where we were going to do another boat ride along the river, as well some Pantanal forest birding. We checked the forest trails before our boat ride, and we got to see a Lowland Tapir very close to the lodge, Long-tailed Ground Dove, Chotoy Spinetail, and our first sighting of Mato Grosso Antbird. During our afternoon boat ride, we saw 3 more Sungrebes, an adult Agami Heron, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Pale-crested Woodpecker, Scaly-headed Parrot, Golden-collared Macaw, Red-billed Scythebill, and Orange-backed Troupial. At dusk, we tried again for Zigzag Heron, and this time we succeeded with nice views of 2 birds that became the bird of the trip!

We had our last day of the main tour to try to see some of the birds that we still needed. There weren’t many, but we managed to find a few while birding in riparian forest, as well sections of typical Pantanal forest and open scrubby fields. The best bird of the morning was the Pale-bellied Tyrant Manakin. We also enjoyed excellent views of a pair of Golden-green Woodpecker and added Cinnamon-throated Hermit, Greenish Elaenia, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Fuscous Flycatcher, Green-backed Becard and the Red-crested Cardinal to our list of the main tour. Once we left our hotel, we did one more check of some sites along the Transpantaneira Road, but it was very hot and the activity quite poor. Later in the afternoon, we stopped to try again for Streamer-tailed Tyrant, and this time we got some nice views through the telescope. Other birds of the afternoon were the Harris’s Hawk and the White Woodpecker. Then, we continued our journey to Cuiaba where we said goodbye to Bianca and José—who was actually the real hero of the trip after all the driving that he did for us on the last days. Many thanks to our crew (Marlon, Bianca, José and Paulo) for all the help provided during this great trip.
We ended our main tour with another wonderful Churrasco dinner.

RIO AZUL EXTENSION
On this occasion, all the members of the main tour were part of the Rio Azul Extension and everyone was really excited to have a proper Amazonian experience in this particular region that hosts some sought-after species, like Pavonine Quetzal and Crimson Topaz, that are more readily seen in this area than other Amazonian regions. And of course, the range-restricted and endemic Bald Parrot. Our first day was mostly a travel day, first taking a commercial flight from Cuiaba to Alta Floresta, and from there driving some 3 hours (but looking for birds always take longer). We didn’t bird much this day, but, on the stops that we did, we managed to see some interesting birds like Speckled Chachalaca, Red-throated Piping Guan, Rufous-breasted Hermit, White-tailed Hawk, Yellow-crowned and Orange-winged Amazons, Blue-winged Macaw, Piratic Flycatcher and the best bird was a Grey Tinamou that the whole group managed to see as we were driving along the entrance road of Rio Azul just before dusk. Definitely a nice welcoming!

A full day to explore Rio Azul’s trails and the river. We started our day with a boat ride to look for one of the most special hummingbirds of the Amazon, the Crimson Topaz, that tends to be quite reliable in the mornings catching insects on the margins of the river, at the same time keeping an eye for Bald Parrots that can be seen flying by or in trees on the edge of the river. The local knowledge of Carlão (the owner of Rio Azul) of the “Beija flor brilho da fogo” (Crimson Topaz), proved to be quite effective as we succeeded with our mission seeing at least 3 different individuals with at least one adult male. We had to be patient and look over and over the section of the river where he told us the “brilho da fogo” could show up, and we managed to get views for everyone. We combined the rest of the morning with the boat ride and some trails with a transition of Varzea and Terra Firme Forest. Some interesting birds seen during the morning were White-bearded Hermit, Rufous-throated Sapphire, Greater Ani, Black-bellied Cuckoo, Black-tailed Trogon, Great Jacamar, White-necked Puffbird, Lettered, Red-necked, Chestnut-eared and Curl-crested Aracaris, Channel-billed Toucan, Red-stained, Yellow-throated, Scaly-breasted, Chestnut, Cream-colored and Ringed Woodpeckers, Golden-winged Parakeet, White-bellied Parrot, Santarem Parakeet, Red-bellied Macaw, Striped, Dusky-capped and Long-billed Woodcreepers (leader only), Amazonian Streak-Antwren, Spot-backed, Silvered and Spix’s Warbling Antbirds, Guianan Tyrannulet, Rufous-tailed Flatbill, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin, Flame-crested, White-crowned and Red-headed Manakins, among others, as well some mammals like the endemic White-cheeked Spider Monkey and a group of three Giant Otters.
At mid-day, we had time to check the hummingbird feeders where species like White-necked Jacobin, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Black-throated Mango, Gould’s Jewelfront, Fork-tailed Woodnymph and a Straight-billed Hermit were coming to tank up. In the afternoon, we visited the canopy tower. The tower provides a good view of the treetops of the forest edge and the near-by trees on the grounds of the Pousada, with good chances to see parrots, swifts or cotingas and other canopy birds. Our tower session provided very interesting birds including a group of 6 Cobalt-rumped Parrotlets that is expanding its distribution little by little. Other Psittacidae members that we got were Blue-headed and Red-fan Parrots, Dusky-billed Parrotlets, White-eyed Parrakeets, and Blue-and-Yellow, Red-and-green and Scarlet Macaws. We also had good swift activity including Pale-rumped, Chapman’s, Short-tailed and Fork-tailed Palm Swifts. A female Butterfly Coquette was seen, but unfortunately not by everyone. Brown-banded and Eastern Striolated Puffbirds, Spangled Cotinga, White-lored and White-vented Euphonias, and Yellow-backed, Swallow, Flame-crested, Fulvous-crested, Bay-headed and Green-and-Gold Tanagers were some of the other birds that the tower provided. The last part of the afternoon we went to the main entrance road where we got probably the most important target of this place: the Bald Parrot, that we managed to see 3 birds flying by at a fairly close distance. Other birds that we saw along the entrance road were Short-billed Honeycreeper, Amethyst Woodstar, Rufous-tailed, Bronzy and Paradise Jacamars, Bar-breasted Piculet, Black Caracara, Ochre-lored Flatbill, Variegated Flycatcher, and Trilling Gnatwren. We also did a try for Kawall’s Amazon checking for parrots on the forest edge from the pastures of the entrance road, but we only managed to see Yellow-crowned Amazon. Well, it was a great day in the Amazon without a doubt, with a long list session waiting for us in the evening.

It was another great day, with two particular Amazonian rarities: the Pavonine Quetzal and the Cinnamon Manakin-Tyrant, which were both seen really well. We did a combination of birding in the entrance road in the areas of sandy soils and also in forest trails, where we got to see some different and interesting birds such as Green-tailed Goldenthroat, White-chinned Sapphire, several individuals of Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Scaled Pigeon, Blue-necked Jacamar, close views of Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet flying by, Plain-brown Woodcreeper, Pygmy, White-flanked, Southern White-fringed and Rufous-margined Antwrens, Natterer’s Slaty Antshrike, the endemic Xingu Scaled-backed Antbird, and White-browed Antbird. We had a good selection of the Tyrannidae family with the Small-billed Elaenia, Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet (subsp. murina), White-bellied and Zimmer’s Tody-Tyrant, Zimmer’s and the Ochre-lored Flatbill, the uncommon and local Pale-bellied Mourner and the rare and local Cinnamon Manakin-Tyrant. A nice cohort of manakins including Black, Flame-crested and Red-headed Manakins, along with Grey-chested Greenlet, Olive Oropendola, and Black-faced Tanager rounded out this great morning.
The afternoon plan was to start with terra firme forest trails and finish our day at the tower to look for parrots, or any other surprise. Some of the birds from our afternoon session were Red-throated Piping Guan, Lesser Nighthawk just before dusk, Long-billed Starthroat, Paradise Jacamar, Gould’s Toucanet, Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper, White-eyed Stipplethroat, Pygmy Antwren, Black-faced Antbird, Spotted Tody Flycatcher, Fiery-capped Manakin and a pair of Opal-rumped Tanagers.

On our final day of the tour, we tried for some potential targets that we still needed to see, and we did the terra firme forest trails of the Pousada. Some others did another tower session by themselves in the last birding session before breakfast. Some of the birds that we managed to see were Blackish Nightjar, the endemic Tapajos Hermit, Versicoloured Emerald, Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper, Sclater’s Antwren, Plain-winged and Fasciated Antshrikes, White-lored and Guianan Tyrannulets, and Swainson’s Flycatcher, among others. Some of the birds that people who went to the tower managed to see were the Eastern Striolated Puffbird, Spangled Cotinga, Epaulet Oriole and Olive Oropendola.
On the way out, we got to see a Razor-billed Curassow walking across the main entrance road, and after that just regular birds including Jabiru, Southern Lapwing, White-tailed Hawk, Burrowing Owl and Red-breasted Blackbird, just to mention some. Definitely this is an amazing corner of the Amazon with some excellent quality birds. Many thanks to all the staff of Rio Azul for making for a very pleasant stay, and thanks for protecting this great place.
After lunch in Alta Floresta, we went to the local airport of Alta Floresta where the tour finished, some flew to Cuiaba, others to Sāo Paulo, or others continued looking for more birds at Alta Floresta. Thanks to all the members of our group who were great companions during our wonderful trip.
Many thanks to all the people that in some way or other helped during this tour, but I want to give the thanks to my friend Kevin Easley who gave me many tips, as well to Eduardo Patrial who shared a lot of information of how to do this trip in the best way.

BIRD/MAMMAL OF THE TRIP (MAIN TOUR)

1st: Jaguar

2nd: Zigzag Heron

3rd: Hyacinth Macaw

4th: Pavonine Quetzal

5th: Rusty-necked Piculet

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED

BIRDS

Greater Rhea  Rhea americana  Seen first at Aroe Jari Road, Vila Bella and mainly in the Pantanal.

Grey Tinamou  Tinamus tao  One bird seen really well at Rio Azul.

Great Tinamou  Tinamus major   Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Cinereous Tinamou  Crypturellus cinereus  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Little Tinamou  Crypturellus soui  Heard only at different localities, first at Vale da Bençao, Chapada Guimaraes.  

Undulated Tinamou  Crypturellus undulatus  First seen at Jardin da Amazonia, also in the Pantanal.

Brazilian Tinamou ◊  Crypturellus strigulosus  Heard only at Rio Azul.

Variegated Tinamou  Crypturellus variegatus  Heard our last morning at Rio Azul.

Small-billed Tinamou  Crypturellus parvirostris Seen at Jardin da Amazonia, heard at other localities,

Tataupa Tinamou*  Crypturellus tataupa  Heard at Geladeira Road, at Chapada.

Red-winged Tinamou  Rhynchotus rufescens  Chris spotted one tinamou from the bus when we were leaving Jardin da Amazonia. Then it flushed and flew for about 100 meters before disappearing.

Southern Screamer  Chauna torquata  First seen at Guaporé River, regular bird in the Pantanal.

Horned Screamer  Anhima cornuta  Vila Bela wetlands, Guaporé River and heard only at Pimenteiras.

White-faced Whistling Duck  Dendrocygna viduata  Seen on a lagoon outside Cuiaba, on the way to Poconé.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck  Dendrocygna autumnalis  A small group was seen at Villa Bella.

Orinoco Goose ◊  Neochen jubata  Two adults with seven chicks were seen at the Guaporé River.

Muscovy Duck  Cairina moschata  First seen at Guaporé River, with several sightings on the trip.

Brazilian Teal (B Duck)  Amazonetta brasiliensis  Higher numbers at Pantanal, also seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Chaco Chachalaca ◊  Ortalis canicollis  Common bird in the Pantanal.

Speckled Chachalaca  Ortalis guttata  Just seen once, the day that we drove to Rio Azul.

Rusty-margined Guan ◊  Penelope superciliaris  One sighting at Chapada Guimaraes area.

Spix’s Guan  Penelope jacquacu  One bird was seen at Rio Azul.

Chestnut-bellied Guan ◊  Penelope ochrogaster  Common species in the Pantanal.

Blue-throated Piping Guan  Pipile cumanensis  Seen at the Pantanal, especially around Puerto Jofre area.

Red-throated Piping Guan ◊  Pipile cujubi  First seen at Villa Bela, also Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Razor-billed Curassow ◊ (Amazonian R-b C)  Mitu tuberosum  Seen twice at Rio Guaporé, and one bird at Rio Azul.

Bare-faced Curassow ◊  Crax fasciolata  Common species in the Pantanal, but also other sightings in the trip.

Marbled Wood Quail  Odontophorus gujanensis  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Nacunda Nighthawk  Chordeiles nacunda  First seen at dusk at Chapada, best views at Campos do Jofre at daytime.

Least Nighthawk  Chordeiles pusillus  Good views before dusk at Aroe Jari Road, at Chapada.

Sand-coloured Nighthawk  Chordeiles rupestris  Several birds were seen at Guaporé River.

Lesser Nighthawk  Chordeiles acutipennis  One bird seen from Rio Azul canopy tower.

Short-tailed Nighthawk (Semi-collared N)  Lurocalis semitorquatus  Leader only from Rio Azul tower.

Band-tailed Nighthawk  Nyctiprogne leucopyga  Good views at Guaporé River, also in the Pantanal.

Blackish Nightjar  Nyctipolus nigrescens  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia, and Rio Azul.

Pauraque  Nyctidromus albicollis  First seen at Jardin da Amazonia, also at other locations too.

Little Nightjar  Setopagis parvula  Seen at Aroe Jari Road, Chapada.

Ladder-tailed Nightjar  Hydropsalis climacocerca  Two individuals were seen at Guaporé River.

Ocellated Poorwill  Nyctiphrynus ocellatus  Good views from Jardin da Amazonia.

Rufous Nightjar  Antrostomus rufus  Head only at Aroe Jari Road.

Great Potoo  Nyctibius grandis  Just one bird at the Transpantaneira Road, Pantanal.

Common Potoo (Grey P)  Nyctibius griseus   Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

White-collared Swift  Streptoprocne zonaris  Seen at Rio Azul, also at Chapada.

Biscutate Swift ◊  Streptoprocne biscutata  Seen at Mirante Geodesico, Chapada Guimaraes.

Grey-rumped Swift  Chaetura cinereiventris  Jardin da Amazonia.

Pale-rumped Swift  Chaetura egregia  Seen at Rio Azul.

Chapman’s Swift  Chaetura chapmani  Good views from Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Short-tailed Swift  Chaetura brachyura  Seen at different Amazonian Regions.

Fork-tailed Palm Swift  Tachornis squamata  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Crimson Topaz ◊  Topaza pella  At least 3 different individuals at Rio Azul.

White-necked Jacobin  Florisuga mellivora  The most common visitor of the Rio Azul hummingbird feeders.

Rufous-breasted Hermit (Hairy H)  Glaucis hirsutus  Occasionally came to Rio Azul feeders, also seen the drive into Rio Azul.

Tapajos Hermit ◊  Phaethornis aethopygus  Seen at Rio Azul forest trails.

Cinnamon-throated Hermit ◊  Phaethornis nattereri  Seen well in Pixaim area, Pantanal.

Reddish Hermit  Phaethornis ruber  It was coming to some flowers by the Jardin da Amazonia dining area.

White-bearded Hermit  Phaethornis hispidus  Seen at the Varzea forest trails of Rio Azul.

Needle-billed Hermit ◊ Phaethornis philippii (??)  A bird seen at the Ranger Station of the Noel Kempff Mercado NP was possibly this species. During our brief visit to Noel Kempff Mercado NP, we got to see a medium-sized Hermit, that initially I wasn’t sure what it was. I checked the options that I had in Merlin and Birds Eye for the area and initially I called it Cinnamon-throated Hermit, but I wasn’t so confident with the id. Later on, I checked my PDF Bolivia Book and I noticed that there was another possibility that fit better with the hummingbird that we saw for the size, the fact that I saw a white-throat, some cream colour in the chest and belly, and the long white central rectrices—features that I can remember from the moment—which fit better with Needle-billed Hermit. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get photos of the bird, but I want to mention it for other persons who visit the site be aware of the possibility of this particular Hermit.

Straight-billed Hermit ◊ Phaethornis bourcieri  Visiting sporadically the Rio Azul hummingbird feeders.

White-vented Violetear  Colibri serrirostris  Seen at Agua Fria Road and Estrada Geladeira, Chapada Guimaraes.

White-tailed Goldenthroat  Polytmus guainumbi  Seen at the Villa Bella wetlands.

Green-tailed Goldenthroat  Polytmus theresiae  Seen at the Campinarana habitat of Rio Azul.

Ruby-topaz Hummingbird  Chrysolampis mosquitus  At least 3 different individuals were seen at Rio Azul.

Black-throated Mango  Anthracothorax nigricollis  First seen at Guaporé River, also in other Amazonian localities.

Frilled Coquette ◊ Lophornis magnificus  One female seen at Valle da Bencao, Chapada.

Butterfly Coquette ◊ Lophornis verreauxii  A female was seen from Rio Azul Canopy Tower. Formerly a subspecies of Festive Coquette Lophornis chalybeus, that now has been split, with the Amazonian one as Butterfly Coquette, and Festive Coquette in the Mata Atlantic Forest.

Gould’s Jewelfront  Heliodoxa aurescens  Seen at Rio Azul.

Long-billed Starthroat  Heliomaster longirostris  First seen at Villa Bella, scattered sights at other localities.

Amethyst Woodstar  Calliphlox amethystine  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Glittering-bellied Emerald Chlorostilbon lucidus  Nice views of a male at Chapada Guimaraes.

Grey-breasted Sabrewing  Campylopterus largipennis  Seen at Rio Azul.

Fork-tailed Woodnymph (Common W)  Thalurania furcata  First seen at Vale da Bencão, and other sites too.

Swallow-tailed Hummingbird  Eupetomena macroura  Seen several times at Valle da Bencão, Chapada.

Versicoloured Emerald  Chrysuronia versicolor  Several at Jardin da Amazonia, and one sight at Rio Azul.

Glittering-throated Emerald  Chionomesa fimbriata  A fairly common hummingbird during the trip.

Rufous-throated Sapphire  Hylocharis sapphirina  Seen at Rio Azul.

Gilded Sapphire (G Hummingbird)  Hylocharis chrysura   Seen at Porto Jofre.

White-chinned Sapphire  Chlorestes cyanus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Guira Cuckoo  Guira guira  A common and widespread bird during the trip.

Greater Ani  Crotophaga major  Only seen at Porto Jofre boat ride, and Rio Azul.

Smooth-billed Ani  Crotophaga ani  A common and widespread bird during the trip.

Striped Cuckoo  Tapera naevia  First seen at Pantanal area, heard it at many places.

Pheasant Cuckoo  Dromococcyx phasianellus  Heard only from Aroe Jari Road, Chapada.

Pavonine Cuckoo  Dromococcyx pavoninus  Nice views from Chapada Guimaraes area.

Little Cuckoo  Coccycua minuta  One bird seen along the Transpantaneira Road, Pantanal.

Squirrel Cuckoo  Piaya cayana  First seen at Chapada, but also at different localities.

Black-bellied Cuckoo  Piaya melanogaster  One sight from Rio Azul.

Rock Dove (introduced)  Columba livia 

Scaled Pigeon  Patagioenas speciosa  More common in the Pantanal area, but in other localities as well.

Picazuro Pigeon  Patagioenas picazuro  Very common and widespread bird.

Pale-vented Pigeon  Patagioenas cayennensis  A common and widespread species.

Ruddy Pigeon  Patagioenas subvinacea  Seen at different Amazonian localities.

Scaled Dove  Columbina squammata  More common at Pantanal area.

Plain-breasted Ground Dove  Columbina minuta  10 individuals were seen at Villa Bella, at agricultural fields.

Ruddy Ground Dove  Columbina talpacoti  Very common.

Picui Ground Dove  Columbina picui  More common at Pantanal areas, but not big numbers.

Blue Ground Dove  Claravis pretiosa  Best views at Jardin da Amazonia.

Long-tailed Ground Dove ◊  Uropelia campestris  Seen at Piuval, and at Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

White-tipped Dove  Leptotila verreauxi  Scattered sights at different localities.

Grey-fronted Dove  Leptotila rufaxilla  Seen at Porto Jofre boat ride.

Eared Dove  Zenaida auriculata Only seen at Aroe Jari Road, at the agricultural fields.

Sungrebe  Heliornis fulica  Several sights of this peculiar bird.

Grey-cowled Wood Rail  Aramides cajaneus  First seen at Vila Bela wetlands.

Rufous-sided Crake  Laterallus melanophaius  Heard only at Vila Bela wetlands.

Grey-breasted Crake  Laterallus exilis  Heard only at Campos do Jofre (several birds).

Limpkin  Aramus guarauna  Seen at different localities during the trip.

Least Grebe  Tachybaptus dominicus  Seen on the way to Pocone (Pantanal), outside Cuiaba city.

White-backed Stilt  Himantopus melanurus  First seen at Vila Bela wetlands.

Southern Lapwing  Vanellus chilensis  Common and widespread species.

Collared Plover  Charadrius collaris  Seen at Campos do Jofre.

Pied Plover (P Lapwing)  Hoploxypterus cayanus  Seen at Guaporé River, and Porto Jofre area.

Wattled Jacana  Jacana jacana  Common and widespread species.

White-rumped Sandpiper (NM)  Calidris fuscicollis  Seen at Guapore River and Campos do Jofre.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper (NW)  Calidris subruficollis  Four individuals on short grass fields at Vila Bela.

Pectoral Sandpiper (NM)  Calidris melanotos  Seen at Campos do Jofre.

Solitary Sandpiper (NM)  Tringa solitaria  Seen several times during the trip.

Lesser Yellowlegs (NM)  Tringa flavipes  Single individuals seen at different localities.

Black Skimmer  Rynchops niger  Regular at Guaporé River, and at Rio Cuiaba, Porto Jofre.

Yellow-billed Tern  Sternula superciliaris  Seen at Guaporé River and Pantanal

Large-billed Tern  Phaetusa simplex  Common at Guaporé River and Pantanal.

Sunbittern  Eurypyga helias  First seen at Vila Bela wetlands, common at Pantanal.

Wood Stork (American W S)  Mycteria americana  A common and widespread species.

Maguari Stork  Ciconia maguari  First seen at Vila Bela, but more were seen at Campos do Jofre.

Jabiru  Jabiru mycteria  Common in the Pantanal.

Anhinga  Anhinga anhinga  Several sights in the trip.

Neotropic Cormorant (Olivaceous C)  Nannopterum brasilianum  Common species.

Plumbeous Ibis ◊  Theristicus caerulescens  Seen at Vila Bela wetlands and Pantanal.

Buff-necked Ibis  Theristicus caudatus  Seen at Piuval and Vila Bela wetlands.

Green Ibis  Mesembrinibis cayennensis  Vila Bela Wetlands and Pantanal.

Bare-faced Ibis (Whispering I)  Phimosus infuscatus  Vila Bela Wetlands and Pantanal.

Roseate Spoonbill  Platalea ajaja  Vila Bela and Pantanal.

Rufescent Tiger Heron  Tigrisoma lineatum  Different localities at Amazonian places and Pantanal.

Agami Heron (Chestnut-bellied H)  Agamia agami  Seen at Guaporé River and Pixaim River.

Boat-billed Heron  Cochlearius cochlearius  Guapore River, Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Zigzag Heron  Zebrilus undulatus  Great views of a pair in the Pantanal.

Black-crowned Night Heron  Nycticorax nycticorax  Vila Bela wetlands and Pantanal.

Striated Heron (Green-backed H)  Butorides striata  Common species.

Western Cattle Egret  Bubulcus ibis  Common species.

Cocoi Heron (White-necked H)  Ardea cocoi  First seen at Vila Bela, common in the Pantanal.

Great Egret  Ardea alba  Common.

Capped Heron  Pilherodius pileatus  Seen at Guaporé River and Pantanal.

Whistling Heron  Syrigma sibilatrix  First seen at Vila Bella, also in the Pantanal.

Little Blue Heron  Egretta caerulea  Seen in the Pantanal.

Snowy Egret  Egretta thula  First seen at Vila Bela wetlands.

Hoatzin  Opisthocomus hoazin  Villa Bela wetlands and Guaporé River.

King Vulture  Sarcoramphus papa  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Black Vulture  Coragyps atratus

Turkey Vulture  Cathartes aura

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (Savanna V)  Cathartes burrovianus  Vila Bela wetlands and Pantanal.

Greater Yellow-headed Vulture  Cathartes melambrotus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Osprey (NM)  Pandion haliaetus  Seen at Guaporé River and Pantanal.

White-tailed Kite  Elanus leucurus  Seen at Aroe Jari Road, Chapada.

Swallow-tailed Kite (American S-t K)  Elanoides forficatus

Black Hawk-Eagle  Spizaetus tyrannus  One bird was seen soaring at Jardin da Amazonia.

Double-toothed Kite  Harpagus bidentatus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Plumbeous Kite  Ictinia plumbea  Seen at different localities during the trip.

Black-collared Hawk  Busarellus nigricollis  Seen at Vila Bela, Guaporé River and Pantanal.

Snail Kite  Rostrhamus sociabilis  Seen at Vila Bela, Guaporé River and Pantanal.

Crane Hawk  Geranospiza caerulescens  Two birds were seen at Piuval.

Savanna Hawk  Buteogallus meridionalis  Chapada, Vila Bela and Pantanal.

Great Black Hawk  Buteogallus urubitinga  Seen at Guaporé River, Pantanal and Rio Azul.

Roadside Hawk  Rupornis magnirostris   Seen at Vila Bela, Pantanal and Rio Azul.

Harris’s Hawk  Parabuteo unicinctus  Seen at Pantanal area.

White-tailed Hawk  Geranoaetus albicaudatus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes and Vila Bella.

Grey-lined Hawk  Buteo nitidus   Seen at Cuiaba River (Pantanal), also at Rio Azul.

American Barn Owl  Tyto furcate   Seen at Aroe Jari Road.

Burrowing Owl  Athene cunicularia  Several sights during the trip.

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl  Glaucidium brasilianum  Chapada, Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Great Horned Owl  Bubo virginianus   Four birds seen in the Pantanal.

Tropical Screech Owl  Megascops choliba  Heard at our hotel at Chapada Guimaraes.

Tawny-bellied Screech Owl ◊  Megascops [watsonii] usta   Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Black-banded Owl  Strix huhula  Seen at Piuval.

Pavonine Quetzal  Pharomachrus pavoninus  Great views at Rio Azul.

Black-tailed Trogon  Trogon melanurus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Green-backed Trogon  Trogon viridis  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia, hear only in other localities.

Blue-crowned Trogon  Trogon curucui  Seen at Chapada area, and Rio Azul.

Collared Trogon  Trogon collaris  Heard only at Rio Azul.

Amazon Kingfisher  Chloroceryle amazona

American Pygmy Kingfisher  Chloroceryle aenea  Seen at Pantanal area.

Green Kingfisher  Chloroceryle americana 

Green-and-rufous Kingfisher  Chloroceryle inda  Guaporé River and Pixaim River.

Ringed Kingfisher  Megaceryle torquata

Amazonian Motmot  Momotus momota  Seen at Vale da Benção and Jardin da Amazonia.

Brown Jacamar  Brachygalba lugubris  Vale da Benção, Pimenteiras and Jardin da Amazonia.

Blue-necked Jacamar ◊ (Blue-cheeked J)  Galbula cyanicollis  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar  Galbula ruficauda  Seen at different locations during the trip.

Bronzy Jacamar  Galbula leucogastra  Seen at Pimenteiras and Rio Azul.

Paradise Jacamar  Galbula dea  Seen at Rio Azul.

Great Jacamar  Jacamerops aureus  One bird was seen at Rio Azul.

White-necked Puffbird  Notharchus hyperrhynchus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Brown-banded Puffbird ◊  Notharchus ordii  Views with telescope from Rio Azul canopy tower.

Pied Puffbird  Notharchus tectus  Jardin da Amazonia.

White-eared Puffbird  Nystalus chacuru  Nice views from Chapada Guimaraes.

Eastern Striolated Puffbird ◊  Nystalus [striolatus] torridus   Seen at Rio Azul.

Caatinga Puffbird ◊  Nystalus maculatus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes and Pousada Piuval.

Rufous-capped Nunlet ◊  Nonnula ruficapilla   One bird seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Black-fronted Nunbird  Monasa nigrifrons  First seen at Vale da Bençao, common at Amazon places.

White-fronted Nunbird  Monasa morphoeus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Swallow-winged Puffbird (Swallow-wing)  Chelidoptera tenebrosa  Common at the Amazonian localities of the trip.

Black-girdled Barbet ◊  Capito dayi   Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Lettered Aracari  Pteroglossus inscriptus  Vale da Bençao, Pimenteiras and Rio Azul.

Red-necked Aracari ◊  Pteroglossus bitorquatus  Rio Guaporé, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Chestnut-eared Aracari  Pteroglossus castanotis   Chapada, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Curl-crested Aracari  Pteroglossus beauharnaisii  Rio Azul.

Gould’s Toucanet ◊  Selenidera gouldii  Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Channel-billed Toucan  Ramphastos vitellinus  Vale da Benção and Rio Azul.

Toco Toucan  Ramphastos toco  Chapada, Vila Bela and Pantanal.

White-throated Toucan (Red-billed T)  Ramphastos tucanus  Guaporé River, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Bar-breasted Piculet ◊ (Golden-fronted P)  Picumnus aurifrons  Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

White-wedged Piculet ◊  Picumnus albosquamatus  Piuval and Campos do Jofre.

Rusty-necked Piculet ◊  Picumnus fuscus  Seen at Noel Kempff Mercado NP, and Guapore River.

White Woodpecker  Melanerpes candidus  Best views at Poconé, also at Chapada.

Yellow-tufted Woodpecker  Melanerpes cruentatus  Common at Amazonia localities.

White-fronted Woodpecker ◊  Melanerpes cactorum   Seen at Piuval.

Little Woodpecker  Veniliornis passerinus  Vila Bela wetlands, Guaporé River and Pantanal.

Checkered Woodpecker  Veniliornis mixtus  Great views at Chapada Guimaraes area.

Red-stained Woodpecker  Veniliornis affinis  Seen at Rio Azul.

Yellow-throated Woodpecker  Piculus flavigula  Seen at Rio Azul.

Golden-green Woodpecker  Piculus chrysochloros   Seen at Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

Green-barred Woodpecker  Colaptes melanochloros  Few sites at Pantanal area.

Campo Flicker  Colaptes campestris  Seen at Piuval and Pousada Rio Claro.

Scaly-breasted Woodpecker (Scale-b W)  Celeus grammicus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Chestnut Woodpecker  Celeus elegans  Rio Azul.

Pale-crested Woodpecker ◊  Celeus lugubris  Seen at Piuval and Mato Grosso Hotel.

Cream-colored Woodpecker  Celeus flavus   Seen at Porto Jofre and Rio Azul.

Ringed Woodpecker  Celeus torquatus   Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Lineated Woodpecker  Dryocopus lineatus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Crimson-crested Woodpecker  Campephilus melanoleucos  Seen at Vila Bela and Jardin da Amazonia.

Red-legged Seriema  Cariama cristata  Chapada, Vila Bela and Pantanal.

Black Caracara  Daptrius ater  Seen at Pimenteiras and Rio Azul.

Red-throated Caracara  Ibycter americanus  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Crested Caracara (Southern C)  Caracara plancus  Very common bird during the trip.

Yellow-headed Caracara  Milvago chimachima  Seen at Vila Bela, Pantanal and Rio Azul.

Laughing Falcon  Herpetotheres cachinnans  Seen at Vila Bela wetlands and Rio Azul.

Barred Forest Falcon  Micrastur ruficollis  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Cryptic Forest Falcon ◊  Micrastur mintoni  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Collared Forest Falcon  Micrastur semitorquatus  Nice views at Piuval.

American Kestrel  Falco sparverius  Chapada, Vila Bella and  during the drive to Rio Azul.

Aplomado Falcon  Falco femoralis  Chapada, Vila Bela, Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Bat Falcon  Falco rufigularis  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet  Touit huetii  Good views of 4 birds flying very close at Rio Azul.

Monk Parakeet  Myiopsitta monachus   A common species in Pantanal.

Yellow-chevroned Parakeet  Brotogeris chiriri  Common bird in Chapada and during the main trip.

Golden-winged Parakeet  Brotogeris chrysoptera  Regular bird at Rio Azul.

Orange-cheeked Parrot  Pyrilia barrabandi  Good views at Jardin da Amazonia.

Bald Parrot ◊  Pyrilia aurantiocephala  Endemic. Good views of flying birds at Rio Azul.

Scaly-headed Parrot  Pionus maximiliani  Seen at Piuval and Pixaim River.

Blue-headed Parrot  Pionus menstruus  Common in the Amazonian regions of the trip.

Yellow-faced Parrot ◊  Alipiopsitta xanthops  We got good views of 5 birds flying by at Aroe Jari Road.

Yellow-crowned Amazon (Y-c Parrot)  Amazona ochrocephala  Seen at Vila Bela wetlands and Rio Azul.

Turquoise-fronted Amazon (Blue-f A, T-f Parrot)  Amazona aestiva  Seen at Vila Bela Wetlands and Pantanal area.

Southern Mealy Amazon (S M Parrot)  Amazona farinosa  Seen at Pimenteiras and Jardin da Amazonia.

Orange-winged Amazon (O-w Parrot)  Amazona amazonica  Seen at Pimenteiras and Rio Azul.

Dusky-billed Parrotlet  Forpus modestus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet  Forpus xanthopterygius  At least 2 birds were seen from the Rio Azul tower, possibly more.

White-bellied Parrot  Pionites leucogaster  Seen at Rio Azul.

Red-fan Parrot  Deroptyus accipitrinus  Seen with the scope from the canopy tower of Rio Azul.

Santarem Parakeet ◊  Pyrrhura amazonum  Good numbers at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Hyacinth Macaw ◊  Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus  Nice views at Piuval and Porto Jofre.

Peach-fronted Parakeet  Eupsittula aurea  Common at Chapada, Vila Bela and Pantanal area.

Dusky-headed Parakeet  Aratinga weddellii  One pair seen along the Guaporé River.

Nanday Parakeet ◊ (Black-hooded P)  Aratinga nenday  Only was seen at Pousada Rio Claro.

Red-bellied Macaw  Orthopsittaca manilatus  More common at Jardin da Amazonia, also at Rio Azul.

Golden-collared Macaw ◊ (Yellow-collared M)  Primolius auricollis  First seen at Vila Bela Wetlands, also Pantanal.

Blue-winged Macaw ◊  Primolius maracana  Seen during our drive from Alta Floresta to Rio Azul.

Blue-and-yellow Macaw  Ara ararauna  Vila Bela, Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Chestnut-fronted Macaw  Ara severus  Only was seeing during our days at Pimenteiras.

Scarlet Macaw  Ara macao  Only seen at Rio Azul.

Red-and-green Macaw  Ara chloropterus  Chapada, Vila Bela, Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Red-shouldered Macaw  Diopsittaca nobilis  Good views at Chapada and Jardin da Amazonia.

Blue-crowned Parakeet  Thectocercus acuticaudatus  Seen at Rio Claro and Pixaim River.

White-eyed Parakeet  Psittacara leucophthalmus  Chapada, Vila Bela, Pimenteiras, Piuval and Rio Azul.

Plain-brown Woodcreeper  Dendrocincla fuliginosa  Seen at Rio Azul, heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Wedge-billed Woodcreeper  Glyphorynchus spirurus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Long-billed Woodcreeper  Nasica longirostris  Heard only at Rio Azul and seen by leader.

Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper  Dendrocolaptes certhia  Seen at Rio Azul at terra firme trails.

Planalto Woodcreeper ◊  Dendrocolaptes platyrostris  Seen at Vale da Benção, Chapada.

Great Rufous Woodcreeper ◊  Xiphocolaptes major  Good views from Piuval.

Striped Woodcreeper  Xiphorhynchus obsoletus   Seen at Rio Azul, heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Elegant Woodcreeper ◊  Xiphorhynchus elegans  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Buff-throated Woodcreeper  Xiphorhynchus guttatus  Seen at Chapada, Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Piuval.

Straight-billed Woodcreeper  Dendroplex picus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Red-billed Scythebill  Campylorhamphus trochilirostris  Good views from Pixaim River.

Narrow-billed Woodcreeper  Lepidocolaptes angustirostris  Seen at Piuval.

Dusky-capped Woodcreeper ◊  Lepidocolaptes fuscicapillus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul. Formerly was the part of the polytypic species Lineated Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes albolineatus), that has been split into Guianan, Inambari, Duida, Rondonia and Layard’s Woodcreepers; the last 2 then became the Dusky-capped Woodcreeper (L. fuscicapillus), with 2 recognized subspecies, which are L. fuscicapillus fuscicapillus (Rondonia Woodcreeper) in south central Amazonia, in Brazil between the Madeira and Tapajos rivers, and in northern Bolivia (Beni, Santa Cruz). The other subspecies is L. fuscicapillus layardi (Layard’s Woodcreeper) that is to the east of the Tapajós River. On the trip, we got to see L. fuscicapillus fuscicapillus (Rondonia Woodcreeper) at Jardin da Amazonia, and L. fuscicapillus layardi (Layard’s Woodcreeper) at Rio Azul.

Plain Xenops  Xenops minutus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Streaked Xenops  Xenops rutilans  Seen at Pimenteiras.

Point-tailed Palmcreeper  Berlepschia rikeri  Good views from Jardin da Amazonia.

Pale-legged Hornero  Furnarius leucopus  Different sights in Pantanal area.

Rufous Hornero  Furnarius rufus  Seen regularly at Chapada, Vila Bela and Pantanal.

Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper  Lochmias nematura  Nice views from Chapada Guimaraes.

Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner  Automolus ochrolaemus  Heard only at Rio Azul.

Rufous-fronted Thornbird (Common T)  Phacellodomus rufifrons  Seen at Pantanal area.

Greater Thornbird  Phacellodomus ruber  Seen at Pantanal area.

Rusty-backed Spinetail  Cranioleuca vulpina  First seen at Guaporé River, also at Cuiaba River (Porto Jofre).

Grey-crested Cacholote ◊ (Rufous C)  Pseudoseisura unirufa  Seen at Pantanal area.

Yellow-chinned Spinetail  Certhiaxis cinnamomeus  Vila Bela wetlands, Pimenteiras and Pantanal.

Chotoy Spinetail  Schoeniophylax phryganophilus  Seen at Pantanal area.

Plain-crowned Spinetail  Synallaxis gujanensis  Heard only in the Guaporé River.

White-lored Spinetail ◊  Synallaxis albilora  Seen at Pantanal area.

Cinereous-breasted Spinetail ◊  Synallaxis hypospodia  Seen at Campos do Jofre.

Pale-breasted Spinetail  Synallaxis albescens  Rio Azul, in the pastures outside the Lodge.

Sooty-fronted Spinetail  Synallaxis frontalis  Seen once at Mirante Geodesico, Chapada.

Spot-winged Antshrike  Pygiptila stellaris  Seen our last morning at Rio Azul.

Dot-winged Antwren  Microrhopias quixensis  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

White-eyed Stipplethroat  Epinecrophylla leucophthalma  Seen at Rio Azul.

Black-throated Antbird  Myrmophylax atrothorax  Common antbird in some sections of Jardin da Amazonia trails.

Pygmy Antwren  Myrmotherula brachyura  Seen at Rio Azul.

Amazonian Streaked Antwren  Myrmotherula multostriata  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Sclater’s Antwren ◊  Myrmotherula sclateri  Seen our last morning at Rio Azul.

White-flanked Antwren  Myrmotherula axillaris   Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Southern White-fringed Antwren  Formicivora grisea  Seen at Pimenteiras and Rio Azul.

Black-bellied Antwren ◊  Formicivora melanogaster  Good views from Piuval.

Rusty-backed Antwren  Formicivora rufa  Seen at Chapada and Vila Bela.

Large-billed Antwren ◊  Herpsilochmus longirostris  Seen at Chapada and Jardin da Amazonia.

Rufous-margined Antwren  Herpsilochmus rufimarginatus  Seen at Noel Kempff Mercado NP, and Rio Azul.

Plain Antvireo  Dysithamnus mentalis  Seen at Vale da Benção, Chapada.

Barred Antshrike  Thamnophilus doliatus  Seen at Pimenteiras and Jardin da Amazonia.

White-shouldered Antshrike  Thamnophilus aethiops  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Plain-winged Antshrike  Thamnophilus schistaceus  Seen the last morning at Rio Azul, heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Natterer’s Slaty Antshrike ◊  Thamnophilus stictocephalus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Bolivian Slaty Antshrike ◊  Thamnophilus sticturus  Seen at Vila Bela da Santisima Trinidade.

Planalto Slaty Antshrike ◊  Thamnophilus pelzelni  Endemic. Seen at Chapada and Piuval.

Amazonian Antshrike  Thamnophilus amazonicus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Rufous-winged Antshrike ◊  Thamnophilus torquatus  Seen in cerrado habitat at Chapada Guimares.

Glossy Antshrike ◊  Sakesphorus luctuosus  Endemic. Good views at Jardin da Amazonia.

Fasciated Antshrike  Cymbilaimus lineatus  Seen our last morning at Rio Azul.

Great Antshrike  Taraba major  Seen at Chapada and Pantanal.

Common Scale-backed Antbird  Willisornis poecilinotus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Xingu Scale-backed Antbird ◊  Willisornis vidua  Endemic. Seen at Rio Azul.

Rondonia Warbling Antbird ◊  Hypocnemis ochrogyna  Seen at Pimenteiras area.

Spix’s Warbling Antbird ◊  Hypocnemis striata  Endemic. Seen at Rio Azul.

Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird  Sciaphylax hemimelaena  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Blackish Antbird  Cercomacroides nigrescens  Heard only, at Guaporé River and Jardin da Amazonia.

Grey Antbird  Cercomacra cinerascens  Heard only at Rio Azul.

Mato Grosso Antbird ◊  Cercomacra melanaria  Good views at Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

Band-tailed Antbird  Hypocnemoides maculicauda  Seen at Noel Kempff Mercado NP.

Spot-backed Antbird  Hylophylax naevius  Seen at Rio Azul.

Dot-backed Antbird  Hylophylax punctulatus  Heard only at Rio Azul.

Silvered Antbird  Sclateria naevia  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Black-faced Antbird  Myrmoborus myotherinus  Seen at Rio Azul.

White-browed Antbird  Myrmoborus leucophrys  Seen at Noel Kempff Mercado NP and Rio Azul.

Western Fire-eye  Pyriglena maura  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes area in different occasions.

Rufous-capped Antthrush  Formicarius colma  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia, seen briefly by leader.

Collared Crescentchest ◊  Melanopareia torquata ◊  Nice views at Agua Fria Road, Chapada.

Double-collared Crescentchest ◊  Melanopareia bitorquata  Seen very well at Vila Bela.

Planalto Tyrannulet ◊  Phyllomyias fasciatus  Seen at Mirante Geodesico, Chapada.

Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet  Tyrannulus elatus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Forest Elaenia  Myiopagis gaimardii  Seen at Piuval and Porto Jofre.

Grey Elaenia  Myiopagis caniceps  Heard only at Rio Azul.

Greenish Elaenia  Myiopagis viridicata  Good views from Pixaim River.

Yellow-bellied Elaenia  Elaenia flavogaster  Only seen at Chapada Guimaraes area.

Large Elaenia  Elaenia spectabilis  Seen at Pimenteiras, Pantanal and Rio Azul (Campinaranas habitat).

Chilean Elaenia  Elaenia (AM) spectabilis  Seen at Jamacâ Road, Chapada.

Small-billed Elaenia (AM)  Elaenia parvirostris  Chapada, Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Plain-crested Elaenia  Elaenia cristata  Seen at different locations at Chapada Guimaraes.

Lesser Elaenia  Elaenia chiriquensis  Seen at Chapada and Vila Bela.

White-lored Tyrannulet  Ornithion inerme  Seen the last morning at Rio Azul.

Southern Beardless Tyrannulet  Camptostoma obsoletum  Seen at Chapada, Pantanal and Rio Azul.

Suiriri Flycatcher ◊  Suiriri suiriri  Seen at Agua Fria Road, Chapada.

Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet  Phaeomyias murina  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Doradito sp. (Pantanal Doradito) ◊  Pseudocolopteryx sp. nov.  Good views at Campos do Jofre.

Southern Antpipit ◊  Corythopis delalandi  Good views from Vale da Benção and Jardin da Amazonia.

Fulvous-crowned Scrub Tyrant  Euscarthmus meloryphus  Seen at Pimenteiras and Pantanal.

Rufous-sided Scrub Tyrant ◊  Euscarthmus rufomarginatus  Great views from Cerrado forest of Chapada.

Guianan Tyrannulet  Zimmerius acer  Good views from Rio Azul.

Ochre-bellied Flycatcher  Mionectes oleagineus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Sepia-capped Flycatcher  Leptopogon amaurocephalus  Seen at Hotel Pantanal Mato Grosso.

Chapada Flycatcher ◊  Guyramemua affine  Great views from Cerrado forest of Chapada.

Plain Inezia ◊  Inezia inornata  Seen at Vila Bela and Hotel Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

Amazonian Inezia (A Tyrannulet)  Inezia subflava  Seen at Guaporé River.

Flammulated Bamboo Tyrant ◊  Hemitriccus flammulatus  Jardin da Amazonia, a localized species in Brazil.

Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrant ◊  Hemitriccus griseipectus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.  

White-bellied Tody-Tyrant ◊  Hemitriccus griseipectus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Zimmer’s Tody-Tyrant ◊  Hemitriccus minimus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant ◊  Hemitriccus striaticollis  Seen at Pimenteiras.

Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant  Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer  First seen at Piuval, and other Pantanal localities.

Short-tailed Pygmy Tyrant  Myiornis ecaudatus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant  Lophotriccus galeatus  Heard only our last morning at Rio Azul.

Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher ◊  Poecilotriccus latirostris  Seen at Chapada, Vila Bela, Pantanal and Rio Azul.

Spotted Tody-Flycatcher  Todirostrum maculatum  Seen around Rio Azul grounds.

Common Tody-Flycatcher  Todirostrum cinereum  Two sites from Pantanal.

Yellow-olive Flatbill (Y-o Flycatcher)  Tolmomyias sulphurescens  Seen at Piuval and Pixaim River area.

Zimmer’s Flatbill (Z Flycatcher)  Tolmomyias assimilis   Seen at Rio Azul.

Grey-crowned Flatbill (G-c Flycatcher)  Tolmomyias poliocephalus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Ochre-lored Flatbill (Yellow-breasted F)  Tolmomyias flaviventris  Seen at Rio Azul (Campinarana habitat).

Cinnamon Neopipo ◊  Neopipo cinnamonea  Great views at Rio Azul, with nice and clear vocalizations too.

Cliff Flycatcher  Hirundinea ferruginea  Seen at Mirante Geodesico, Chapada.

Euler’s Flycatcher  Lathrotriccus euleri  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Fuscous Flycatcher  Cnemotriccus fuscatus  Seen at Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

Scarlet Flycatcher  Pyrocephalus rubinus  Seen at Vila Bela, Pimenteiras and Piuval.

Drab Water Tyrant  Ochthornis littoralis  Seen along the Amazonian Rivers, like Guaporé and Rio Azul.

Yellow-browed Tyrant  Satrapa icterophrys  Seen at Campos do Jofre.

Crested Black Tyrant ◊  Knipolegus lophotes  Seen at Mirante Geodesico and Aroe Jari road, Chapada.

White-rumped Monjita  Xolmis velatus  Seen at Vila Bela and Pantanal area.

Grey Monjita  Nengetus cinereus  Chapada, Vila Bela and Piuval.

Streamer-tailed Tyrant  Gubernetes yetapa  Seen in a marsh between Poconé and Cuiba.

Black-backed Water Tyrant  Fluvicola albiventer  Seen at Guaporé River and Pantanal.

White-headed Marsh Tyrant  Arundinicola leucocephala  Seen at Pantanal.

Cattle Tyrant  Machetornis rixosa  Seen at Pimenteiras and Pantanal area.

Piratic Flycatcher  Legatus leucophaius  Seen at Pimenteiras and Jardin da Amazonia.

Rusty-margined Flycatcher  Myiozetetes cayanensis  A common and widespread species during the tour.

Great Kiskadee  Pitangus sulphuratus  Common species.

Lesser Kiskadee  Philohydor lictor  Seen at Vila Bela wetlands and Pantanal.

Streaked Flycatcher  Myiodynastes maculatus  Chapada, Vila Bela and Pantanal.

Boat-billed Flycatcher  Megarynchus pitangua  Seen at different localities.

Sulphury Flycatcher  Tyrannopsis sulphurea  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Variegated Flycatcher  Empidonomus varius  Jamacâ Road, Jardin da Amazonia, and Rio Azul.

White-throated Kingbird  Tyrannus albogularis  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Tropical Kingbird  Tyrannus melancholicus  Common and widespread species.

Fork-tailed Flycatcher  Tyrannus savana  Seen at different localities.

Greyish Mourner  Rhytipterna simplex  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Pale-bellied Mourner ◊  Rhytipterna immunda  Seen at the Campinarana forest in Rio Azul.

Rufous Casiornis  Casiornis rufus  Seen at Vila Bela, Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Swainson’s Flycatcher  Myiarchus swainsoni  Chapada, Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Mato Grosso Hotel.

Short-crested Flycatcher  Myiarchus ferox  Chapada, Pimenteiras, Pantanal and Rio Azul.

Brown-crested Flycatcher  Myiarchus tyrannulus  Seen at Chapada and Pimenteiras.

Rufous-tailed Flatbill  Ramphotrigon ruficauda  Seen at Rio Azul.

Cinnamon Attila  Attila cinnamomeus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia, heard only at Rio Azul.

White-eyed Attila ◊  Attila bolivianus  Seen at Porto Jofre area.

Bright-rumped Attila  Attila spadiceus  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Amazonian Umbrellabird  Cephalopterus ornatus  Very good views at Jardin da Amazonia.

Screaming Piha  Lipaugus vociferans  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Spangled Cotinga  Cotinga cayana  Seen at Rio Azul.

Bare-necked Fruitcrow  Gymnoderus foetidus  Guaporé River, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin  Tyranneutes stolzmanni  Seen at Rio Azul, heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin ◊  Neopelma sulphureiventer  Seen at Pimenteiras.

Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin ◊  Neopelma pallescens  Great views from Pantanal area.

Helmeted Manakin ◊  Antilophia galeata  Great views from Chapada and Piuval.

Black Manakin ◊  Xenopipo atronitens  Seen at Pimenteiras and Rio Azul.

Snow-capped Manakin ◊  Lepidothrix nattereri  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia, heard only at Rio Azul.

Flame-crested Manakin ◊ (F-crowned M)  Heterocercus linteatus  Seen at Rio Azul.

White-bearded Manakin  Manacus manacus  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Band-tailed Manakin  Pipra fasciicauda  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes area.

Fiery-capped Manakin  Machaeropterus pyrocephalus  Seen at Vale da Benção and Rio Azul.

White-crowned Manakin  Pseudopipra pipra  Seen at Rio Azul.

Red-headed Manakin  Ceratopipra rubrocapilla  Seen at Rio Azul.

Black-crowned Tityra  Tityra inquisitor  Seen at Pimenteiras.

Black-tailed Tityra  Tityra cayana  Seen at Vila Bela wetlands and Pimenteiras.

Masked Tityra  Tityra semifasciata  Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Brown-winged Schiffornis (Thrush-like S)  Schiffornis turdina Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

White-naped Xenopsaris ◊  Xenopsaris albinucha  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Green-backed Becard  Pachyramphus viridis  Seen at Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

White-winged Becard  Pachyramphus polychopterus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Crested Becard  Pachyramphus validus  Seen at Vale da Benção, Chapada.

Rufous-browed Peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis  Seen in Chapada, heard only Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Ashy-headed Greenlet ◊  Hylophilus pectoralis  Seen at Guaporé River.

Grey-chested Greenlet ◊  Hylophilus semicinereus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Dusky-capped Greenlet  Pachysylvia hypoxantha  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Chivi Vireo  Vireo chivi  Chapada, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Purplish Jay ◊  Cyanocorax cyanomelas  More common in Chapada and Pantanal but see at other sites.

Curl-crested Jay ◊  Cyanocorax cristatellus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Sand Martin (Bank Swallow)  Riparia riparia  Seen at Campos do Jofre.

White-rumped Swallow  Tachycineta leucorrhoa  Bigger numbers at Aroe Jari Road, also in Vila Bela and Pantanal.

White-winged Swallow  Tachycineta albiventer  Seen along rivers like Guaporé, Cuiaba and Rio Azul.

White-banded Swallow  Atticora fasciata  Guaporé River, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Blue-and-white Swallow  Pygochelidon cyanoleuca  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes area.

Southern Rough-winged Swallow  Stelgidopteryx ruficollis  Common and widespread species.

Brown-chested Martin  Progne tapera  Aroe Jari, Vila Bela, Pimenteiras and Campos do Jofre.

Purple Martin (NM)  Progne subis or Southern Martin (AM) Progne elegans  One bird at Guaporé River. One bird was seen at the Guaporé River by some members of the group. I also saw another one sitting on the cables during the drive from Pimenteiras to Jardin da Amazonia. The dates of each sighting were September 12 (Guaporé River), and September 13 (Drive to Jardin da Amazonia). I did some research about the migration pattern of each species, and technically both have chances to be seen on those particular dates, so there is no way that we can be 100% sure of the ID by time of the year. Southern Martin tends to migrate more by the base of the Andes, but the Guaporé River area is right in the migration route that they have, and some birds at that moment are starting to go back to their breeding grounds, and by October the first ones should be getting there. On the other hand, Purple Martins technically could appear in the area as well, especially early migrants. More likely they could appear in those areas of Central Brazil by late September and October, but again there are early migrants that perfectly could be on those dates.

Grey-breasted Martin  Progne chalybea  Thousands were seen at Campos do Jofre, practically seen in each locality.

Barn Swallow (NM)  Hirundo rustica  Aroe Jari Road, Pimenteiras, and Pantanal area.

American Cliff Swallow  Petrochelidon pyrrhonota  Like 30 birds were seen at Aroe Jari Road.

Black-capped Donacobius  Donacobius atricapilla  Vila Bela wetlands, Guaporé River and Pantanal.

Thrush-like Wren  Campylorhynchus turdinus  Vale da Benção, Pimenteiras, and Jardin da Amazonia.

Moustached Wren  Pheugopedius genibarbis  Vale da Benção and Jardin da Amazonia.

Buff-breasted Wren  Cantorchilus leucotis  Piuval and Gas Station stop from Jardin da Amazonia to Cuiaba.

Fawn-breasted Wren ◊  Cantorchilus guarayanus  Guaporé River and Porto Jofre.

House Wren  Troglodytes aedon  Scattered sites, mostly in urban areas or hotel grounds.

Chattering Gnatwren ◊  Ramphocaenus sticturus  Pimenteiras and Jardin da Amazonia.

Trilling Gnatwren  Ramphocaenus melanurus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Masked Gnatcatcher  Polioptila dumicola  Chapada, Piuval and Mato Grosso Hotel.

Chalk-browed Mockingbird  Mimus saturninus  More common in drier areas like Chapada and Vila Bela.

White-necked Thrush  Turdus albicollis  Vale da Benção and Pimenteiras.

Pale-breasted Thrush  Turdus leucomelas  Chapada and Pimenteiras.

Rufous-bellied Thrush  Turdus rufiventris  Seen at Chapada and Pantanal.

House Sparrow (introduced)  Passer domesticus  Seen around towns.

Yellowish Pipit  Anthus chii  Aroe Jari Road and Vila Bela.

Purple-throated Euphonia  Euphonia chlorotica  Seen at Vale da Benção and heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

White-lored Euphonia (Golden-bellied E)  Euphonia chrysopasta  Seen at Rio Azul.

White-vented Euphonia  Euphonia minuta  Seen at Rio Azul.

Thick-billed Euphonia  Euphonia laniirostris  Vila Bela, Pimenteiras and Jardin da Amazonia.

Orange-bellied Euphonia  Euphonia xanthogaster  Seen at Rio Azul.

Rufous-bellied Euphonia  Euphonia rufiventris   Seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Grassland Sparrow  Ammodramus humeralis   Seen at Chapada dos Guimaraes and Vila Bela.

Saffron-billed Sparrow  Arremon flavirostris   Seen at Vale da Benção and Piuval.

Rufous-collared Sparrow  Zonotrichia capensis  Seen at Chapada dos Guimaraes area.

Red-breasted Blackbird  Leistes militaris  Seen at Vila Bela and Rio Azul.

White-browed Blackbird  Leistes superciliaris  Seen at Aroe Jari Road and Pantanal area.

Crested Oropendola  Psarocolius decumanus  Seen at Pimenteiras, Porto Jofre and Rio Azul.

Olive Oropendola (Para O, Amazonian O)  Psarocolius bifasciatus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Solitary Cacique  Cacicus solitarius  Seen at Vila Bela and Pantanal.

Yellow-rumped Cacique  Cacicus cela  Seen in each locality that we stayed.

Orange-backed Troupial  Icterus croconotus  Seen at Pimenteiras and Piuval.

Variable Oriole  Icterus pyrrhopterus  Seen at Vila Bela, Piuval and Porto Jofre.

Epaulet Oriole  Icterus cayanensis  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Giant Cowbird  Molothrus oryzivorus  Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Shiny Cowbird  Molothrus bonariensis  Vila Bela, Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Scarlet-headed Blackbird ◊  Amblyramphus holosericeus  Great views along the Transpantaneira Road.

Chopi Blackbird  Gnorimopsar chopi  Chapada and Pantanal.

Greyish Baywing  Agelaioides badius  Seen in the Pantanal area.

Unicolored Blackbird  Agelasticus cyanopus  Seen in marshes in the Pantanal.

Southern Yellowthroat  Geothlypis velata  Seen in Campos de Jofre.

Tropical Parula  Setophaga pitiayumi  Vila Bela, Pimenteiras and Piuval.

Flavescent Warbler  Myiothlypis flaveola  Good views at Piuval.

Golden-crowned Warbler  Basileuterus culicivorus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes area.

Red Tanager (Lowland Hepatic T)  Piranga flava  Seen at Mirante Geodesico, Chapada.

Coal-crested Finch ◊  Charitospiza eucosma  Seen at Agua Fria Road, Chapada.

Hooded Tanager  Nemosia pileata  Seen at Jamacâ Road, Chapada.

Wedge-tailed Grass Finch  Emberizoides herbicola  Seen at Mirante Geodesico Chapada.

Green Honeycreeper  Chlorophanes spiza  Seen at Rio Azul.

Yellow-backed Tanager  Hemithraupis flavicollis  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Guira Tanager  Hemithraupis guira  Seen at Chapada and Vila Bela.

Swallow Tanager  Tersina viridis  Chapada, Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Purple Honeycreeper  Cyanerpes caeruleus  Seen at Rio Azul.

Red-legged Honeycreeper  Cyanerpes cyaneus  Chapada, Vila Bela and Pimenteiras.

Short-billed Honeycreeper  Cyanerpes nitidus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Blue Dacnis  Dacnis cayana  Chapada, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Black-faced Dacnis  Dacnis lineata  Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Black-throated Saltator ◊  Saltatricula atricollis  Seen at Agua Fria Road and Estrada Geladeira, Chapada.

Bluish-grey Saltator  Saltator coerulescens  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Buff-throated Saltator  Saltator maximus  Chapada and Jardin da Amazonia.

Bananaquit  Coereba flaveola  Chapada, Pimenteiras and Rio Azul.

Blue-black Grassquit  Volatinia jacarina  Seen in all the locations that we stayed.

Cone-billed Tanager ◊  Conothraupis mesoleuca  Three individuals were seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Grey-headed Tanager  Eucometis penicillate  Seen at Piuval.

Flame-crested Tanager  Loriotus cristatus  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Red Pileated Finch (Red-crested F)  Coryphospingus cucullatus  Seen at Chapada, Pimenteiras and Piuval.

Fulvous-crested Tanager  Tachyphonus surinamus  One female was seen at Rio Azul.

White-lined Tanager  Tachyphonus rufus  Seen several times in Chapada Guimaraes area.

Silver-beaked Tanager  Ramphocelus carbo  Seen in each location that we stayed.

Double-collared Seedeater  Sporophila caerulescens  Boute feeders, Chapada and Jardin da Amazonia.

Yellow-bellied Seedeater  Sporophila nigricollis  Seen at Pimenteiras.

Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch (Lesser S F)  Sporophila angolensis  Chapada, Vila Bela and Piuval.

Great-billed Seed Finch ◊  Sporophila maximiliani  One birds was seen at Vila Bela wetlands.

Plumbeous Seedeater  Sporophila plumbea  Seen at Cerrado habitat at Chapada Guimaraes.

Rusty-collared Seedeater  Sporophila collaris  Seen at Pantanal, mainly at Campos do Jofre.

White-bellied Seedeater  Sporophila leucoptera  Seen at Campos do Jofre and Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel. The subspecies S. leucoptera bicolor, was photographed by Jonathan at Pimenteiras.

Black-and-tawny Seedeater ◊  Sporophila nigrorufa  Big flock was seen at Vila Bela, one of the main specialties of the tour.

Tawny-bellied Seedeater ◊  Sporophila hypoxantha  Several birds were joining the Black-and-tawny Seedeater flock.

Dark-throated Seedeater ◊  Sporophila ruficolis  Few birds joining the Black-and-tawny Seedeater flock at Vila Bela.

White-rumped Tanager ◊  Cypsnagra hirundinacea  Seen at Cerrado habitat at Chapada.

Chestnut-vented Conebill  Conirostrum speciosum  Seen at Mirante Geodisico and Piuval.

Saffron Finch  Sicalis flaveola  Seen at Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Shrike-like Tanager ◊ (White-banded T)  Neothraupis fasciata  Seen at Agua Fria Road at Chapada.

Black-faced Tanager  Schistochlamys melanopis  Seen at Chapada, Vila Bela and Rio Azul.

Red-crested Cardinal  Paroaria coronate  One bird seen around Piuval rooms, also at Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

Yellow-billed Cardinal ◊  Paroaria capitata  Seen at Piuval, Rio Claro feeders and at Pantanal Mato Grosso Hotel.

Red-capped Cardinal  Paroaria gularis  Seen at Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Blue-grey Tanager  Thraupis episcopus  Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Sayaca Tanager  Thraupis sayaca  Chapada, Vila Bela and Pantanal.

Palm Tanager  Thraupis palmarum  Seen at each location that we stayed, even in small numbers.

Blue-necked Tanager  Stilpnia cyanicollis  Chapada, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Masked Tanager  Stilpnia nigrocincta  One couple seen joining a mixed flock at Jardin da Amazonia.

Burnished-buff Tanager  Stilpnia cayana  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Bay-headed Tanager  Tangara gyrola  Seen at Rio Azul.

Green-and-gold Tanager  Tangara schrankii  Seen at Rio Azul.

Turquoise Tanager  Tangara mexicana  Vila Bela, Pimenteiras, Jardin da Amazonia and Rio Azul.

Paradise Tanager  Tangara chilensis  Just seen at Jardin da Amazonia.

Opal-rumped Tanager  Tangara velia  A couple was seen at Rio Azul.

MAMMALS

Nine-banded Armadillo  Dasypus novemcinctus  Seen at Agua Fria Road, Chapada Guimaraes.

Yellow Armadillo (Yellow A)  Euphractus sexcinctus  One seen at his burrow at Vila Bela.

Silvery Marmoset  Mico argentatus  Heard only at Jardin da Amazonia.

Guianan Brown Capuchin  Cebus apella  Chapada, Vila Bela, Pimenteiras.

Bearded Capuchin (Black-striped C)  Cebus libidinosus  Seen at Piuval and Porto Jofre.

Black-and-gold Howler Monkey  Alouatta caraya  Seen at Piuval and Porto Jofre.

White-cheeked Spider Monkey (W-whiskered) ◊  Ateles marginatus  Endemic. Seen at Rio Azul.

Tapeti (Brazilian Cottontail)  Sylvilagus brasiliensis  Seen during our night tour at Piuval.

Brazilian (Cavy) Guinea Pig  Cavia aperea  Seen at Pantanal area.

Capybara  Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris  Seen at Vila Bela Jardin da Amazonia and Pantanal.

Azara’s Agouti  Dasyprocta azarae  Seen in the Pantanal area, at different locations.

Jaguar  Panthera onca  A successful Jaguar trip with 5 different individuals.

Crab-eating Fox  Cerdocyon thous  Vila Bela, Jardin da Amazonia, Piuval and Rio Azul.

Giant Otter  Pteronura brasiliensis  Seen at Porto Jofre boat rides, also was seen at Rio Azul.

Lowland Tapir (Brazilian T)  Tapirus terrestris  Seen at Aroe Jari Road, Chapada. Also, at Mato Grosso Hotel.

Marsh Deer  Blastocerus dichotomus  Several sights from Pantanal area.

Red Brocket (R B Deer)  Mazama americana  Seen at Pantanal, along the Transpantaneira Road.

Bolivian Boto  Inia boliviensis  Three individuals of River Dolphins seen in the Guaporé River, Noel Kempff Mercado NP.

Lesser Bulldog Bat (L Fishing B)  Noctilio albiventris  Campos do Jofre at dusk for the ones who didn’t did the boat ride.

Greater Bulldog Bat* (G Fishing B)  Noctilio leporinus  Seen at Guaporé River at dusk, and nice views from the ponds of Jardin da Amazonia.