INTERIOR BRAZIL & THE PANTANAL TOUR REPORT 2024

4 / 6 - 20 / 27 September 2024

by Leo Garrigues

This new version of the Interior Brazil & Pantanal Tour was extremely successful. We visited some of the finest quality cerrado in Brazil, combined with areas of caatinga—where we observed several exclusive species—complemented by the Northern Pantanal and a pre-extension visit to Mata Atlântica at the Caraça Sanctuary. This combination of different biomes allowed us to record 499 bird species and 28 mammal species. In addition to the sheer number of species recorded, we saw some of the finest quality birds, including the Critically Endangered Blue-eyed Ground Dove and the Brazilian Merganser, which were the main stars of the tour. The spectacle of Jaguars in the Pantanal was undoubtedly another major highlight, with 10 different individuals recorded. Equally spectacular was the chance to see Maned Wolf up close at the Caraça Sanctuary during the pre-extension — a truly memorable experience that was later repeated in wild conditions at Serra do Cipó. Other fantastic moments on the tour included witnessing impressive Hyacinth Macaws, enjoying amazing open views of Ocellated Crake, admiring the spectacular Giant Snipe, and even seeing an Ocelot hunt a Pauraque! Other remarkable species to mention included the following birds: Yellow-legged, Brown, Tataupa, Undulated and Red-winged Tinamous (all of which were seen), Spotted Nothura, Chaco Chachalaca, Chestnut-bellied Guan, Plain-tailed Nighthawk, Spot-tailed and Rufous Nightjars, as well as Sooty, Great Dusky and Biscutate Swifts. We also encountered a variety of hummingbirds, including Cinnamon-throated, Planalto and Scale-throated Hermits; Hyacinth Visorbearer; Horned Sungem; White-tailed Goldenthroat; Stripe-breasted Starthroat; and Outcrop and Diamantina Sabrewings. In addition, we saw Pheasant and Pavonine Cuckoos, Long-tailed Ground Dove, Sungrebe, Blackish Rail, Giant Wood Rail, Pantanal Snipe, White-rumped Sandpiper and Sunbittern, as well as Jabiru, Agami Heron, King Vulture, Rufous-thighed Kite, Crane Hawk, Great Horned, Spectacled and Rusty-barred Owls, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Amazonian Motmot, Brown Jacamar, Caatinga Puffbird, Rusty-breasted Nunlet, Spotted Piculet, and several woodpecker species including Checkered, Golden-green, Pale-crested, Ochre-backed and Robust Woodpeckers. We also recorded Collared Forest Falcon, Yellow-faced Parrot, Nanday and Golden-capped Parakeets, and various macaws such as the Golden-collared, Blue-winged and Red-shouldered Macaws. Other species included Campo Miner, Moustached, Great Rufous and Scaled (Wagleri subspecies) Woodcreepers, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Great Xenops, Henna-capped Foliage-gleaner, Greater and Orange-eyed Thornbirds, Firewood-gatherer, Cipo Canastero, Caatinga and Grey-crested Cacholote, and several spinetails—namely, Grey-headed, Chotoy, White-lored, Red-shouldered and Cinereous-breasted Spinetails. We also noted Stripe-backed Antbird, Narrow-billed, Serra, Large-billed and Caatinga Antwrens, and Silvery-cheeked, Barred (Caatinga) and Large-tailed Antshrikes. Further species included Ochre-rumped, Dusky-tailed, Mato Grosso and White-bibbed Antbirds, White-browed Antpitta, Rufous Gnateater, Brasilia Tapaculo, Collared Crescentchest, Grey-backed Tachuri, ‘Pantanal’ Doradito, Greater (Caatinga) Wagtail-Tyrant, Minas Gerais Tyrannulet, Chapada Flycatcher, Plain Inezia, Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, Yellow-browed Tyrant, Crested and São Francisco Black Tyrant, White Monjita, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Shear-tailed Grey Tyrant, Rufous and Ash-throated Casiornis, White-eyed Attila, Pale-bellied and Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin, Helmeted, Pin-tailed and Band-tailed Manakins, Greenish Schiffornis, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Curl-crested and White-naped Jays, Tawny-headed Swallow, Ochre-breasted and Hellmayr’s Pipits, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Pectoral, Saffron-billed and São Francisco Sparrows, Pale Baywing, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, White-striped and White-rimmed Warblers, Coal-crested Finch, Scarlet-throated Tanager, Pampa, Serra and Blue Finches, Lesser Grass Finch, Black-throated Saltator, Dubois’s, White-throated and Buffy-fronted Seedeaters, Long-tailed Reed Finch, Cinereous Warbling Finch, Stripe-tailed Yellow Finch, Red-crested and Red-cowled Cardinal, and Brassy-breasted Tanager. This impressive selection of birds illustrates the remarkable success of the tour. Notable mammals recorded on the tour included Giant Anteater (seen on several occasions), Southern Tamandua, Neotropical and Giant Otters, Lowland Tapir, Common Red and Common Brown Brockets, Pampas and Marsh Deer, Black-tufted-ear and Black-tailed Marmosets and Black-and-gold Howler.

The pre-tour extension started in Belo Horizonte, where, after picking up the last person at the airport, we headed up to the Caraça Sanctuary. Housed in an old monastery with a rich history dating back to colonial times, when the Portuguese were colonising Brazil, this site not only holds historical significance but also protects excellent areas of Mata Atlântica forest and offers a fine Campo Rupestre habitat, where we observed several specialties. The main objective of the pre-tour extension was to see Maned Wolf, the largest canine in South America and a notoriously difficult species to spot in the wild. Over the years, some Maned Wolves have become accustomed to being fed by the people at the monastery, although they remain wild and sometimes delay their appearance—or do not appear at all on certain nights. Fortunately, our group saw a Maned Wolf on the first night without having to wait long; an individual was seen lingering around the parking lot just before the food was put out at about 7:30 pm, the usual feeding time at the monastery. On the second night, three Maned Wolves appeared around 10:45 pm, but by that time our group had already gone to sleep. We had one afternoon, a full day, and one morning to explore the Caraça Sanctuary, during which our excellent local guide, Marcelo, showed us a remarkable variety of species. The reserve offers high-quality birding, with a good complement of Mata Atlântica species as well as several Campo Rupestre specialties. The best bird sighting was undoubtedly Diamantina Sabrewing, which provided our group with excellent views. Another highlight was the Serra Antwren, a restricted Brazilian endemic—we saw the nominate subspecies, which is confined to eastern Minas Gerais and the adjacent Espírito Santo state. Other Campo Rupestre specialties seen at the sanctuary included stunning views of Hyacinth Visorbearer (in the right light conditions), the endemics Grey-backed Tachuri, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, and Serra Finch, as well as nice views of Cinnamon Tanager. Sadly, Rock Tapaculo was only glimpsed by some and was heard by most of the group. We were also fortunate to obtain excellent views of a couple of Shear-tailed Grey Tyrants, an uncommon and localised species in its distribution range. Along with Diamantina Sabrewing, Shear-tailed Grey Tyrant was probably the best species we observed during our visit. Regarding the Mata Atlântica species, we recorded an impressively diverse array. Perhaps the most remarkable for our group was Large-tailed Antshrike, which finally performed very well for us after causing complications in previous encounters. Other Mata Atlântica highlights included Brown Tinamou, Dusky-legged Guan, Sick’s Swift, Scale-throated Hermit, Brazilian Ruby, Violet-capped Woodnymph, Sombre Hummingbird, Blackish Rail, Slaty-breasted Wood Rail, White-tailed Hawk, Surucua Trogon, Toco Toucan, White-barred Piculet, as well as both Yellow-eared and Robust Woodpeckers, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner, Orange-eyed Thornbird, and Pallid, Rufous-capped and Spix’s Spinetails. We also recorded Black-capped Antwren, Variable Antshrike, and several antbird species—including Ochre-rumped, Dusky-tailed and White-bibbed forms—as well as White-shouldered Fire-eye, Grey-headed Elaenia, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Grey-hooded Flycatcher, Drab-breasted Bamboo Tyrant, Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher, Velvety Black Tyrant, Sibilant Sirystes, and Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin. Our sightings were further enhanced by Blue and Pin-tailed Manakins (including a very fine adult male), Chestnut-crowned Becard, Grey-eyed Greenlet, White-necked Thrush, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, White-rimmed Warbler, and a suite of tanagers—including Red (Lowland Hepatic), Rufous-headed, Black-goggled, Ruby-crowned and Brassy-breasted forms—as well as Dubois’s and Buffy-fronted Seedeaters. After our first night with the Maned Wolf, we conducted an owling session on the second night and managed to obtain excellent views of a pair of Rusty-barred Owls. Following our very pleasant visit to the Caraça Sanctuary, we continued our journey to Montes Claros, where we met the rest of our group who joined us for the main tour.

The next day, we officially began the main tour by visiting Lapa Grande State Park, located quite close to the city of Montes Claros. With Alex as our local guide, we managed to see practically all the main targets of the area. Lapa Grande State Park offers a combination of scrub caatinga and arboreal caatinga, with the influence of riparian woodland provided by natural springs in the reserve. An unusual cold front influenced the weather that day, resulting in very pleasant temperatures. The main specialties observed at Lapa Grande included several restricted endemics such as Outcrop Sabrewing, Minas Gerais Tyrannulet, Sao Francisco Black Tyrant and the Sao Francisco Sparrow. Other noteworthy species were Yellow-legged Tinamou, Rusty-breasted Nunlet (an uncommon species across much of its range) and the unusual Ash-throated Casiornis. In general, it was an extremely bird‐rich day, further complemented by sightings of Stripe-breasted Starthroat, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Versicoloured Emerald, Surucua Trogon, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, White-wedged Piculet, both Little and Golden-green Woodpeckers, Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet, Caatinga Parakeet, and Olivaceous, Planalto and Scaled Woodcreepers. We also recorded Pale-legged Hornero, Stripe-backed Antbird, Black-bellied Antwren, as well as Silvery-cheeked, Barred (Caatinga) and Planalto Antshrikes, Southern Scrub Flycatcher, Euler’s and Fuscous Flycatchers, Grey-eyed Greenlet, Buff-breasted Wren, Masked Gnatcatcher, Saffron-billed Sparrow, Flavescent and Golden-crowned Warblers, Hooded Tanager, Grey Pileated Finch and Chestnut-vented Conebill. Other species observed around Montes Claros included Blackish Rail, Brazilian Teal, Wattled Jacana, Burrowing Owl and White Monjita. We also had a brief owling session during which we saw the Tropical Screech Owl and Pauraque, rounding off our successful day.

We left Montes Claros before dawn and drove north to Januária, where we stayed for two nights to explore the area. In this region, the landscape becomes drier and there is a stronger influence of caatinga birds. On our first day in Januária, we visited Cavernas do Peruaçu National Park—an important reserve protecting an arboreal caatinga forest similar to that of Lapa Grande. Although located further north, it shares many species with Lapa Grande and serves as an excellent backup in case any targets are missed there. The main attraction of Cavernas do Peruaçu is its dramatic landscape; it is also one of the most important prehistoric archaeological sites in Brazil, with numerous caves and ancient rock paintings—a truly fascinating place. In terms of birding, our visit produced several excellent sightings. The star of the day was the Moustached Woodcreeper; an individual attending an ant swarm of Army Ants performed exceptionally well for our group. We also enjoyed good views of Tataupa Tinamou, and a large flock of Biscutate Swifts was flying low, offering excellent photographic opportunities to capture their distinctive white collar. Other species that complemented our day included Plumbeous Pigeon, Blue Ground Dove, King Vulture, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Grey-lined Hawk, Spectacled Owl, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Red-legged Seriema, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, both Caatinga and Golden-capped Parakeets, Planalto Woodcreeper, Grey-headed Spinetail, Caatinga Antwren, Great Antshrike, Grey-headed Elaenia, Southern Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet, Sao Francisco Black Tyrant, Helmeted Manakin, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, White-naped Jay and Campo Troupial. Once we reached our pousada, we enjoyed a fantastic dinner featuring typical Brazilian cuisine.

The following morning, we had an early breakfast before dawn. At first light, we heard a group of Scarlet-throated Tanagers—a species not commonly seen that tends to vocalise more at this time. We obtained excellent views of a group of three individuals, although none displayed the red throat seen in other parts of the species’ range. After this tanager display, we went directly in search of White-browed Antpitta. The previous afternoon we had tried for it without success, so we tried again this morning and finally managed to show the bird to every member of the group, although it took some effort. While searching for the antpitta, we also encountered Great Xenops—a further highlight of the morning. Once we finished with the antpitta, we turned our attention to finding Red-shouldered Spinetail; a pair was well hidden in the scrubby caatinga but was eventually seen clearly. An unexpected sighting was that of a White-browed Guan, which was flushed and only briefly glimpsed; this is a very good, yet notably shy, species in the area. Other species recorded during our morning session included Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Toco Toucan, Caatinga Puffbird, Ochre-backed Woodpecker, Red-billed Scythebill, both Narrow-billed and Scaled (Wagler’s) Woodcreepers, Grey-headed Spinetail, Ochre-lored Flatbill, Swainson’s Flycatcher and Red-cowled Cardinal. After such a productive morning, we returned to our pousada to rest during the heat of the day and enjoy a tasty lunch. In the afternoon, we began by birding around the local villages in search of Caatinga Cacholote; we also spotted Pale Baywing and Campo Troupial. We then continued to the margins of the São Francisco River, where our session was highly productive. Species recorded included Brazilian Teal, Fork-tailed Palm Swift, both Grey-cowled and Giant Wood Rails, Limpkin, White-backed Stilt, Pied Plover, Large-billed Tern, Green-barred Woodpecker, Campo Flicker, Band-tailed Hornero, both Yellow-chinned and Chotoy Spinetail, Large Elaenia, Suiriri Flycatcher, Greater (Caatinga) Wagtail-Tyrant, Black-backed Water Tyrant, White-winged Swallow, Chestnut-capped Blackbird, Bluish-grey Saltator and White-throated Seedeater. The main star of the afternoon was Plain-tailed Nighthawk, a highly localised Brazilian endemic restricted to the São Francisco River and its tributaries, which provided excellent close-up views in good light. As night fell, we added further species such as Rufous Nightjar and Common Potoo.

The following day, after breakfast, we left the area and continued on to the little town of Boutumirim, where we stayed for two nights to explore the region. We arrived in time for an afternoon birding session. Our local guide, Gledisson, showed our group some excellent birds. On the first afternoon, we visited Mata dos Lobos—a fragment of semideciduous forest, a transitional habitat between Mata Atlântica and arboreal caatinga—that hosts an interesting mix of species. During this session, we recorded a localised Brazilian endemic, Narrow-billed Antwren, one of the main targets in this habitat. Other species of interest included Ochre-cheeked Spinetail, Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher, Helmeted Manakin, Brown-chested Martin, Ultramarine Grosbeak and Green-winged Saltator. We then returned to our accommodation to rest and enjoy dinner.

The next day, we visited the Rolinha do Planalto Reserve, also known as the Blue-eyed Ground Dove Reserve. Established in 2018 by the Brazilian organisation SAVE Brazil, the reserve protects the known population of Blue-eyed Ground Doves—currently estimated at 16 mature individuals. Early in the morning, Gledisson took us to an area where birders can try to see this species. We patiently scanned the bushes and road edges, waiting for any sign or call of the bird, and spread out a little to cover more ground. Finally, we saw Gledisson signalling with his hands, so we hurried over. As we approached slowly, we managed to obtain very decent views of one individual that had been foraging by the roadside before moving into the bushes and starting to sing. After a few minutes, it flew away from the main road—our only sighting of the species. What a privilege it was to see one of the rarest and most threatened birds in the world; we were truly lucky. For the remainder of the day, we continued exploring an intriguing mosaic of habitats, which included cerrado—with a combination of campo rupestre, grasslands and gallery woodland—and a touch of caatinga. This interesting mosaic produced excellent quality and diversity of species. Cinereous Warbling Finch was one of the best birds of the morning, and other notable species included Planalto Hermit, Hyacinth Visorbearer, White-vented Violetear, Horned Sungem, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, White-eared Puffbird, Spotted Piculet, Red-shouldered Macaw, Greater Thornbird, Stripe-backed Antbird, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Caatinga Antwren, Collared Crescentchest, Plain-crested, Lesser and Small-headed Elaenias, Minas Gerais Tyrannulet, Crested and Velvety Black-Tyrants, Grey Monjita, Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Campo Troupial, Southern Yellowthroat, Serra Finch, White-bellied Seedeater and Cinnamon Tanager. At dusk, we spotted Least Nighthawk, but the most interesting surprise was seeing a Giant Snipe on the ground just a few metres away—a definite major highlight that perfectly capped off our fantastic day.

Our last morning in Boutumirim, we revisited Mata dos Lobos to try to record any additional species for the tour. During our session, we noted several new species for the trip, including Black Jacobin, Rufous Gnateater, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant (a first sighting for the main tour) and Greenish Schiffornis. We also made some random stops along the way in higher-altitude areas, where we observed birds such as Short-tailed Hawk, Yellow-bellied and Small-billed Elaenias and Fulvous-crowned Scrub Tyrant. Essentially, the remainder of the day was spent driving—the longest drive of the tour.

The following day, we were at Serra do Cipó, where we explored areas of campo rupestre and grasslands in search of the local specialties. The best encounter during the morning was a completely wild sighting of a Maned Wolf in its natural habitat; we enjoyed prolonged views as the wolf walked through the grasslands. In terms of birds, we observed several noteworthy species including Lesser Grass Finch, Hellmayr’s Pipit, Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant and Long-tailed Reed Finch. We tried in various locations to find Rock Tapaculo, but unfortunately, we did not detect any signs of it. It had been a very dry year, and the area had been affected by serious fires in the weeks before our visit. Other species seen during the morning included Scissor-tailed Nightjar, White-tailed Hawk, Campo Flicker, Peach-fronted Parakeet, Crested Black Tyrant, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Grassland Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, Pampa Finch and both Cinnamon and Burnished-buff Tanagers. The afternoon session was rather poor, and we saw very little. Our main objective was to try for the difficult Marsh Tapaculo, but we had no success. Eventually, we heard one individual and saw it flying across the grasses. We did see Grey-backed Tachuri and Wedge-tailed Grass Finch, and we also heard Ocellated Poorwill at dusk. After that, we returned to our hotel to rest for the following day.

Later, we visited Lapinha da Serra, an area of Campo Rupestre that hosts some of the more challenging specialties of Serra do Cipó. The hike was a bit challenging, though manageable if taken at a leisurely pace. We obtained excellent views of Cipo Canastero—a species that has become increasingly difficult to see in recent years. Sadly, we missed other targets such as Diamantina Sabrewing, Cipo Cinclodes and Rock Tapaculo. Other species recorded during the day included Hyacinth Visorbearer, White-vented Violetear, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Firewood-gatherer, both Small-billed and Plain-crested Elaenias, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Masked Water Tyrant, Curl-crested Jay, Golden-rumped Euphonia, Southern Yellowthroat and Flavescent Warbler.

During our last morning in Cipó, we visited Moro de Pilar to try once again for Marsh Tapaculo—now that we knew its location. Unfortunately, this species is very photophobic and remained hidden in dark areas. Some of us could discern its shape using a thermal camera, but no details were visible. Without a doubt, the best bird of the morning was Blue Finch, which provided spectacular, close-up views in excellent light conditions. Other species observed during the morning included Spix’s Spinetail, Bran-coloured Flycatcher, Green-winged Saltator and Grey Pileated Finch. We then returned to our hotel for a late breakfast and packed to continue our journey to Pompeu.

We arrived in Pompeu in the early afternoon to meet our excellent local guide, Afonso. Our strategy for the afternoon/evening session proved very successful, as we visited several of Afonso’s stakeouts in different habitats around the town—including areas with small lagoons, open fields, agricultural land and gallery forest. The best birds seen during the day were Spotted Nothura, which provided excellent and prolonged views, and the localised Henna-capped Foliage-gleaner, which displayed secretive, skulking behaviour. Other species observed during the day included Glittering-throated Emerald, Guira Cuckoo, Burrowing Owl, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Band-tailed Hornero, Large Elaenia, Yellow-browed Tyrant, Black-capped Donacobius, Chestnut-capped Blackbird and Swallow Tanager. We then waited until dark, and our night session was very productive, yielding excellent views of both Little and Spot-tailed Nightjars, as well as brief glimpses of Nacunda Nighthawk.

The next day, after an early breakfast, Afonso took us to an Ocellated Crake stakeout, which delivered as a crake provided a spectacular show for our group. Unfortunately, the locality where Rufous-faced Crake was once seen no longer exists, as the habitat has been destroyed. For the remainder of the morning, we explored cerrado areas and some gallery forest, where we observed species such as Planalto Hermit, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Crane Hawk, Great Black Hawk, Red-legged Seriema, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Southern Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet, Southern Scrub Flycatcher, Curl-crested Jay, White-rumped Swallow, Crested Oropendola and enjoyed excellent views of Coal-crested Finch. After this productive morning, we continued our journey to São Roque do Minas, where we stayed for the following four nights to explore Serra da Canastra in the coming days.

During our first full day here, we visited the high part of Canastra National Park, located at the upper section of a mountain plateau that hosts extensive cerrado grasslands where some of the most exquisite bird specialties can be seen. After an early breakfast, our local guide, Toninho, and a crew of 4×4 drivers, picked us up for the journey into the upper part of the park. One of our main objectives was to search for the elusive Brazilian Merganser, which sometimes appears in the upper section of Casca D’anta Waterfall. We spent a significant portion of the morning scanning, but unfortunately, we did not locate one. Despite the ongoing dry season, which had reduced overall bird activity, persistence paid off, and we had an excellent day with numerous highlights.Among the standout sightings were great views of Sooty Swift, the rare and unpredictable Campo Miner, Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant, Cock-tailed Tyrant, Tawny-headed Swallow, and the localized endemic White-striped Warbler. We also observed Striped-tailed Yellow Finch and a pair of Yellow-faced Parrots, though only André managed to capture a photograph of them. Additional species that enriched our day on the canastra plateau included Red-winged Tinamou, Rusty-margined Guan, Least Nighthawk, Great Dusky Swift, White-collared Swift, Planalto Hermit, White-vented Violetear, Buff-necked Ibis, King Vulture, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, White-eared Puffbird, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Small-headed Elaenia, Sooty and White-crested Tyrannulets, the endemic Grey-backed Tachuri, White-rumped Monjita, Helmeted Manakin, Grass Wren, Chopi Blackbird, Yellow-rumped Marshbird, Wedge-tailed Grass Finch and Cinnamon Tanager. Apart from the birds, we also had some memorable mammal encounters including Pampas Deer, a Neotropical Otter, and our first sighting of a Giant Anteater on the tour.

On our second full day in Serra da Canastra, our primary focus was the region’s star species—the elusive Brazilian Merganser. We dedicated the morning to searching different sections of the São Francisco River, carefully scanning areas where our guide, Toninho, knew of potential territories. After checking six different vantage points without success, we arrived at our seventh and final stop just before lunch. To our excitement, we spotted a merganser in the distance! Once everyone had a chance to see it, we quickly strategized a way to get closer. Navigating through fences and following narrow trails, we managed to reach a section of the river where the merganser was resting on the rocks along the riverbank. The views were absolutely spectacular. Shortly after, the bird took off, leaving us in awe of our well-timed and fortunate encounter. During our intense search for Brazilian Merganser, we also observed a variety of other birds, including Muscovy Duck, Rufous-thighed Kite, Whistling Heron, Green-barred Woodpecker, Aplomado Falcon, Golden-capped Parakeet, Black-capped Antwren, Planalto Tyrannulet, Grey-hooded Flycatcher, White-throated Spadebill, Black-tailed Tityra, Plush-crested Jay, Golden-crowned Warbler, and several tanagers, including Guira, Rufous-headed, and Ruby-crowned Tanagers. We also recorded three species of seedeaters: Lined, Double-collared, and Dubois’s Seedeaters. In the afternoon, we explored areas with potential for Planalto Foliage-gleaner but had no luck finding it. We also searched a known site for Chaco Eagle, though unfortunately, it didn’t make an appearance. However, while searching for these mega targets, we still managed to see Dusky-legged Guan, Sick’s Swift, White-tailed Hawk, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Lesser Elaenia, and Pale-breasted Spinetail. After an exhilarating and successful day, we returned to our hotel to enjoy a well-deserved dinner, celebrating our achievement with a few beers.

On our third full day, we returned to the upper part of Canastra National Park for another round of exploration. Our morning began with an exciting search for Brasilia Tapaculo, which performed exceptionally well, offering clear and unobstructed views—an incredible way to start the day. Another major highlight was Ochre-breasted Pipit, which showed beautifully, along with a pair of Yellow-faced Parrots seen flying overhead. However, our search for Black-masked Finch proved unsuccessful despite our best efforts. The particularly dry conditions may have made this species more elusive than usual. We spent the rest of the day thoroughly exploring the national park, adding several great species to our list. Among them were another sighting of the Red-winged Tinamou, as well as Stripe-breasted Starthroat, Firewood-gatherer, Spix’s Spinetail, Bran-colored Flycatcher, Crested Black Tyrant, White-throated Kingbird, Swainson’s Flycatcher, Blue Finch, Plumbeous Seedeater, White-rumped Tanager, and Shrike-like Tanager. Overall, despite dipping on Black-masked Finch, it was another rewarding day in Canastra, with some fantastic sightings and memorable moments.

The last day of the main tour was primarily a travel day as we drove to Belo Horizonte to catch our flight to Cuiabá, where the Pantanal extension would begin. On our way out of São Roque de Minas, we spotted a pair of Rusty-margined Guans perched in roadside trees. Along the way, we also encountered common species such as Guira Cuckoo and Southern Lapwing, but there were no major birding highlights during the drive. Upon arrival at the airport, we said farewell to our excellent driver, Paulo, and, after lunch, continued on to Cuiabá, where we spent the night.

The next morning, after a fantastic breakfast, we set off for Chapada dos Guimarães, a region of cerrado habitat interspersed with transitional deciduous and semi-deciduous forests—home to a fascinating mix of species. The first part of the morning took us through deciduous forest, Mauritia palm groves, and patches of evergreen forest. The highlight of the morning was an incredible encounter with a Pheasant Cuckoo, which gave us prolonged and satisfying views. Other notable species seen included Greater Rhea, Tataupa Tinamou (seen well), Short-tailed Swift, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Wood Stork, Buff-necked Ibis, Rufous-thighed and Swallow-tailed Kites, Great Black Hawk, Amazonian Motmot, Brown Jacamar, Black-fronted Nunbird, White-wedged Piculet, and a variety of colorful macaws—Blue-winged, Red-and-green, and Red-shouldered. Additional sightings included Streaked Xenops, Large-billed Antwren, Plain Antvireo, Large, Small-billed, and White-crested Elaenias, Variegated Flycatcher, Band-tailed Manakin, Purplish Jay, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Saffron-billed Sparrow, and Red Pileated Finch. In the late afternoon, as temperatures cooled, we explored an open cerrado area, which proved highly productive. We had excellent views of two species not recorded during the main tour—Chapada Flycatcher and Checkered Woodpecker. Other highlights included fantastic sightings of Collared Crescentchest and Coal-crested Finch, as well as Scaled Pigeon, White-eared Puffbird, Rusty-backed Antwren, Plain-crested Elaenia, Black-throated Saltator, and Shrike-like Tanager. It was a fantastic way to wrap up the day at Chapada dos Guimarães, setting the stage for the next phase of our adventure in the Pantanal.

The following morning, we visited Vale da Benção for another productive birding session, adding several species to our growing trip list. The highlight of the morning was an outstanding encounter with a Pavonine Cuckoo, which gave us excellent views out in the open. Other notable species seen included Tataupa Tinamou, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Amazonian Motmot, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Lettered and Chestnut-eared Aracaris, Channel-billed and Toco Toucans, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Red-and-green Macaw, Buff-throated Woodcreeper, Western Fire-eye, Forest and Greenish Elaenias, Fuscous Flycatcher, Thrush-like and Moustached Wrens, Pale-breasted Thrush, Pectoral Sparrow, and Grey-headed and White-shouldered Tanagers. After wrapping up our morning at Vale da Benção, we continued toward the Pantanal. Once we entered the Transpantaneira Road, we tried to stay focused and avoid stopping for common species to ensure we arrived on time for our afternoon boat ride. However, we made an exception for two excellent finds along the way—Pantanal Snipe and Yellowish Pipit. Upon arriving at Rio Claro, we checked the feeders, where Nanday Parakeets were the main attraction, along with several other common species. This year, according to local guides and residents, the Pantanal was experiencing one of its driest years—if not the driest. Perhaps for this reason, our afternoon boat ride was particularly rewarding, as many birds and mammals congregated near water sources. Numerous birds came to the riverbanks to drink, including Undulated Tinamou, Chestnut-bellied Guan, White-throated and Red-throated Piping Guans, and Bare-faced Curassow. One of the main highlights was a spectacular Scarlet-headed Blackbird, as well as fantastic views of an adult Agami Heron. Other noteworthy sightings included Sick’s Swift, White-necked Jacobin, Sungrebe, Grey-cowled Wood Rail, Pied Plover, Black Skimmer, Sunbittern, Jabiru, Plumbeous, Buff-necked, and Green Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Rufescent Tiger Heron, Capped Heron, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Grey-headed Kite, Crane and Savanna Hawks, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Pale-crested Woodpecker, and several falcons—Laughing, Aplomado, and Bat Falcons. Additionally, we saw Turquoise-fronted Amazon, Rusty-backed Spinetail, White-headed Marsh Tyrant, Lesser Kiskadee, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Variable Oriole, Giant Cowbird, Unicolored Blackbird, and Yellow-billed Cardinal. As dusk fell, we observed several Band-tailed Nighthawks and a Little Nightjar on our drive back to the hotel. Mammal sightings during the boat ride were equally impressive. We encountered two different groups of Giant Otters, South American Coati, three Lowland Tapirs, Common Brown Brocket, Bearded Capuchin, Azara’s Agouti, and numerous Greater Capybaras. The ultimate highlight of the evening was spotting our first male Jaguar — one we found ourselves, making the experience even more special compared to the easier sightings expected in Porto Jofre in the coming days. After the boat ride, we continued to our accommodation, where a long checklist session awaited us to wrap up this incredible day.

The following morning, we explored a gallery forest in search of some of the Pantanal’s specialties. Bird activity was significantly quieter than usual, even during the early hours. Despite this, we managed to find some of our key targets, including Cinnamon-throated Hermit, Mato Grosso Antbird, and White-lored Spinetail. Other species seen included Gilded Sapphire, Sunbittern, Snail Kite, Scaly-headed Parrot, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Rufous-fronted Thornbird, Grey-crested Cacholote, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Scarlet Flycatcher, Brown-chested Martin, Masked Gnatcatcher, Solitary Cacique, Orange-backed Troupial, and Red-crested Cardinal. After lunch, we continued along the Transpantaneira Road toward Porto Jofre. Along the way, we made a stop at a known roosting site for Great Horned Owls, where we had good views of these impressive birds. Later in the afternoon, we spent time at Campos do Jofre, though the extreme dryness had left only a few remaining lagoons in the area. Despite the conditions, we successfully located our primary target—the ‘Pantanal Doradito,’ an isolated population of Subtropical Doradito that resides in the region year-round. Other interesting sightings included Nacunda Nighthawk, Bare-faced Ibis, Whistling Heron, Golden-collared Macaw, Greater Thornbird, Chotoy Spinetail, White-rumped and Cliff Swallows, Brown-chested Martin, Black-capped Donacobius, Unicolored Blackbird, and Double-collared and Rusty-collared Seedeaters. We arrived at our accommodation at dusk and wrapped up the day with a well-deserved dinner and a few beers, celebrating another successful day in the Pantanal.

After an early breakfast, we set out for a full morning boat ride on the Cuiabá River. It didn’t take long to find our first Jaguar, but this female was sleeping and remained inactive, so we continued exploring other sections of the river. Eventually, we spotted another individual swimming, providing us with fantastic photo opportunities. With our main target successfully seen, we enjoyed a more relaxed birding session along the river. Some of the highlights from our morning boat ride included Southern Screamer, Chaco Chachalaca, White-throated Piping Guan, a roosting Great Potoo, Greater Ani, Striped Cuckoo, Rusty-backed Spinetail, Lesser Kiskadee, and Variable Oriole. After the boat ride, we searched for Hyacinth Macaws in the Porto Jofre area, where we were rewarded with excellent views. In the afternoon, we embarked on another boat ride, adding more species to our list, including Blue Ground Dove, Boat-billed Heron, Golden-collared Macaw, Rufous Casiornis, White-eyed Attila, Fawn-breasted Wren, and Orange-headed Tanager. On our way back to the dock at dusk, we observed large numbers of Band-tailed Nighthawks. By the end of the day, we had seen a total of eight different Jaguars, along with six Giant Otters, three Lowland Tapirs, Bearded Capuchins, numerous Capybaras, and a spectacular display of Greater Bulldog Bats at dusk. Before returning to the hotel, we made a brief night stop, where we had exceptional views of an American Barn Owl—a perfect way to close out another incredible day in the Pantanal.

Another pre-breakfast session in the woodlands around the Porto Joffre area near our hotel was the start of our day. Our session produced birds such as Blue-crowned Trogon, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Monk Parakeet, Red-billed Scythebill, Great Antshrike, Forest Elaenia, Plain Inezia, Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant, Euler’s and Fuscous Flycatcher, Fawn-breasted Wren, Golden-crowned Warbler, and Grey-headed Tanager. After breakfast, we drove back along the Transpantaneira Road to Pousada Piuval, where we would stay for two nights. Along the route, we saw some interesting things, including our third sighting of a Giant Anteater—one individual crossing the road. Regarding birds, we finally saw Long-tailed Ground Dove, a species that had eluded us until now. Other birds observed during the drive to Piuval included Pantanal Snipe (in the same place where we saw it days ago), Blue-crowned Parakeet, White-browed Meadowlark, and Rusty-collared Seedeater. During the afternoon, we took our first safari ride on the property of Pousada Piuval, which proved to be very successful. Piuval is a great location to clean up on your Pantanal bird list. Our first target was Great Rufous Woodcreeper, which we saw without complications. After that, we checked the lagoons, where we observed a good congregation of birds, including our first Maguari Stork for the tour. Other birds seen during the safari included Greater Rhea, Southern Screamer, White-faced and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Muscovy Duck, Brazilian Teal, Nacunda and Band-tailed Nighthawks, Purple Gallinule, Pied Plover, Pantanal Snipe (again), Solitary, Stilt, White-rumped and Pectoral Sandpipers, Sunbittern, Jabiru, Bare-faced Ibis, Campo Flicker, White-rumped Monjita, Black-capped Donacobius, and Greyish Baywing. We also looked for animals after sunset, and our main surprise was to see an Ocelot hunting a Pauraque, giving prolonged views—what a show! Other interesting encounters included Striped Owl, a rare species in the region and a write-in for the tour, as well as Common Potoo and Great Horned Owl. We tried for Black-banded Owl, but this species refused to behave, and to be honest, it was a bit scary to look for it because a Jaguar was making sounds in the distance, not too far away! So, we decided to return to the hotel for dinner and to work on another long list.

On our last full day of the tour, we started with an early safari before breakfast, where we obtained terrific views of a Giant Anteater—the fourth sighting of the entire tour and the second during the Pantanal extension—with great photo opportunities. After seeing the Giant Anteater, we received information about a Southern Tamandua (another species of anteater), which we took advantage of to try to see. We also looked for birds during the pre-breakfast session, but nothing particularly special was observed aside from Straight-billed Woodcreeper, which was new for our tour list. At this stage, finding new birds had become a bit tricky, but we kept on looking. We embarked on two more safaris—one after breakfast and another in the afternoon—during which we managed to see Long-tailed Ground Dove, Great Horned Owl (during the day), White-wedged Piculet, White-fronted, Little, Green-Barred and Pale-crested Woodpeckers, Red-legged Seriema, Collared Forest Falcon, Bat Falcon, Hyacinth Macaw, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Grey-crested Cacholote, White-lored Spinetail, Large-billed Antwren, Mato Grosso Antbird, Rufous Casiornis, Green-backed Becard, Purplish Jay, Variable Oriole, Southern Yellowthroat, and Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch. During the night, we received a tip from another group about a Jaguar sighting, so we went to look for it. It was a bit of an adventure to relocate the Jaguar when our group arrived, but thanks to our thermal camera, we found it and obtained excellent views of a Jaguar at night. We also saw a Boat-billed Heron and observed mammals such as a Crab-eating Fox and a Common Red Brocket.

Our last day of the tour was essentially a wrap-up day, as most of our targets had already been seen, but we continued to try to add more birds to our list. Before breakfast, we visited areas of open fields with lagoons, hoping to find seedeaters, a Long-winged Harrier, or other unexpected species typical of that habitat. Although nothing particularly unusual appeared, we enjoyed nice views of Black-and-gold Howlers. In terms of birds, the best sightings during our pre-breakfast safari were a White-crested Tyrannulet and Plain Inezia. After breakfast, we tried to locate White Woodpecker—a species that surprisingly had not appeared at all during the tour—but instead, we observed White-tailed Goldenthroat, which was a new addition to our list. We also saw White-bellied Seedeater and Chotoy Spinetail, among other common birds. We had lunch at Poconé and continued our search for the White Woodpecker without success. Finally, we headed to the Cuiabá airport, where the tour concluded. Many thanks to all our local guides, drivers, boatmen, and everyone who helped us in one way or another, as well as to our enthusiastic group for their positive attitude, which contributed greatly to the success of the tour.

TOP BIRDS OF THE  PRE-TOUR EXTENSION

1^st Diamantina Sabrewing

2^nd Maned Wolf

3^rd Rusty-barred Owl

4^th Hyacinth Visorbearer

5^th Large-tailed Antshrike

TOP BIRDS OF THE MAIN TOUR

1^st Blue-eyed Ground Dove

2^nd Brazilian Merganser

3^rd Ocellated Crake

4^th Giant Snipe

5^th Blue Finch

TOP BIRDS OF THE POST-TOUR EXTENSION

1^st Jaguar

2^nd Hyacinth Macaw

3^rd Ocelot

4^th Collared Forest Falcon

5^th Giant Anteater

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE TOUR

Species marked with the diamond symbol (◊) are either endemic to the country or local region or considered ‘special’ birds for some other reason (e.g., it is only seen on one or two Birdquest tours; it is difficult to see across all or most of its range; the local form is endemic or restricted-range and may in future be treated as a full species).

The species names and taxonomy used in the bird list follows Gill, F., Donsker, D., & Rasmussen, P.(Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v14.2).

Where the subspecies seen is/are known, these are often given in parentheses at the end of the species comment.

Species only seen on the Maned Wolf pre-tour extension are marked (M) and species only seen on the Pantanal post-tour extension are marked (P).

BIRDS

Greater Rhea  Rhea americana  Seen at the Pantanal extension, first at Chapada Guimaraes, latter on at Piuval.

Brown Tinamou  Crypturellus obsoletus  Seen at Caraça Sanctuary.

Undulated Tinamou  Crypturellus undulatus  One bird came to drink water during the Rio Claro boat ride.

Yellow-legged Tinamou ◊  Crypturellus noctivagus  Endemic. Good views at Lapa Grande, heard only at Peruaçu.

Small-billed Tinamou  Crypturellus parvirostris Heard only at different localities.

Tataupa Tinamou  Crypturellus tataupa  Good views at Peruaçu and Chapada Guimaraes.

Red-winged Tinamou  Rhynchotus rufescens  Very good views at Serra da Canastra.

Spotted Nothura  Nothura maculosa  Excellent views at Pompeu.

Southern Screamer (P)  Chauna torquata  Seen on different days in the Pantanal.

White-faced Whistling Duck  Dendrocygna viduata  Some groups where seen at Piuval lagoons.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck  Dendrocygna autumnalis

Muscovy Duck  Cairina moschata

Brazilian Teal (B Duck)  Amazonetta brasiliensis

Brazilian Merganser ◊  Mergus octosetaceus  Amazing views of one male at Canastra, but no one said it would be easy.

Chaco Chachalaca ◊ (P)  Ortalis canicollis  Common at Pantanal.

Rusty-margined Guan ◊  Penelope superciliaris  Seen at Canastra on 2 different days.

Dusky-legged Guan  Penelope obscura  Common and used to people at Caraça, also 3 individuals were seen in gallery forest of Canastra.

Chestnut-bellied Guan ◊ (P)  Penelope ochrogaster  Endemic.  Common at Pantanal, especially around the grounds of the hotels.

White-browed Guan ◊  Penelope jacucaca  Endemic. One individual was flushed at Peruaçu.

White-throated Piping Guan ◊ (P)  Pipile grayi  Common at Porto Jofre, but 2 individuals were seen at Rio Claro.

Red-throated Piping Guan  Pipile cujubi  Common at Rio Claro and Pixaim river.

Bare-faced Curassow  Crax fasciolata  Several were seen at Pantanal.

Nacunda Nighthawk (P)  Chordeiles nacunda  Best views at Piuval, also seen at Pompeu and Cuiaba River.

Least Nighthawk ◊  Chordeiles pusillus  Seen at dusk at Canastra NP on two different days.

Band-tailed Nighthawk (P)  Nyctiprogne leucopyga

Plain-tailed Nighthawk ◊  Nyctiprogne vielliardi  Endemic. Excellent close views at São Francisco River near Peruaçu.

Pauraque  Nyctidromus albicollis

Little Nightjar  Setopagis parvula  Best views at Pompeu, also seen at Rio Claro.

Spot-tailed Nightjar  Hydropsalis maculicaudus  Great views at Pompeu.

Scissor-tailed Nightjar  Hydropsalis torquata  Brief views at Serra do Cipó.

Ocellated Poorwill  Nyctiphrynus ocellatus  Heard only at Cipo.

Rufous Nightjar  Antrostomus rufus  Excellent views at Peruaçu.

Great Potoo  Nyctibius grandis

Common Potoo  Nyctibius griseus

Sooty Swift ◊  Cypseloides fumigatus  Seen well at Canastra NP.

Great Dusky Swift ◊  Cypseloides senex  Some groups at Canastra NP.

White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris

Biscutate Swift ◊  Streptoprocne biscutata  Very good views at Cavernas do Peruaçu.

Sick’s Swift  Chaetura meridionalis

Short-tailed Swift  Chaetura meridionalis  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes, in areas of Mauritia palms forest.

Fork-tailed Palm Swift  Tachornis squamata

White-necked Jacobin  Florisuga mellivora

Black Jacobin ◊  Florisuga fusca  Seen at Botumirim.

Cinnamon-throated Hermit ◊ (P)  Phaethornis nattereri  One seen in the gallery forest of Pixaim River.

Planalto Hermit ◊  Phaethornis pretrei  Seen at different localities during the trip.

Scale-throated Hermit ◊ (M)  Phaethornis eurynome  Seen at Caraça.

Hyacinth Visorbearer ◊  Augastes scutatus  Endemic. Best views at Caraça, also seen at Botumirim and Cipó.

White-vented Violetear ◊  Colibri serrirostris  A regular bird in Cerrado and Campo Rupestre areas.

Horned Sungem ◊  Heliactin bilophus  Good views at Botumirim.

White-tailed Goldenthroat  Polytmus guainumbi  One individual seen on our last morning at Piuval.

Brazilian Ruby ◊ (M)  Heliodoxa rubricauda  Endemic. Seen at Caraça.

Stripe-breasted Starthroat ◊  Heliomaster squamosus  Endemic. Seen at Lapa Grande and Canastra.

Glittering-bellied Emerald  Chlorostilbon lucidus

Outcrop Sabrewing ◊ (Dry Forest S)  Campylopterus calcirupicola  Endemic. Good views of several individuals at Lapa Grande State Park.

Diamantina Sabrewing ◊  Campylopterus diamantinensis  Endemic. Only one individual seen at Caraça, but with excellent views.

Fork-tailed Woodnymph (Common W)  Thalurania furcata

Violet-capped Woodnymph ◊ (M)  Thalurania glaucopis  Seen at Caraça.

Swallow-tailed Hummingbird ◊  Eupetomena macroura

Sombre Hummingbird ◊  Eupetomena cirrochloris  Seen at Caraça.

Versicolored Emerald  Chrysuronia versicolor  Only one individual seen at Caraça.

Glittering-throated Emerald  Chionomesa fimbriata

Gilded Sapphire (G Hummingbird)  Hylocharis chrysura  Good views at Pixaim and Porto Jofre.

Guira Cuckoo  Guira guira

Greater Ani  Crotophaga major  One bird seen at Cuiaba River.

Smooth-billed Ani  Crotophaga ani

Striped Cuckoo  Tapera naevia

Pheasant Cuckoo (P)  Dromococcyx phasianellus  Great views at Chapada Guimaraes.

Pavonine Cuckoo (P)  Dromococcyx pavoninus  Excellent views in the open at Chapada Guimaraes.

Squirrel Cuckoo  Piaya cayana

Rock Dove (introduced)  Columba [livia] var_domestica

Scaled Pigeon  Patagioenas speciosa

Picazuro Pigeon  Patagioenas picazuro

Pale-vented Pigeon  Patagioenas cayennensis

Plumbeous Pigeon  Patagioenas plumbea  Only seen at Cavernas do Peruaçu.

Scaled Dove  Columbina squammata

Ruddy Ground Dove  Columbina talpacoti

Picui Ground Dove  Columbina picui

Blue-eyed Ground Dove ◊  Columbina cyanopis  Superb Endemic! The bird of the trip!! One individual seen very well at Botumirim.

Blue Ground Dove  Claravis pretiosa  Seen at Peruaçu and Cuiaba River.

Long-tailed Ground Dove ◊  Uropelia campestris  A total of 9 individuals were seen at Pixaim and another one at Piuval.

White-tipped Dove  Leptotila verreauxi

Eared Dove  Zenaida auriculata

Sungrebe (P)  Heliornis fulica  Excellent views at Rio Claro boat ride.

Blackish Rail  Pardirallus nigricans  Seen at Caraça, also at Montes Claros.

Ash-throated Crake ◊  Mustelirallus albicollis  Heard only at Canastra.

Grey-cowled Wood Rail  Aramides cajaneus

Giant Wood Rail  Aramides ypecaha  Good views at  São Francisco River.

Slaty-breasted Wood Rail ◊ (M)  Aramides saracura  Excellent views at Caraça.

Common Gallinule  Gallinula galeata  Seen at Montes Claros.

Purple Gallinule (P)  Porphyrio martinica

Ocellated Crake ◊  Micropygia schomburgkii  Amazing views in the open at Pompeu.

Grey-breasted Crake  Laterallus exilis  Heard only at Piuval.

Limpkin  Aramus guarauna

White-backed Stilt  Himantopus melanurus

Pied Plover (P) (P Lapwing)  Hoploxypterus cayanus

Southern Lapwing  Vanellus chilensis

Wattled Jacana (P)  Jacana jacana

Giant Snipe ◊  Gallinago undulata  Superb views at Botumirim.

Pantanal Snipe (P)  Gallinago paraguaiae  We saw it twice in the same spot at the Transpantaneira Road, but also another sighting at Piuval.

Solitary Sandpiper (P)  Tringa solitaria

Lesser Yellowlegs  Tringa flavipes

Greater Yellowlegs  Tringa melanoleuca

Stilt Sandpiper  Calidris himantopus  Seen at Piuval.

White-rumped Sandpiper  Calidris fuscicollis Seen at Piuval.

Pectoral Sandpiper  Calidris melanotos  Seen at Piuval.

Black Skimmer (P)  Rynchops niger

Yellow-billed Tern  Sternula superciliaris

Large-billed Tern  Phaetusa simplex

Sunbittern  Eurypyga helias  Common species at Pantanal.

Wood Stork (P)  Mycteria americana

Jabiru (P)  Jabiru mycteria  Seen at Pantanal, but not the big numbers that normally could be in the area.  I only managed to see just one nest in this visit.

Maguari Stork (P)  Ciconia maguari  Two individuals at Piuval.

Anhinga (P)  Anhinga anhinga  One individual at Rio Claro, and 12 at Cuiaba River.

Neotropic Cormorant (P)  Nannopterum brasilianum

Plumbeous Ibis (P)  Theristicus caerulescens  Common at Pantanal.

Buff-necked Ibis  Theristicus caudatus  First seen at Canastra, also at Pantanal.

Green Ibis  Mesembrinibis cayennensis  Seen at Pantanal.

Bare-faced Ibis (P)  Phimosus infuscatus  The less common Ibis species, but several individuals were seen at Pantanal.

Roseate Spoonbill (P)  Platalea ajaja

Rufescent Tiger Heron (P)  Tigrisoma lineatum

Boat-billed Heron (P)  Cochlearius cochlearius  Seen at Rio Claro, Cuiaba River and Piuval.

Agami Heron (P) (Chestnut-bellied H)  Agamia agami  Stunning views at Rio Claro.

Black-crowned Night Heron (P)  Nycticorax nycticorax

Capped Heron (P)  Pilherodius pileatus

Whistling Heron (P)  Syrigma sibilatrix

Little Blue Heron (P)  Egretta caerulea

Snowy Egret  Egretta thula

Striated Heron (P) (Green-backed H)  Butorides striata

Western Cattle Egret  Bubulcus ibis

Great Egret (American G E)  Ardea [alba] egretta

Cocoi Heron (P)  Ardea cocoi

King Vulture  Sarcoramphus papa  Seen at Peruaçu and Canastra NP.

Black Vulture  Coragyps atratus

Turkey Vulture  Cathartes aura

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture  Cathartes burrovianus  One individual at Caraça, several individuals at Pantanal.

Osprey (P)  Pandion haliaetus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes and Pantanal.

Grey-headed Kite  Leptodon cayanensis  One individual at Rio Claro.

Swallow-tailed Kite  Elanoides forficatus

Rufous-thighed Kite ◊  Harpagus diodon  First seen at Canastra, also at Chapada Guimaraes.

Plumbeous Kite  Ictinia plumbea

Black-collared Hawk (P)  Busarellus nigricollis  Several birds were seen at Pantanal.

Snail Kite  Rostrhamus sociabilis  Seen at Pantanal.

Crane Hawk  Geranospiza caerulescens  First seen at Pompeu, but several sightings at different localities of Pantanal.

Savanna Hawk  Buteogallus meridionalis

Great Black Hawk  Buteogallus urubitinga

Roadside Hawk  Rupornis magnirostris

Harris’s Hawk (Bay-winged H)  Parabuteo unicinctus  Non-leader. Seen at Pantanal by one of the participants.

White-tailed Hawk  Geranoaetus albicaudatus

Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle  Geranoaetus melanoleucus

Grey-lined Hawk  Buteo nitidus  One individual seen at Cavernas do Peruaçu.

Short-tailed Hawk  Buteo brachyurus  Seen at Botumirim and Canastra.

American Barn Owl  Tyto furcata  Excellent views at Porto Jofre.   

Burrowing Owl  Athene cunicularia

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl  Glaucidium brasilianum

Striped Owl  Asio clamator  It was a write in for the tour, and was seen at Piuval, excellent views by the way.

Great Horned Owl  Bubo virginianus  Seen on different days at Pantanal.

Tropical Screech Owl  Megascops choliba  Seen at Lapa Grande.

Spectacled Owl  Pulsatrix perspicillata  Seen at Peruaçu.

Rusty-barred Owl ◊ (M)  Strix hylophila  Great views at Caraça.

Mottled Owl  Strix virgata  One individual was vocalizing in the distance while we were waiting for Maned Wolf during our second night at Caraça.

Black-banded Owl  Strix huhula  Heard only at Peruaçu.

Blue-crowned Trogon  Trogon curucui  Seen at Porto Jofre area.

Surucua Trogon ◊  Trogon surrucura  First seen at Caraça, also at Lapa Grande.

Amazon Kingfisher  Chloroceryle amazona

Green Kingfisher  Chloroceryle americana

Green-and-rufous Kingfisher (P)  Chloroceryle inda  Great views at Rio Claro boat ride.

Ringed Kingfisher  Megaceryle torquata

Amazonian Motmot (P)  Momotus momota  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes and Pixaim gallery forest.

Brown Jacamar (P)  Brachygalba lugubris  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar  Galbula ruficauda

White-eared Puffbird  Nystalus chacuru  Seen at Botumirim, Canastra and Chapada Guimaraes.

Caatinga Puffbird ◊  Nystalus maculatus  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu, heard only in other localities.

Rusty-breasted Nunlet ◊  Nonnula rubecula  Excellent views at Lapa Grande.

Black-fronted Nunbird (P)  Monasa nigrifrons  Good views at Chapada Guimaraes and Piuval.

Lettered Aracari  Pteroglossus inscriptus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Chestnut-eared Aracari (P)  Pteroglossus castanotis  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Channel-billed Toucan  Ramphastos vitellinus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Toco Toucan  Ramphastos toco

Spotted Piculet ◊  Picumnus pygmaeus  Endemic. Seen at Botumirim.

White-barred Piculet ◊  Picumnus cirratus  Seen at Caraça and Cipó.

White-wedged Piculet ◊  Picumnus albosquamatus  Seen at Lapa Grande, Botumirim, Cipo and Pantanal.

Yellow-tufted Woodpecker  Melanerpes cruentatus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

White-fronted Woodpecker  Melanerpes cactorum  A localized species in our tour, which only is seen at Piuval.

Little Woodpecker  Veniliornis passerinus

Checkered Woodpecker ◊  Veniliornis mixtus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Yellow-eared Woodpecker ◊  Veniliornis maculifrons  Endemic. Our group saw an individual at Caraça.  At the moment I identify as White-spotted Woodpecker, but checking photos latter I noticed that was at juvenile male of Yellow-eared Woodpecker.

Golden-green Woodpecker  Piculus chrysochloros  Seen at Lapa Grande.

Green-barred Woodpecker  Colaptes melanochloros  Seen at Peruaçu, Canastra, Cipó and Pantanal.

Campo Flicker  Colaptes campestris

Pale-crested Woodpecker ◊ (P)  Celeus lugubris  Seen at Rio Claro and Piuval.

Ochre-backed Woodpecker ◊  Celeus ochraceus  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu.

Lineated Woodpecker  Dryocopus lineatus

Robust Woodpecker ◊  Campephilus robustus  Seen at Caraça.

Crimson-crested Woodpecker  Campephilus melanoleucos  Seen at Peruaçu and Porto Jofre.

Red-legged Seriema ◊  Cariama cristata

Crested Caracara  Caracara plancus

Yellow-headed Caracara  Milvago chimachima

Laughing Falcon  Herpetotheres cachinnans

Collared Forest Falcon  Micrastur semitorquatus  Great views at Piuval.

Aplomado Falcon  Falco femoralis

Bat Falcon  Falco rufigularis

Monk Parakeet (P)  Myiopsitta monachus  Common at Pantanal.

Yellow-chevroned Parakeet  Brotogeris chiriri

Scaly-headed Parrot  Pionus maximiliani  Seen at different localities, including Caraça, Botumirim, Cipó and Pantanal.

Yellow-faced Parrot ◊  Alipiopsitta xanthops  Seen on both visits that we did to the upper area of Canastra NP.

Turquoise-fronted Amazon ◊  Amazona aestiva

Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet  Forpus xanthopterygius  Seen at Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

Hyacinth Macaw ◊ (P)  Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus  Excellent views at Porto Jofre, also seen at Piuval.

Peach-fronted Parakeet ◊  Eupsittula aurea

Caatinga Parakeet ◊ (Cactus P)  Eupsittula cactorum  Endemic. Seen at Lapa Grande, Peruaçu and Botumirim.

Nanday Parakeet (P) (Black-hooded P)  Aratinga nenday  Excellent views at Rio Claro and Pixaim.

Golden-capped Parakeet ◊  Aratinga auricapillus  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu and Canastra.

Golden-collared Macaw ◊ (P) (Yellow-c M)  Primolius auricollis  Seen at Pantanal, at Cuiaba River also along the Tranpantaneira Road.

Blue-winged Macaw (P)  Primolius maracana  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Blue-and-yellow Macaw  Ara ararauna  One individual seen at Pompeu.

Red-and-green Macaw  Ara chloropterus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Red-shouldered Macaw  Diopsittaca nobilis  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Blue-crowned Parakeet  Thectocercus acuticaudatus  Seen at Pixaim.

White-eyed Parakeet (P)  Psittacara leucophthalmus

Rufous-breasted Leaftosser (M)  Sclerurus scansor  Seen by some at Caraça, most of the group just heard it.

Campo Miner ◊  Geositta poeciloptera  Excellent views at Canastra NP.

Olivaceous Woodcreeper  Sittasomus griseicapillus

Planalto Woodcreeper ◊ (M)  Dendrocolaptes platyrostris  Great views at Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

Moustached Woodcreeper ◊  Xiphocolaptes [falcirostris] franciscanus  Endemic. Fantastic views at Peruaçu.  We saw the franciscanus subspecies, which is a different one than the one that is possible in the NE Brazil tour which is the nominate race.  It has significant difference in the voice and the habitat preferences, as this one occurs in arboreal Caatinga, and the nominate one tends to have preferences in areas of Carnaubal habitat (Caatinga with Carnuabal palm trees).

Great Rufous Woodcreeper ◊  Xiphocolaptes major  Seen at Piuval.

Buff-throated Woodcreeper  Xiphorhynchus guttatus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Straight-billed Woodcreeper  Dendroplex picus  Seen at Piuval.

Red-billed Scythebill  Campylorhamphus trochilirostris  Best views at Porto Jofre, but also at Peruaçu.

Narrow-billed Woodcreeper  Lepidocolaptes angustirostris

Scaled Woodcreeper ◊ (Wagler’s W)  Lepidocolaptes [squamatus] wagleri  Endemic. Seen at Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

Streaked Xenops  Xenops rutilans  Seen at Canastra (lower part) and Chapada Guimaraes.

Band-tailed Hornero ◊  Furnarius figulus  Endemic. Seen at São Francisco River, also seen at Pompeu.

Pale-legged Hornero  Furnarius leucopus

Rufous Hornero  Furnarius rufus

Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper  Lochmias nematura  Excellent views at Caraça and Canastra NP.

Great Xenops ◊  Megaxenops parnaguae  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu.

Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner ◊ (M)  Syndactyla rufosuperciliata  Seen at Caraça.

Henna-capped Foliage-gleaner ◊  Clibanornis rectirostris  Seen at Pompeu.

Rufous-fronted Thornbird  Phacellodomus rufifrons  The nominate subspecies seen at Caraça, the sincipitalis subspecies was seen at Pixaim in the Pantanal.

Greater Thornbird ◊  Phacellodomus ruber  First seen at Botumirim, also at Pantanal.

Orange-eyed Thornbird ◊ (M)  Phacellodomus erythrophthalmus  Endemic. Seen at Caraça.

Firewood-gatherer  Anumbius annumbi  Seen at Cipó and Canastra NP.

Cipo Canastero ◊  Asthenes luizae  Endemic. Good views at Lapinha da Serra, at Cipó.

Rusty-backed Spinetail  Cranioleuca vulpina  Seen at Rio Claro and Cuiaba River.

Pallid Spinetail ◊ (M)  Cranioleuca pallida  Seen at Caraça.

Grey-headed Spinetail ◊  Cranioleuca semicinerea  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu.

Caatinga Cacholote ◊  Pseudoseisura cristata  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu.

Grey-crested Cacholote ◊ (P)  Pseudoseisura unirufa  Seen at Pixaim and Piuval.

Yellow-chinned Spinetail  Certhiaxis cinnamomeus  Seen at São Francisco River, Pompeu and Pantanal.

Chotoy Spinetail  Schoeniophylax phryganophilus  Just a few sightings at Pantanal (one at Campos do Jofre and another one at Piuval). Also seen at São Francisco River.

Ochre-cheeked Spinetail ◊  Synallaxis scutata  Seen at Botumirim.

White-lored Spinetail ◊ (P)  Synallaxis albilora  Seen at Pixaim and Piuval.

Red-shouldered Spinetail ◊  Synallaxis hellmayri  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu.

Rufous-capped Spinetail ◊  Synallaxis ruficapilla  Seen at Caraça.

Cinereous-breasted Spinetail (P)  Synallaxis hypospodia  Seen at Campos do Jofre.

Spix’s Spinetail  Synallaxis spixi

Pale-breasted Spinetail  Synallaxis albescens  Seen at Canastra.

Sooty-fronted Spinetail  Synallaxis frontalis  Good views at Pompeu.

Stripe-backed Antbird ◊  Myrmorchilus strigilatus  First seen at Lapa Grande, also at Botumirim.

Narrow-billed Antwren ◊  Formicivora iheringi  Endemic. Seen at Mata dos Lobos, Botumirim.

Serra Antwren ◊ (M)  Formicivora serrana  Endemic. Seen only during the pre-extension to Caraça.

Black-bellied Antwren ◊  Formicivora melanogaster  Seen at Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

Rusty-backed Antwren  Formicivora rufa  Seen at Cerrado areas of Chapada Guimaraes.

Silvery-cheeked Antshrike ◊  Sakesphoroides cristatus  Endemic. Great views at Lapa Grande, Peruaçu and Botumirim.

Black-capped Antwren  Herpsilochmus atricapillus

Large-billed Antwren ◊  Herpsilochmus longirostris  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes and Piuval.

Plain Antvireo  Dysithamnus mentalis  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Barred Antshrike  Thamnophilus doliatus  Seen at Piuval.

Barred Antshrike ◊ (Caatinga B A)  Thamnophilus [doliatus] capistratus  Seen at Lapa Grande.

Planalto Slaty Antshrike ◊  Thamnophilus pelzelni  Endemic. Seen at different localities of the tour.

Variable Antshrike  Thamnophilus caerulescens  Seen at Caraça and Botumirim.

Rufous-winged Antshrike ◊  Thamnophilus torquatus  Seen at Botumirim.

Caatinga Antwren ◊  Radinopsyche sellowi  Endemic. First seen at Peruaçu, also at Botumirim.

Great Antshrike  Taraba major  Seen at Peruaçu and Pantanal.

Large-tailed Antshrike ◊ (M)  Mackenziaena leachii  Eventually we got excellent views at Caraça.

Ochre-rumped Antbird ◊ (M)  Drymophila ochropyga  Endemic. Seen at Caraça.

Dusky-tailed Antbird ◊ (M)  Drymophila malura  Seen at Caraça.

Mato Grosso Antbird ◊ (P)  Cercomacra melanaria  Seen at Pixaim and Piuval.

White-bibbed Antbird ◊ (M)  Myrmoderus loricatus. Endemic. Seen at Caraça.

Western Fire-eye (P)  Pyriglena maura  Good views at Chapada Guimaraes.

White-shouldered Fire-eye ◊  Pyriglena leucoptera  Seen at Caraça.

White-browed Antpitta ◊  Hylopezus ochroleucus  Endemic. With a bit of extra work everyone managed to see it at Peruaçu.

Rufous Gnateater  Conopophaga lineata  Seen at Mata dos Lobos (Botumirim), and heard only at Caraça.

White-breasted Tapaculo ◊ (M)  Eleoscytalopus indigoticus  Endemic. Heard only at Caraça.

Marsh Tapaculo ◊  Scytalopus iraiensis Endemic. Heard only at Morro do Pilar at Cipó.

Brasilia Tapaculo ◊  Scytalopus novacapitalis  Endemic. Excellent views at Canastra NP.

Rock Tapaculo ◊  Scytalopus petrophilus  Endemic. Glimpsed at Caraça, but heard it as well at Morro do Pilar (Cipó).

Collared Crescentchest  Melanopareia torquata  First seen at Botumirim, but best views at Chapada Guimaraes.

Planalto Tyrannulet  Phyllomyias fasciatus

Forest Elaenia  Myiopagis gaimardii  Seen at Vale da Bençao and Porto Jofre.

Grey-headed Elaenia  Myiopagis caniceps  Seen at Caraça, Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

Greenish Elaenia  Myiopagis viridicata  Seen at Vale da Bençao.

Yellow-bellied Elaenia  Elaenia flavogaster

Large Elaenia  Elaenia spectabilis  Seen at São Francisco River, Pompeu, Chapada Guimaraes and Cuiaba River.

Chilean Elaenia  Elaenia chilensis  Several individuals seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Small-billed Elaenia  Elaenia parvirostris  Seen at Lapa Grande, Cipó and Chapada Guimaraes.

Plain-crested Elaenia  Elaenia cristata  Seen at different localities of Cerrado and Campo Rupestre.

Lesser Elaenia  Elaenia chiriquensis  First seen at Botumirm, also at Canastra.

Small-headed Elaenia  Elaenia sordida  Seen at Caraça, Botumirim, Lapinha da Serra and Canastra.

Southern Beardless Tyrannulet  Camptostoma obsoletum

Suiriri Flycatcher ◊  Suiriri suiriri  Seen at São Francisco River and Chapada Guimaraes.

Sooty Tyrannulet  Serpophaga nigricans  Seen at Canastra NP.

White-crested Tyrannulet  Serpophaga subcristata  First seen at Canastra NP, also seen at Piuval.

Southern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet  Nesotriccus murinus

Grey-backed Tachuri ◊  Polystictus superciliaris  Endemic. Great views at Caraça, Cipo and Canastra NP.

‘Pantanal’ Doradito ◊ (P)  Pseudocolopteryx sp. nov.  Seen at Campos do Jofre.  This species at the moment is considered Subtropical Doradito, but is an isolated and resident population from the Pantanal. Is not well known or at least I don’t know well its taxonomic details.

Fulvous-crowned Scrub Tyrant  Euscarthmus meloryphus

Greater Wagtail-Tyrant  Stigmatura budytoides  Seen at São Francisco River.

Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet  Phylloscartes ventralis  Seen at Caraça, also seen at Lapinha da Serra (Cipó).

Minas Gerais Tyrannulet ◊  Phylloscartes roquettei  Endemic. Good views at Lapa Grande and Botumirim.

Grey-hooded Flycatcher  Mionectes rufiventris  Seen at the lower part of Canastra, also seen at Caraça.

Sepia-capped Flycatcher  Leptopogon amaurocephalus Heard only.

Chapada Flycatcher ◊  Guyramemua affine  Great views at Chapada Guimaraes.

Southern Scrub Flycatcher  Sublegatus modestus  Best views at Pompeu.

Plain Inezia ◊  Inezia inornata  First seen at Rio Claro, also seen at Porto Jofre and the very last morning at Piuval.

Bran-colored Flycatcher  Myiophobus fasciatus

Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant ◊  Culicivora caudacuta  First seen at Cipó, also seen at Canastra NP.

Drab-breasted Bamboo Tyrant ◊ (M)  Hemitriccus diops  Seen at Caraça.

Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant ◊  Hemitriccus striaticollis  Seen at Porto Jofre.

Hangnest Tody-Tyrant ◊  Hemitriccus nidipendulus  Endemic. Seen at Caraça and Mata dos Lobos (Botumirim).

Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant  Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer  Seen at Lapinha da Serra, Cipó.

Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher ◊  Poecilotriccus plumbeiceps  Seen at Caraça, also seen at Mata dos Lobos (Botumirim).

Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher ◊ (P)  Poecilotriccus latirostris  Seen at Pixaim.

Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher ◊ (Grey-headed T-F)  Todirostrum poliocephalum  Seen at Caraça.

Common Tody-Flycatcher  Todirostrum cinereum

Yellow-olive Flatbill (Y-o Flycatcher)  Tolmomyias sulphurescens

Ochre-lored Flatbill  Tolmomyias flaviventris  Seen at Lapa Grande, Peruaçu and Botumirim.

White-throated Spadebill  Platyrinchus mystaceus  Seen at Canastra lower part.

Cliff Flycatcher  Hirundinea ferruginea

Euler’s Flycatcher  Lathrotriccus euleri

Fuscous Flycatcher  Cnemotriccus fuscatus

Southern Tropical Pewee  Contopus cinereus  Seen by leader only at Lapa Grande.

Scarlet Flycatcher  Pyrocephalus rubinus

Yellow-browed Tyrant  Satrapa icterophrys  Seen at Pompeu.

Crested Black Tyrant ◊  Knipolegus lophotes  Seen at Botumirim, Cipó and Canastra.

Velvety Black Tyrant ◊  Knipolegus nigerrimus  Endemic. Seen at Caraça, Botumirim and Lapinha da Serra.

Sao Francisco Black Tyrant ◊ (Caatinga B T)  Knipolegus franciscanus  Endemic. Great views at Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

White Monjita  Xolmis irupero  Seen at Montes Claros, also seen at Januaria. 

White-rumped Monjita ◊  Xolmis velatus  Seen at Canastra and Piuval.

Grey Monjita  Nengetus cinereus  Seen at Botumirim and Canastra.

Shear-tailed Grey-Tyrant ◊ (M)  Muscipipra vetula  Excellent views of a couple at Caraça.

Streamer-tailed Tyrant  Gubernetes yetapa  Excellent views at Cipo and Canastra.

Black-backed Water Tyrant  Fluvicola albiventer

Masked Water Tyrant  Fluvicola nengeta

White-headed Marsh Tyrant (P)  Arundinicola leucocephala

Cock-tailed Tyrant ◊  Alectrurus tricolor  An specialist from Cerrado grasslands. Excellent views at Canastra NP.

Long-tailed Tyrant (M)  Colonia colonus

Cattle Tyrant  Machetornis rixosa

Rusty-margined Flycatcher  Myiozetetes cayanensis

Social Flycatcher  Myiozetetes similis

Great Kiskadee  Pitangus sulphuratus

Lesser Kiskadee (P)  Philohydor lictor  Seen at Rio Claro and Cuiaba River.

Streaked Flycatcher*  Myiodynastes maculatus

Boat-billed Flycatcher  Megarynchus pitangua

Variegated Flycatcher  Empidonomus varius  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

White-throated Kingbird  Tyrannus albogularis  Seen at Canastra.

Tropical Kingbird  Tyrannus melancholicus

Fork-tailed Flycatcher  Tyrannus savana

Sibilant Sirystes ◊  Sirystes sibilator  Seen at Caraça.

Rufous Casiornis  Casiornis rufus  Seen at Cuiaba River and Piuval.

Ash-throated Casiornis ◊  Casiornis fuscus  Endemic. Seen at Lapa Grande.

Swainson’s Flycatcher  Myiarchus swainsoni

Short-crested Flycatcher  Myiarchus ferox

Brown-crested Flycatcher  Myiarchus tyrannulus

White-eyed Attila ◊ (Dull-capped A)  Attila bolivianus  Seen at Cuiaba River.

Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin ◊  Neopelma pallescens  Good views at Botumirim.

Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin ◊ (M)  Neopelma chrysolophum  Endemic. Seen at Caraça.

Blue Manakin ◊ (M)  Chiroxiphia caudata  Seen at Caraça.

Helmeted Manakin ◊  Chiroxiphia galeata  First seen at Peruaçu, also at Botumirim and Canastra.

Pin-tailed Manakin ◊  Ilicura militaris  Endemic.  Good views of an adult male at Caraça.

Band-tailed Manakin (P)  Pipra fasciicauda  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

Fiery-capped Manakin (P)  Machaeropterus pyrocephalus  Heard only at Chapada Guimaraes.

Black-tailed Tityra  Tityra cayana  Seen at Canastra lower part.

Greenish Schiffornis ◊ (M)  Schiffornis virescens  Good views at Mata do Lobos at Botumirim.

Green-backed Becard  Pachyramphus viridis  Seen at Piuval.

Chestnut-crowned Becard  Pachyramphus castaneus  Seen at Caraça.

Rufous-browed Peppershrike  Cyclarhis gujanensis

Grey-eyed Greenlet ◊  Hylophilus amaurocephalus  Endemic. Seen at Caraça, Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

Ashy-headed Greenlet (P)  Hylophilus pectoralis  Good views at Rio Claro.

Chivi Vireo  Vireo chivi

Purplish Jay  Cyanocorax cyanomelas

Curl-crested Jay ◊  Cyanocorax cristatellus  Seen at Cerrado woodlands in places like Cipo, Canastra and Chapada Guimaraes.

Plush-crested Jay  Cyanocorax chrysops  One individual seen at Canastra lower part.

White-naped Jay ◊  Cyanocorax cyanopogon  Endemic.  Seen at Caatinga woodland at Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

White-rumped Swallow  Tachycineta leucorrhoa  First seen at Pompeu, also at Canastra and Pantanal.

White-winged Swallow  Tachycineta albiventer  Seen at São Francisco River, also at Pantanal.

Brown-chested Martin (P)  Progne tapera  Seen at Botumirim, Chapada Guimaraes and Pantanal.

Grey-breasted Martin  Progne chalybea

Southern Rough-winged Swallow  Stelgidopteryx ruficollis

Blue-and-white Swallow  Pygochelidon cyanoleuca

Tawny-headed Swallow  Alopochelidon fucata  Very good views at Canastra NP.

American Cliff Swallow  Petrochelidon pyrrhonota  Groups of 30-60 individuals (together) were seen on different days at Pantanal.

Black-capped Donacobius  Donacobius atricapilla

Thrush-like Wren  Campylorhynchus turdinus

Grass Wren (Sedge W)  Cistothorus platensis  Seen at Canastra NP.

Moustached Wren  Pheugopedius genibarbis  Seen at Vale da Bençao.

Buff-breasted Wren  Cantorchilus leucotis  Best views at Lapa Grande, heard only at other localities.

Fawn-breasted Wren ◊  Cantorchilus guarayanus  Seen at Porto Jofre and Cuiaba River.

Long-billed Wren ◊  Cantorchilus longirostris Endemic. Heard only at Peruaçu and Botumirim.

House Wren (Southern H W)  Troglodytes [aedon] musculus

Tropical Gnatcatcher  Polioptila plumbea  Seen at Lapa Grande and Botumirim.

Masked Gnatcatcher  Polioptila dumicola  Seen at Lapa Grande and Pantanal.

Chalk-browed Mockingbird  Mimus saturninus

Creamy-bellied Thrush  Turdus amaurochalinus

White-necked Thrush  Turdus albicollis  Seen at Caraça, Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

Pale-breasted Thrush  Turdus leucomelas

Rufous-bellied Thrush (M)  Turdus rufiventris

House Sparrow (introduced)  Passer domesticus

Yellowish Pipit (P)  Anthus chii  Seen at Pantanal.

Ochre-breasted Pipit ◊  Anthus nattereri  Excellent views at Canastra.

Hellmayr’s Pipit ◊  Anthus hellmayri  Excellent views at Cipó.

Hooded Siskin  Spinus magellanicus

Golden-rumped Euphonia  Chlorophonia cyanocephala  Seen at Lapinha da Serra.

Blue-naped Chlorophonia (M)  Chlorophonia cyanea  Seen at Caraça.

Purple-throated Euphonia  Euphonia chlorotica

Thick-billed Euphonia  Euphonia laniirostris

Grassland Sparrow  Ammodramus humeralis

Pectoral Sparrow  Arremon taciturnus  Seen at Vale da Bençao.

Sao Francisco Sparrow ◊  Arremon franciscanus  Endemic. Seen at Lapa Grande.

Saffron-billed Sparrow  Arremon flavirostris  Seen at Lapa Grande and Chapada Guimaraes.

Rufous-collared Sparrow  Zonotrichia capensis

White-browed Meadowlark (P) (W-b Blackbird)  Leistes superciliaris  Seen at Pantanal.

Crested Oropendola (M)  Psarocolius decumanus  Common at Caraça, also seen at Pompeu and Canastra.

Solitary Cacique  Cacicus solitarius  Seen at Pantanal.

Yellow-rumped Cacique  Cacicus cela

Campo Troupial ◊  Icterus jamacaii  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu and Botumirim.

Orange-backed Troupial  Icterus croconotus  Good views at Pantanal, visiting feeders at the hotels.

Variable Oriole  Icterus pyrrhopterus  Seen on different opportunities at Pantanal.

Giant Cowbird  Molothrus oryzivorus  Seen at Pantanal.

Shiny Cowbird  Molothrus bonariensis

Scarlet-headed Blackbird ◊ (P)  Amblyramphus holosericeus  On this visit we only saw it during the Rio Claro boat ride.

Chopi Blackbird  Gnorimopsar chopi

Greyish Baywing  Agelaioides badius  Common at Pantanal.

Pale Baywing ◊ Agelaioides fringillarius  Endemic. Seen around the villages at Peruaçu.

Unicolored Blackbird ◊ (P)  Agelasticus cyanopus  Seen at Pantanal.

Chestnut-capped Blackbird  Chrysomus ruficapillus  Big numbers at São Francisco River, also seen at Pompeu and Canastra lower part.

Yellow-rumped Marshbird ◊  Pseudoleistes guirahuro  Good views at Cipó and Canastra NP.

Southern Yellowthroat  Geothlypis velata

Tropical Parula  Setophaga pitiayumi

White-striped Warbler ◊  Myiothlypis leucophrys  Endemic.  Excellent views of this localized specialty at Canastra NP.

Flavescent Warbler  Myiothlypis flaveola

White-rimmed Warbler ◊ (W-browed W)  Myiothlypis leucoblephara  Seen at Caraça.

Golden-crowned Warbler  Basileuterus culicivorus

Red Tanager (Lowland Hepatic T)  Piranga flava  Seen at Caraça.

Ultramarine Grosbeak  Cyanoloxia brissonii  Seen at Mata dos Lobos, Botumirim.

Coal-crested Finch ◊  Charitospiza eucosma  Excellent views at Pompeu, also seen at Chapada Guimares.

Hooded Tanager  Nemosia pileata  Seen at Lapa Grande.

Scarlet-throated Tanager ◊  Compsothraupis loricata  Endemic. Three individuals at Peruaçu, but without the red throat.

Pampa Finch ◊  Embernagra platensis  Good views at Cipó

Serra Finch ◊ (Pale-throated Pampa F)  Embernagra longicauda  Endemic. Excellent views at Caraça, also at Botumirim.

Lesser Grass Finch ◊  Emberizoides ypiranganus  Seen at Cipó.

Wedge-tailed Grass Finch  Emberizoides herbicola  Seen at Cipó and Canastra NP.

Blue Finch ◊ (Yellow-billed B F)  Rhopospina caerulescens  Best views at Cipó, also at Canastra NP.

Guira Tanager  Hemithraupis guira

Rufous-headed Tanager ◊  Hemithraupis ruficapilla  Seen at Caraça and Canastra lower part.

Swallow Tanager  Tersina viridis

Blue Dacnis  Dacnis cayana

Black-throated Saltator ◊  Saltatricula atricollis  Seen at Cerrado areas of Chapada Guimaraes.

Green-winged Saltator  Saltator [similis] similis  Seen at Caraça, Lapa Grande, Botumirim and Cipo.

Bluish-grey Saltator  Saltator coerulescens  Seen at São Francisco River and Pantanal.

Bananaquit  Coereba flaveola

Blue-black Grassquit  Volatinia jacarina

Grey-headed Tanager  Eucometis penicillata  Seen at Vale da Bençao and Pantanal.

Black-goggled Tanager  Trichothraupis melanops  Seen at Caraça.

White-shouldered Tanager  Loriotus luctuosus  Seen at Vale da Bençao.

Grey Pileated Finch  Coryphospingus pileatus  Seen at Lapa Grande, Peruaçu, Cipó and Pompeu.

Red Pileated Finch (R Crested F)  Coryphospingus cucullatus  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes.

White-lined Tanager  Tachyphonus rufus

Ruby-crowned Tanager ◊  Tachyphonus coronatus  Seen at Caraça and Canastra lower part.

Silver-beaked Tanager  Ramphocelus carbo  Seen at Chapada Guimaraes and Pantanal.

Lined Seedeater  Sporophila lineola  Seen by some at Canastra lower part.

Double-collared Seedeater  Sporophila caerulescens

Yellow-bellied Seedeater  Sporophila nigricollis

Dubois’s Seedeater ◊  Sporophila ardesiaca  Endemic. Excellent views at Caraça, also at Canastra lower part.

Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch  Sporophila angolensis  Seen at Pantanal.

Buffy-fronted Seedeater ◊  Sporophila frontalis  An unexpected sighting at Caraça.  An erratic species which is a bamboo specialist.

Plumbeous Seedeater  Sporophila plumbea  Seen at Canastra NP.

Rusty-collared Seedeater  Sporophila collaris  Seen at Pantanal.

White-throated Seedeater ◊  Sporophila albogularis  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu.

White-bellied Seedeater ◊  Sporophila leucoptera  Seen at Botumirim, another sighting at Piuval.

Orange-headed Tanager  Thlypopsis sordida  Seen at Cuiaba River.

Long-tailed Reed Finch ◊  Donacospiza albifrons  Excellent views at Cipó.

White-rumped Tanager ◊  Cypsnagra hirundinacea  Seen at Canastra NP.

Cinereous Warbling Finch ◊ (Grey-and-white W F)  Microspingus cinereus  Endemic. Excellent views at Botumirim.

Chestnut-vented Conebill  Conirostrum speciosum  Seen at Lapa Grande and Peruaçu.

Stripe-tailed Yellow Finch  Sicalis citrina  Good views at Canastra NP.

Saffron Finch  Sicalis flaveola

Shrike-like Tanager ◊ (White-banded T)  Neothraupis fasciata  Seen at Canastra NP and Chapada Guimaraes.

Magpie Tanager  Cissopis leverianus  Seen at Caraça, and Kandy saw it at our hotel at Sao Roque do Minas.

Cinnamon Tanager ◊  Schistochlamys ruficapillus  Several sightings at Campo Rupestre and Cerrado.

Red-crested Cardinal ◊ (P)  Paroaria coronata  Seen at Pixaim.

Red-cowled Cardinal (P)  Paroaria dominicana  Endemic. Seen at Peruaçu and Botumirim.

Yellow-billed Cardinal ◊ (P)  Paroaria capitata  Common at Pantanal.

Sayaca Tanager  Thraupis sayaca

Golden-chevroned Tanager ◊ (M)  Thraupis ornata  Endemic.  Seen at Caraça Sanctuary.

Palm Tanager  Thraupis palmarum

Blue-necked Tanager  Stilpnia cyanicollis

Burnished-buff Tanager  Stilpnia cayana

Brassy-breasted Tanager ◊ (M)  Tangara desmaresti  Endemic. Good views at Caraça.

MAMMALS

Giant Anteater  Mymecophaga tridactyla  Seen in two different days at Canastra NP. Another sighting on the Transpantaneira Road, and the best views were at Piuval.

Southern Tamandua  Tamandua tetradactyla  Excellent views at Piuval.

Ocelot (P)  Leopardus pardalis  Fantastic views at Piuval, we also saw the moment when it hunt a Pauraque.

Jaguar (P)  Panthera onca  In total we saw 10 different individuals during our days at Pantanal. First one was a male marking territory at Rio Claro, in Porto Jofre at the Cuiaba River we saw 8 different individuals, and another one at Piuval at night. If you want to see Jaguars this is the right tour!

Crab-eating Fox (P)  Cerdocyon thous  Seen at Caraça and Piuval.

Maned Wolf  Chrysocyon brachyurus  Great views at Caraça on the first night.  We also saw another individual foraging in the Cerrado grasslands of Cipó.

South American Coati  Nasua nasua  Seen at Pantanal.

Tayra  Eira barbara  Seen by some at Lapa Grande.

Neotropical Otter  Lontra longicaudis  Great views at Canastra NP.

Giant Otter (P)  Pteronura brasiliensis  Excellent views on different days at Pantanal.

Lowland Tapir (P) (Brazilian T)  Tapirus terrestris  We saw 6 different individuals, 3 at Rio Claro and 3 at Cuiaba River.

Eurasian Wild Pig (introduced)  Sus scrofa  Seen at Rio Claro.

Marsh Deer (P)  Blastocerus dichotomus  Several individuals were seen at Pantanal.

Common Red Brocket  Mazama americana  One individual at Piuval.

Common Brown Brocket  Mazama gouazoubira  One individual at Rio Claro another one on the Transpantaneira Road.

Pampas Deer  Ozotoceros bezoarticus  Seen at Canastra NP.

Lesser Bulldog Bat (L Fishing B)  Noctilio albiventris  Seen at Rio Claro and Piuval.

Greater Bulldog Bat (G Fishing B)  Noctilio leporinus  Seen at Cuiaba River.

Bearded Capuchin (Black-striped C)  Sapajus libidinosus  Seen at Pantanal.

Black-tufted-ear Marmoset  Callithrix penicillata  Seen at Cipó.