Amazonian Brazil Aug 11—28, 2007
Posted by Kevin Zimmer
Kevin Zimmer
Kevin Zimmer has authored three books and numerous papers dealing with field identification and bird-finding in North America. His book, Birding in the American West: A Han...Related Trips
Birding in Amazonia is at once both exhilarating and frustrating. The sheer density of forest vegetation, and the resulting subdued or highly contrasting lighting, taken in concert with the natural furtiveness of a majority of the birds and animals of the forest interior, makes for a combination that challenges the abilities and patience of even the most experienced birders. But for those that are both persistent and patient, the rewards can be fabulous. This year's Amazonian Brazil tour underscored both of these realities, as we were presented with some unusual challenges while still logging an impressive diversity of birds.
The weather was not in our favor this year. Persistent cool, rainy conditions were highly unusual for this season, and heavily impacted bird activity and vocalization. In the Manaus region and all along the Rio Negro, even many of the most common species were virtually silent, unresponsive to tape, and extraordinarily difficult to find. It was only when we moved south of the Amazon that vocal activity and flock activity picked up to something approaching normal levels. Unfortunately, this boost in bird activity was accompanied by a new logistical challenge—the Brazilian government chose this time to begin a massive road improvement project (utilizing the army for labor) on the lightly traveled highway that runs past Tupaná Lodge, and decided to quarter 50 of the road-building troops in our lodge! What had been a quiet jungle lodge was converted into "Fort Tupaná," a beehive of activity and noise that was in stark contrast to our goals and the verdant forest surroundings.
Despite this, we did find birds, logging 470 species in just two weeks. We started off in the Presidente Figueiredo region, north of Manaus. Highlights here were many, starting with the flowering trees opposite the dining area, which attracted a non-stop procession of honeycreepers (three species), tanagers, Moriche Orioles, and even golden-handed tamarin monkeys. Another flowering tree on the grounds was guarded zealously by a male Crimson Topaz, surely one of the most spectacular hummingbirds of all. Nearby forests treated us to repeated scope studies of rare Dusky Purpletufts, Guianan Puffbird, an unusually cooperative male Spot-backed Antwren, a highly responsive Pavonine Cuckoo, great views of a Red-billed Woodcreeper, the poorly-known Glossy-backed Becard, Cinnamon-rumped Foliage-gleaner, the seldom-seen Black-throated Antshrike, spectacular male Guianan Cocks-of-the-rock on a lek, Guianan Red-Cotinga, an elegant male Chestnut-belted Gnateater, an equally elegant male Ferruginous-backed Antbird, a spooky Spectacled Owl, and the maestro of the forest interior, a Musician Wren. A visit to neighboring campina habitats (stunted savanna woodlands growing on white-sandy soil) exposed us to a very different avifauna, highlights of which included great views of the rare and seldom-seen White-naped Seedeater (a singing male), Bronzy Jacamar, Spotted Puffbird, and Pale-bellied Mourner.
Leaving Presidente Figueiredo, we returned to Manaus and set sail up the magnificent Rio Negro. We spent four days birding the lovely Anavilhanas Archipelago and the even more magnificent Jáu National Park, one of the largest, least-visited, and most remote wilderness areas on the planet. The opportunity to cruise, undisturbed, along the quiet black waters of the Rio Negro and its many small tributaries, through pristine flooded forest (igapó), in a complete absence of other humans or signs of previous human presence, was a trip highlight for me and for others. The late afternoon spectacle of masses of Festive and Orange-winged parrots returning to their roosts was truly awe-inspiring, and the near constant presence of both pink and gray river dolphins near our boat was a real treat. We racked up most of the flooded forest specialties, including such prizes as Slate-colored Hawk, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Band-tailed Nighthawk, Long-billed Woodcreeper, Zimmer's Woodcreeper, Klages' Antwren, Blackish-gray Antshrike, Cherrie's Antwren, Leaden Antwren, Ash-breasted Antbird, Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant, Yellow-crested Manakin, and many others. A march through terra firme forest to a distant campina resulted in views of a male Yapacana Antbird for about half of the group. This antbird has probably been seen by fewer than 50 birders total, and is one of the most poorly-known of all South American birds. En route to and from the campina, we encountered a couple of large army ant swarms, which provided us with great views of spectacular Reddish-winged Bare-eyes, White-plumed Antbirds, and White-cheeked Antbirds.
Two days at Ilha Marchantaria, a large island in the "white" waters of the Amazon, yielded an entirely different group of birds that are specialized on successional habitats. We secured excellent views of a wide range of species, from Azure Gallinules to Oriole Blackbirds, and including a number of specialties such as Zimmer's Woodcreeper, Parker's and Red-and-white spinetails, Black-and-white Antbird, Castelnau's Antshrike, Brownish Elaenia, Riverside Tyrant, Pearly-breasted Conebill, and many others.
Moving south of the Amazon, we traveled to Tupaná Lodge, where, despite the inconvenience of the army presence, we had our best overall birding of the trip. Our time here produced two species still awaiting formal scientific description (an antwren and a tody-tyrant), not to mention some of the most sought-after of Amazonian birds. Among these, we were treated to good studies of Ornate Hawk-Eagle, White-browed Hawk, Russet-crowned Crake, Kawall's Parrot, Needle-billed Hermit, Fiery Topaz, Brown-banded Puffbird, Curl-crested Aracari, Golden-collared Toucanet, Blue-cheeked Jacamar, Red-necked Woodpecker, Curve-billed Scythebill, Bar-bellied Woodcreeper, Pearly Antshrike, Short-billed Leaftosser, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Southern Nightingale-Wren, Guianan Gnatcatcher, Paradise Tanager, Masked Crimson Tanager, and many, many others.