Brazil: Emas National Park Oct 31—Nov 10, 2007
Posted by Andrew Whittaker
Andrew Whittaker
Andrew Whittaker has been based in Amazonian Brazil for the last 21 years. Andy's passion for birding and natural history started at the early age of seven in the UK. F...Related Trips
Emas National Park captivated us all with its sweeping beauty, a remnant of the once vast grasslands that blanketed this region in south-central Brazil. Encompassing a rich mosaic of exotic landscapes, each sheltering its own unique flora and fauna, Emas represents a true gem in the Brazilian park system. Who among us could forget the vivid images of rolling expanses of golden grasslands scattered with countless red termite mounds; of lush green gallery forests embracing crystal-clear streams cascading over worn terraces of rock; or of the amazing complexity of the various types of cerrado brushland? We immersed ourselves in the rich tapestry of this fire-dominated ecosystem, taking time to explore the many microhabitats and ferret out their many avian and mammalian specialties. Recent controlled burns within the park were the trigger for a spectacular explosion of flowering annuals, the diversity and abundance of which carpeted the landscape in a riotous rainbow of color. These burns were also the stimulus for the nomadic Campo Miner to launch its breeding season, and we were fortunate to witness these poorly-known birds in full, hovering display. No doubt, the abundance of new greenery also accounted for our easy viewing of small herds of the near-threatened Pampas deer.
As usual, birding was both easy and rewarding, and the mammal-viewing was exceptional. Topping everything were our multiple fantastic studies of the recently rediscovered Cone-billed Tanager. We had close studies of no less than six birds, including an apparently mated pair and two males fighting with one another. We may have been the first US-based tour group ever to see this species, of which the only existing specimen is the type, which was collected in 1938! Certainly, no group of birders has seen as many of these nearly mythical birds as we did.
The picturesque green ribbons of gallery forest also produced strikingly vivid male Helmeted Manakins, White-striped Warbler (with its memorable song), Red-billed Scythebill, the ultra-rare Great-billed Seed-Finch, a spectacular Golden-rumped Euphonia, and the localized and rarely seen Planalto Foliage-gleaner. Graceful Long-winged Harriers quartered over the golden grasslands, while below them the comical but lovely male Cock-tailed Tyrants helicoptered frantically above the tall grass. In the early mornings the vibrant songs of Sedge Wrens filled the air, and we enjoyed the rarely seen, looping flight displays of the endangered Bearded Tachuri as it launched itself again and again from the tallest grass stems. Handsome Black-masked Finches sang from small termite mounds amongst the shorter grass, where Lesser Nothuras played hard to get.
Unfortunately, the down-side of the extensive controlled burns was that we were unable to find the mixed-species flocks of seedeaters that usually abound here at this time of year. However, as compensation, the abundant fruit in the cerrado attracted countless Blue-and-yellow Macaws, along with several flocks of the odd-looking, nomadic Yellow-faced Parrot (now threatened) and the much commoner Turquoise-fronted Parrots. Other cerrado highlights included the local Yellow-billed Blue Finch, the rarely seen Rufous-sided Pygmy-Tyrant, a dazzling male Horned Sungem, and an amazingly responsive pair of White-eared Puffbirds that landed within feet of our group.
Mammal highlights were frequent, including close encounters with the majestic maned wolf, the improbable giant anteater, a huge Brazilian tapir, both hoary and crab-eating foxes, and a huge herd of white-lipped peccaries. However, our multiple armadillo encounters scored highest on the unintentional comedy meter, especially watching the adult yellow armadillo teaching his youngster the correct way to burrow, right in the middle of the dirt track we were driving on!
The first rains were timed perfectly, allowing us the rare opportunity one night to observe a breathtaking landscape full of myriads of termite mounds lit up like miniature Christmas trees by countless bioluminescent beetle larvae. Our prime nocturnal target, however, was the elegant White-winged Nightjar, and we couldn't have been more successful, encountering multiple males and observing them both in flight and perched; one was so close we could reach out and touch it.
For all of this, the trip highlight for me was the whole Giant Snipe experience. As dusk rapidly approached, I hit the tape one more time, and a pair of large, dark shapes materialized right in front of us. I hit the spotlight, and there, framed in the beam, was the near-mythical Giant Snipe in all of its glory, with tail cocked, and displaying that enormous dagger of a bill!
All in all, many wonderful memories and great birding moments were shared by a super group of birders. As I reflect on the bucolic, grassy landscapes, the daily blazing sunsets, and skies filled with thousands of migrant Cliff Swallows, I can't help but look forward to my return visit.