Southeastern Brazil Part I: Iguacu Falls Pre-trip Sep 22—26, 2010
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
Our Iguaçu Falls Pre-trip began with the spectacle of the world's greatest waterfalls providing a backdrop for one of the rarest and most spectacular cracids in South America, the Black-fronted Piping-Guan. We enjoyed close studies of an individual bird on two consecutive days. On each occasion, the bird involved was absorbed in feeding on small fruits, but occasionally paced back and forth nervously and gave the high-pitched whistles from which the name "piping-guan" is derived. Our walks along the falls were also noteworthy for the close views of clusters of Great Dusky Swifts clinging to the sheer rock walls behind a constant veil of mist. Watching as hundreds of these large swifts careened out of the sky and disappeared behind the thundering wall of water was, as always, both mesmerizing and unforgettable.
We were unable to duplicate our Long-tailed Potoo feat of the previous year, and night birding in general was unusually unproductive at Iguaçu during this trip. Of course, there was much more to see after sunrise, and once again, Iguaçu delivered. In addition to such "regulars" as Surucua Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Spot-billed Toucanet, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Robust Woodpecker, Ochre-collared Piculet, White-eyed and Ochre-breasted foliage-gleaners, White-shouldered Fire-eye, Southern Antpipit, São Paulo Tyrannulet, Southern Bristle-Tyrant, Plush-crested Jay, and Guira Tanager, we were treated to great views of three of the more localized and tougher Atlantic Forest endemics, the Bay-ringed Tyrannulet, Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher, and Russet-winged Spadebill, not to mention the more widespread but typically unpredictable Rusty-breasted Nunlet, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, and Sharpbill. The gnatcatcher played harder to get than usual, but eventually performed admirably, as did the spadebill, which is one of the most often missed endemics. The Southern Antpipit was unusually cooperative, and we even got one to sit still for the film crew that was following us around for part of our second morning!