Amazonian Brazil: Aug 11—28, 2007

Survey of terra firme, campina, and river-island avifaunas along the Amazon and Rio Negro, featuring a fantastic canopy tower, and river boat access to pristine river islands and forested wilderness. Many spectacular Amazonian birds, including parrots, toucans, cotingas, and tanagers, including possible Harpy Eagle, Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, Crimson Fruitcrow, Pompadour Cotinga, and many others, as well as many rare and localized species.

An unparalleled treasure trove of biological diversity, a symbol of wildness, an endangered frontier being steadily eroded on many fronts—the Amazon is still a vast and indescribably precious wilderness that all too few people will ever have the chance to experience. Nowhere is this wilderness bigger or better than in Brazil.

Our tour is based out of Manaus, where the mighty Rio Negro meets the even mightier Amazon, giving us the opportunity to explore the different avifaunas on opposite banks of both rivers. The beginning of the tour will feature birds of the white-sand campina woodlands (Spotted Puffbird, Bronzy Jacamar, Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin, Pale-bellied Mourner, Black Manakin, the recently rediscovered Pelzeln's Tody-Tyrant, Rufous-crowned Elaenia, and the poorly known White-naped Seedeater) and the terra firme forest (including Caica and Red-fan parrots, Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet, Chapman's Swift, Guianan Puffbird, Guianan Toucanet, Ferruginous-backed Antbird, Glossy-backed Becard, Dusky Purpletuft, Purple-breasted Cotinga, Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, Capuchinbird, Blue-backed and Fulvous-crested tanagers, and many others). One of the true highlights will be our opportunity to experience birds of the terra firme canopy, seen at, or below eye level from atop a well-constructed 45-meter-tall tower. This canopy tower is a wonderful place for obtaining intimate views of canopy birds, including such relative rarities as Glossy-backed Becard, Olive-green Tyrannulet, and Guianan Gnatcatcher, not to mention such spectacular fare as Pompadour Cotinga, Paradise Tanager, and the seldom-seen Crimson Fruitcrow.

A high point of our time in the region will be our days spent aboard a well-appointed, air-conditioned river boat. This boat will be our own exclusive floating hotel, allowing us to explore at will along both the Amazon and the Rio Negro, where we will concentrate on the many birds that are specialized inhabitants of black-water and white-water river islands. Target birds include Crestless Curassow; Festive and Short-tailed parrots; Long-billed and Zimmer's woodcreepers; Scaled, Parker's, and Red-and-white spinetails; Castelnau's and Blackish-gray antshrikes; Black-and-white Antbird; Klages' Antwren; Amazonian Umbrellabird; and many others. Our trip up the Rio Negro will include a visit to the vast Jaú National Park, where we will hope to find the beautiful Rufous Potoo, the rarely seen Yapacana Antbird, and the black uakari monkey, among many other regional specialties.

The tour will conclude with a visit to a recently opened lodge on the south bank of the Amazon near Manaus. Situated in an ecotone between terra firme forest and campina woodlands, this lodge offers a wealth of south bank possibilities, including Pale-winged Trumpeter, Red-billed Ground-Cuckoo, Curl-crested Aracari, Brown-banded Puffbird, Bar-bellied Woodcreeper, Hairy-crested Antbird, Citron-bellied Attila, and many more, including a recently discovered species of antbird that is still awaiting formal description.

Mostly good accommodations (all accommodations, including river boat, with air-conditioned rooms, private showers and toilets, except for one "jungle lodge" which has fans rather than air conditioning) with good food; easy terrain; full mornings on forest trails or small boats, followed by midday breaks and afternoon boat trips; no internal flights or lengthy drives; entire tour in warm, humid climate.