Venture to Mato Grosso, Brazil
Pantanal, Rio Cristalino & Alta Floresta,
Serra das Araras & Chapada dos Guimaraes

October 6 - 23, 2005

Brazil - It’s a huge country and one trip there can hardly do it justice. After landing in the vast concrete sprawl that is Sao Paolo, it was a relief to head to a slightly smaller city - Cuiaba, the capital of Mato Grosso, and from the air, this did not seem that small at all. The Pantanal was very hot and buggy, especially along the riparian forest trails. Thankfully our lodge had air conditioning, which was indeed a cool refuge during the heat of the day.

The birding was excellent throughout our stay in the Pantanal and included several species of cracids, including outstanding views of Bare-faced Curassow, the endemic Chestnut-bellied Guan and Blue-throated Piping-Guan. Black-collared and Great Black-Hawks were common along the Pixaim River and our regular boat trips were by far the most comfortable to go birding. There were large numbers of wading birds, including the bizarre Southern Screamer, some with very young chicks and Bare-faced, Plumbeous and Buff-necked Ibis. Parrots of many species were common and Monk Parakeets were amongst the first birds seen each morning, while our visit to Porto Joffre produced outstanding views of Hyacinth Macaws on the grounds of the hotel. When bird seed was sprinkled on the ground in the early morning, we were greeted with a vast flock of smaller birds. Yellow-billed Cardinal and Saffron Finch were the most abundant, but we also had good views of several doves and cowbirds, as well as the very unusual Gray-crested Cachalote - a species of furnariid. Mammals were also quite obvious with outstanding views (couldn’t be closer) of Giant and Neotropical River Otters. Capybaras were common and usually seen escaping from the heat in the water. Nocturnal game drives are always popular and we were lucky enough to see both Ocelot and Crab-eating Fox. The Rio Cristalino Jungle Lodge was our next destination and one that was thankfully bug-free (in comparison with the Pantanal!) However, this patch of rainforest is lush and green in comparison with the devastated habitat that surrounds it. The destruction of the Amazonian rainforests is far greater than many of us could conceive. Jungle birding is always tough and along the trails it was far easier to hear than see many birds. The tower did enable us to see many canopy species, including a nice selection of Aracaris and Toucanets; the male Gould’s Toucanet that we watched calling was a wonderful experience. Also watching Blue-and-Yellow and Scarlet Macaws flying below eye-level was quite incredible. Boat trips along the Rio Cristalino seemed rather bereft of birds although a good selection of toucans and parrots was seen, along with the obligatory Swallow-winged Puffbirds that also had a nest near the boat dock. Another highlight (there seemed to be so many) was the adult Harpy Eagle found by one of our guides along the Bamboo Trail one morning. How wonderful it was to watch this magnificent bird for so long before it eventually flew off over the canopy. The food was excellent here and we seemed to be permanently hungry (and thirsty) after our jungle forays. Despite being the dry season we had several “gully-washers” during our week in the jungle but being wet several days in a row didn’t stop us at all! A week here was a good length of time and we were ready to escape from the thick green forest and head to Serra das Araras, an area of mixed forest near Cuiaba. This is a reliable spot for nesting Harpy Eagles, but we had already seen an adult at Rio Cristalino - and we had heard that the young bird had been found dead and the adults had moved away from the nest. Rather than spend a lot of time searching for the Harpies, we decided to explore a little more at this location and had our first taste of Cerrado birding. It was actually good to be out in the open enjoying Rheas and Red-winged Tinamous, as well as seeing a migrant flock of Mississippi Kites. Due to their molting, these took us a little while to identify!! The scenery at Chapada was outstanding with high red cliffs and plunging waterfalls. The small town of Chapada was also memorable for its quietness and calm - even with some shopping! This was all shattered the day of the motor rally, when rubber was burned and wheelies wheeled outside the restaurant. Along with Birthday festivities for Suzanne, this really made for an interesting stay.

So what were the favorite birds of the trip? After the polls were in, yes, the overall winner was the Hyacinth Macaw, with distant runners up being Harpy Eagle and Red-and-Green Macaw and not an antbird in sight!