Thu Aug 17: Arrival in Sao Paulo, Brazil in the morning (after an overnight flight, if departing the USA, the previous evening, Wed, Aug 16.)    
Those joining this tour, FON/BR-2 after our tour FON/BR-1 in southern Brazil at Iguazu Falls & in Mato Grosso, will meet with those arriving in Brazil at the airport in Sao Paulo, after having spent the night near the airport.
An early-afternoon flight from Sao Paulo to Manaus, which will be the base for our birding in that region of Amazonas. Our first overnight in Manuas.

Manaus is a good base for Amazonian birding because of the accessibility from it. The city is a large port at the confluence of the Rio Negro and the Amazon, over a thousand miles from the Atlantic. Thanks to the fluctuating water levels (up to 5 feet) of the Amazon, the urban spread of Manaus has been halted, and good, large tracts of lowland rainforest still remain.
The bird-life of the north and south banks of the wide river are different. And it is different yet on the Manacapuru Peninsula (between the Rio Negro & the Rio Solimoes, as the Amazon is called west of Manaus). On that peninsula, the bird-life is more "western" Amazonian.
Thus, the Manaus area is one of the richest birding locations on earth, with over 600 species recorded in the region.

Fri Aug 18: This day, we'll head north from Manaus to the Ducke Biological Reserve, where there will be Amazonian Forest birding from a tower just above the canopy. We won't spend all day on the tower, of course, but we'll be patient there. Morning will be best. And we may go atop again later in the afternoon. There will be, at other times, birding closer to the ground. A longer list of Amazonian birds follows, but highlights from the tower, and elsewhere at the Ducks Reserve, can be: Crimson Fruitcrow, various raptors (among them possibly Harpy Eagle), various parrots, and these: Racket-tailed Coquette, Guianan Toucanet, Purple-breasted and Pompadour Cotingas, and Red-billed Pied Tanager.
Overnight, this & the next night, will be not far away in Manaus, so as to be in position for more fine birding in this Amazonian forest. We will also (for those who wish) aim to be at the right place after dark for potoos. This area might well be considered the "Potoo Capital of the World". Five species of potoos are known to occur. Among them, the rare Rufous Potoo. Even more interesting has been the recent discovery in the area of the White-winged Potoo, and now that its call is known, it's been determined to be reasonably common in the area.      

Sat Aug 19: More tropical forest birding in and near the reserve, during the day, of course, and also again (if required) into the night, for the potoos, and other nightbirds.  After dark, there's the opportunity for some mammals of the forest. During our tour here in 2005, a rare animal that was nice to see was seen, the Pied Bare-face Tamarin, with a restricted range only about a 30 kilometer radius of Manaus. Overnight in Manaus.

Sun Aug 20: Birding will continue this day further north of Manaus. We'll spend the next couple days in the area of the town of Presidente Figueiredo. In the afternoon, we'll go to the area of the Caverna Refugio de Mongoara, where the bright-orange Guianan Cock-of-the Rock occurs. When we saw this bird during our '05 tour, it was one of the tour's spectacular moments. How brilliant the 3 males we saw in forest were, at close range! The species would again be a prime target during this tour, but it certainly wouldn't be the only bird we'll see in the area. A number of other Amazonian specialties are to be found in the forest, for example near Balbina, and in other habitats too. Our first overnight near Presidente Figueiredo.  

Mon Aug 21: This morning we'll go to another canopy tower that can be wonderful during the peak hours for birds in the morning. In '05, from the tower we had great looks at macaws and parrots (including the Dusky and the Red-fan), and some nice flocks of birds mostly colorful, such as the tanagers, euphonias, and barbets, but others too including tyrannulets and greenlets, woodpeckers and woodcreepers - in all, a number of birds that would not otherwise be readily seen high in the trees. Superb in '05 were the male & female Pompadour Cotingas that we saw so well. In '06, we'll do certainly one, and maybe two, mornings at the tower.
Also, during the day, below the tower, near the ground in the nearby forest, we'll be looking at an assortment of antbirds. A nice variety occur in the area. Overnight again near Presidente Figueiredo.  

Tue Aug 22: This day, if warranted, the tall tower in the Amazonian forest canopy again in the early morning.  And, again, more antbirds if need be. Certainly, more hummingbirds, such as the wonderful Crimson Topaz (which we enjoyed so much in '05), and jacobins, sabrewings, mangos, and more. And color in the form of honeycreepers, including Short-billed, Purple, and Green. Our last overnight near Presidente Figueiredo.    

Wed Aug 23: This day we'll head south back to Manaus, with birding along the way. A notable stop will be in the distinctive campina habitat, with its own particular cast of avian characters, among them some flycatchers and manakins. Overnight in Manaus.  

Thu Aug 24: Today a boat-trip to the south side of the Amazon. We'll visit some islands with specialties of Amazonian islands, including furnarids, antbirds, and parrots most readily found there. And there would, of course, be other birds too, such as the Pearly-breasted Conebill and the Red-winged Wood-Rail. During our '05 tour, on such a boat-trip a large group of colorful Icterids was particularly good: Red-breasted and Yellow-hooded Blackbirds with the larger yellow-and-black Oriole Blackbirds. We pass through the "meeting of the waters" in the wide river where the brown water of the Amazon and the black water of Rio Negro merge. Overnight again in Manaus.     

Fri Aug 25: This day, after taking a ferry across the Rio Negro from Manaus, we'll venture north and west toward Novo Airao, which will be our base for another boat-trip into the Anavilhanas archipelago, a series of islands in the Rio Negro. Of interest will be places of permanently flooded forest (or "igapo") and seasonally flooded forest ("varzea") with birds indigenous to those places. Among them, antbirds are notable, such as the Leaden and Klage's Antwrens. Other birds that occur include the Zigzag Heron and Amazonian Umbrellabird. Also occurring in this area (but difficult to see) would be the Amazonian Manatee. Gray Dolphins (or Tucuxi) can be easy to see. Overnight in Novo Airao.

Sat Aug 26: After some final Amazonian birding, in and near some good forest, we'll head back to Manaus for our final night in Amazonas. 

Sun Aug 27: Some final morning birding (for those who wish) in the area of Manaus (not far from the airport), before a mid-day flight from Manaus to Sao Paulo (or Rio de Janeiro) to connect with international overnight flights home. Departure, late this day, from Brazil (with arrival home, if in North America, in the morning on Mon. Aug 28).

Price: US $2,295 per person, based upon double occupancy. 
Single supplement: US $295.

Price includes: All overnight accommodations.
All meals (from mid-day Aug 17 to mid-day Aug 27). 
Ground transportation within Brazil (land & boat).
Fees & permits for forested areas & reserves to be visited.  
Services of the FONT birding leader.

Prices do not include: Drinks and other items of a personal nature. Gratuities. Air transportation to/from & within Brazil. 

"Focus On Nature Tours" can arrange air travel, 
 seeking the best possible fares.

A deposit of US $500 is required to register for the tour.  

A LIST OF SOME OF THE AMAZONIAN BIRDS IN THE MANAUS AREA:

Endemics:

White-winged Potoo
Chestnut-headed Nunlet
Zimmer's Woodcreeper
Tail-banded Hornero
Glossy Antshrike
Klage's Antwren

Specialties:

Zigzag Heron
Little Chachalaca
Marail Guan
Crestless Curassow
Black Curassow
Wattled Curassow
Gray-winged Trumpeter
Pale-winged Trumpeter
Maroon-tailed Parakeet
Golden-winged Parakeet
Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet
Caica Parrot
Short-tailed Parrot
Dusky Parrot
Red-fan Parrot
Black-bellied Cuckoo
Pavionine Cuckoo
Rufous Potoo
Chapman's Swift
Needle-billed Hermit
Racket-tailed Coquette
Olive-spotted Hummingbird
Crimson Topaz
Pavionine Quetzal
Green Aracari
Guianan Toucanet
Yellow-ridged Toucan
Golden-collared Woodpecker
Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper
Lesser Hornero
White-bellied Spinetail
Plain Softtail
Point-tailed Palmcreeper
Black-throated Antshrike
Band-tailed Antshrike
Cherrie's Antwren
Brown-bellied Antwren
Leaden Antwren
Spot-backed Antwren
Ash-winged Antwren
Black-and-white Antbird
Black-headed Antbird
Ferruginous-backed Antbird
Rufous-throated Antbird
Dot-backed Antbird
Reddish-winged Bare-eye
Spotted Antpitta
Chestnut-belted Gnateater
Black-necked Red-Cotinga
Guianan Red-Cotinga
Dusky Purpletuft
Purple-breasted Cotinga
Pompadour Cotinga
Crimson Fruitcrow
Capuchinbird
Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock
Red-headed Manakin
White-throated Manakin
Yellow-crested Manakin
Flame-crested Manakin
Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin
Tiny Tyrant-Manakin
McConnell's Flycatcher
Snethlage's Tody-Tyrant
Painted Tody-Flycatcher
Ringed Antpipit
Brownish Elaenia
River Tyrannulet
Lesser Wagtail-Tyrant
Olive-green Tyrannulet
Double-banded Pygmy-Tyrant
Yellow-throated Flycatcher
Greater Schiffornis
Glossy-backed Becard
Gray-chested Greenlet
Wing-banded Wren
Guianan Gnatcatcher
Fulvous Shrike-Tanager
Masked Crimson Tanager
Golden-sided Euphonia
Dotted Tanager
Velvet-fronted Grackle

Others:

Great Tinamou
Horned Screamer
Capped Heron
King Vulture
Double-toothed Kite
Plumbeous Kite
Tiny Hawk
Crested Eagle
Harpy Eagle
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Red-throated Caracara
Lined Forest-Falcon
Spix's Guan
Azure Gallinule
Sungrebe
Sunbittern
Limpkin
Wattled Jacana
Large-billed Tern
Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Scarlet Macaw
Red-and-green Macaw
Red-bellied Macaw
White-eyed Parakeet
Red-lored Parrot
Festive Parrot
Dark-billed Cuckoo
Least Pygmy-Owl
Spectacled Owl
Gray (formerly Common) Potoo
Band-rumped Swift
Long-tailed Hermit
Straight-billed Hermit
Dusky-throated Hermit
White-necked Jacobin
Versicolored Emerald
Black-eared Fairy
Black-tailed Trogon
White-tailed Trogon
Black-throated Trogon
Blue-crowned Motmot
Yellow-billed Jacamar
Paradise Jacamar
Great Jacamar
White-necked Puffbird
Channel-billed Toucan
Yellow-throated Woodpecker
Golden-green Woodpecker
Chestnut Woodpecker
Red-necked Woodpecker
White-chinned Woodcreeper
Long-tailed Woodcreeper
Spot-throated Woodcreeper
Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper
Red-billed Woodcreeper
Southern Barred Woodcreeper
Lineated Woodcreeper
Speckled Spinetail
Red-and-white Spinetail
Rufous-rumped Foliage-gleaner
Olive-backed Foliage-gleaner
Short-billed Leaftosser
Fasciated Antshrike
Blackish-gray Antshrike
Mouse-colored Antshrike
Amazonian Antshrike
Dusky-throated Antshrike
Cinereous Antshrike
Pygmy Antwren
Streaked Antwren
Stipple-throated Antwren
White-flanked Antwren
Long-winged Antwren
Gray Antwren
Gray Antbird
White-plumed Antbird
Warbling Antbird
Bicolored Antbird
Scale-backed Antbird
Rufous-capped Antthrush
Black-faced Antthrush
Thrushlike Antpitta
Screaming Piha
Spangled Cotinga
Amazonian Umbrellabird
White-crowned Manakin
Blue-backed Manakin
Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin
Slender-footed Tyrannulet
White-lored Tyannulet
Forest Elaenia
Gray Elaenia
Large Elaenia
Amazonian Black-Tyrant
Grayish Mourner
Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo
Buff-cheeked Greenlet
Tawny-crowned Greenlet
Black-billed Thrush
Coraya Wren
Musician Wren
Collared Gnatwren
White-thighed Swallow
Red-billed Pied Tanager
Orange-headed Tanager
Yellow-backed Tanager
Fulvous-crested Tanager
Paradise Tanager
Opal-rumped Tanager
Black-faced Dacnis
Yellow-green Grosbeak
Green Oropendola
Oriole Blackbird