This tour includes some prime places & habitats for birds & other nature



It's been our TouR IN THE PAST  
for "Jabiru & Jaguar"

One of these (the Jabiru) is always easy. 
The other (the Jaguar) more difficult,
but we'll be at places among the best in the world to see it.




 

Not only would the "2 J's" be sought, 
"the Jabiru & the Jaguar".
we'll be in Areas with Spectacular Nature
where Concentrations occur of 
an Assortment of Birds & Other Wildlife

During this tour about 300 species of birds should be seen.

(tour: FON/BR–1, '10)


Tour to be led by Armas Hill, who has traveled & birded in Brazil 
many times, as many as 44, since 1982
(with the assistance of local Brazilian guides).

Often staying not at hotels, but at lodges
where wildlife is just outside the door !

For birds such as wild Hyacinth Macaws 
in their natural environment,
and flocks of Jabirus and numerous other birds 
in the fabulous Pantanal,
(truly one of the most fantastic birding areas in the world),
this is the tour!

 This could also be called our "Tuiuiu Tour", 
as that's the local word in the Pantanal for the "Jabiru".

Birds in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul,
mostly Egrets & Jabiru Storks,
photographed during a previous FONT Brazil Tour 

Links:

Itinerary  (prices follow):

Tue, Mar 9:  Arrival in Brazil at the Sao Paulo airport in the morning  (after an overnight flight departing USA the previous evening, Mon, Mar 8).  
From Sao Paulo, we travel by van north & west to a special place, for a very special objective - one of the rarest of the world's birds, the Brazilian Merganser. The special place is the Serra da Canastra National Park.
Hopefully, we'll see it (the merganser, that is - as we have during 6 FONT tours in that area, from 1997 thru 2008). We'll certainly try. The entire population of the Brazilian Merganser has recently been estimated at just about 200 birds.
We'll definitely be able to explore and enjoy the pristine grassland habitat, with an assortment of birds and mammals, and with clear streams (favored by the merganser) atop a high plateau. Around the perimeter of the vast plateau there are over two dozen waterfalls, favored by various species of nesting and roosting swifts. The Brazilian Merganser occurs at the top and the bottom of one of those waterfalls. This remote area of Brazil is a tremendous place.
Overnight in the area of Serra da Canastra.

One of the waterfalls at Canastra National Park,
photographed during a FONT tour in March. 

Wed, Mar 10:  The first of two days in the area of Serra da Canastra. During our previous tours, in this region, in addition to the merganser, we've also seen other special birds such as the: Cock-tailed Tyrant, Sharp-tailed Grass-Tyrant, Black-masked Finch, Ochre-bellied Pipit, and Brasilia Tapaculo.
During our most-recent tour in the region, we had wonderful looks at a pair of Crowned Solitary Eagles. Other notable birds such as Red-legged Seriemas, Toco Toucans, White Woodpeckers, and Least Nighthawks were seen in numbers. During another recent tour, the rare Sickle-winged Nightjar was seen.
Canastra National Park is a striking place - as noted, a vast grassland, atop a high plateau, where in addition to birds, mammals included the Giant Anteater, Giant Armadillo, and Maned Wolf.
Overnight again in the area of Serra da Canastra.

A Cock-tailed Tyrant.
photographed during the FONT tour in March 2008.

Thu, Mar 11:  A second full-day in the area of Canastra National Park. Our last overnight there.

Fri, Mar 12:  Travel west, with birding along the way, from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais into the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, yet another area that's wonderful for wildlife.

Sat, Mar 13:  Our first day in Mato Grosso do Sul, during which a nice assortment of birds will be seen, including our first macaws. During the tour, we'll see 3 large species of macaws (the Blue-and-Yellow, the Red-and-Green, and the rare Hyacinth) in addition to smaller macaws and numerous parrots & parakeets. Between Canastra National Park and Campo Grande, we'll be in the area of the beautiful Brazilian endemic, the rare Golden-capped Parakeet. 
Overnight in Campo Grande.          

Sun, Mar 14:  This day, from the nice, small city of Campo Grande, we'll be heading into the renowned Pantanal. It's renowned especially for wildlife, both birds and mammals. And, during our tour, we'll see plenty of both.
The accommodations and the meals where we'll be staying in the Pantanal, are good indeed, but the best aspect of the tour there would be the close accessibility to the spectacular wildlife just referred to. 
Our observation of the wildlife in the Pantanal would be from vehicles (wonderfully designed for such observation) during day-trips and night-trips, and by boat. Overnights would be 2 at the lodge (Mar 7-8). 

Mon, Mar 15 & Tue, Mar 16:  During these days, we'll have a  diversified experience in the Pantanal, with birds (many birds!) and other nature. There are lists of the birds & other wildlife of the Pantanal  (that we've seen there during our previous tours) elsewhere in this website, but, we'll note here, that just a few of the birds would include: 
Hyacinth Macaw (the largest macaw in the world), Golden-collared Macaw, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Helmeted Manakin, and the Mato Grosso Antbird. 

Among what's particularly spectacular are the large number of waterbirds. Ducks can be numerous in certain rice-fields (where, during our previous tours, we've seen many whistling-ducks, comb-ducks, and some others). Other aquatic birds, numerous in the Pantanal, would be:  egrets, herons, ibises, and storks (Wood & Maguari Storks & Jabiru). During one day of one of tours in the Pantanal, we saw an estimated thousand Jabiru, either on the ground or soaring in the sky!  Also adding to the mix would be Limpkins and Roseate Spoonbills. And Sunbitterns and Sungrebes also occur. Boat-billed Herons also do. And we'll make an effort to see yet another heron that's along the rivers - the rare skulker, the Agami Heron.

Landbirds, in the trees or in the air, would be parrots and parakeets, and raptors of various kinds.
Possible at dusk, and after dark, would be 2 species of Potoos (the Great & the Gray, formerly called the Common), nightjars & nighthawks, and an owl or two. (During our recent tours, we've enjoyed tremendous looks, after dark, of Striped Owls and Barn Owls.)   

Mammals after dark should be those that are common, such as fox and bats, but it must be noted there's JAGUAR in the area. With good luck ....   During our tours here in September 2006, August 2007, & March 2009,  we saw this elusive cat. We'll be making, if necessary, 2 night-time excursions for it, and other creatures. Pumas can also be seen (with luck).  
Also during our tours, we had, at night, nice looks at Ocelots (as many as 7 during 1 outing), a Pantanal (formerly Pampas) Cat, Brazilian Tapirs, and Maned Wolf, in addition to a number of other animals including: Marsh Deer, Crab-eating Foxes and Crab-eating Raccoons, and Giant Anteaters. During a previous stay at one of the lodges, we saw as many as 8 Giant Anteaters. 
Another anteater, the Tamandua is also possible. During the day, monkeys and marmosets can be seen in the trees. Numerous caimans will be in & near the water. 

During our overnights in the Pantanal (and after our evening excursions), we should hear, from the lodges, an assortment of sounds including those of limpkins, owls, and nightjars. At dawn, howler monkeys.
Our last night in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (Mon, Mar 9), would be back in the city of Campo Grande. Overnight, there, would be convenient to the airport.

Wed, Mar 17:  

After some morning birding, we'll go to the airport at Campo Grande, for a flight to Sao Paulo to connect with departure, for those leaving Brazil, in the evening on an overnight flight home (arriving in North America the a.m. of Thursday, Mar 18.) 



An Optional Extension in Southeastern Brazil 

A Scarlet Ibis, photographed during the FONT tour
in southeast Brazil in March. 
    

Wed, Mar 17:  For those continuing in Brazil, after arrival at the Sao Paulo airport from Campo Grande, overnight near the airport.

Thu, Mar 18:  Early in the morning, we'll head to the Brazilian seacoast of the South Atlantic Ocean. In that area, we'll take two boat-trips. 
One boat-trip will be in an area marsh and mangroves, where there will be an assortment of birds from the litte Bicolored Conebill to some large birds including waders and raptors. But the most notable of the birds will be the Scarlet Ibis. There's a flock of the bright red birds occurs in the area that's the only population of the species south of the Amazon, and is isolated by many miles from others of its kind. This boat-trip will be done when the tide is best for it.
The other boat-trip will be out from the estuary to the ocean ocean where our quest will be petrels, shearwaters, terns and gulls, and maybe with good fortune, even an albatross.   
We'll overnight again back near the Sao Paulo airport.  

Fri Mar 19:  Travel, this morning, east toward another part of the Brazilian seacoast, specifically to Ubatuba, with some birding along the way in areas of rice fields, for raptors and waterfowl such as the Comb Duck, and Araucaria Forest. Araucaria ("monkey-puzzle" ) trees are native to southern Brazil, and they're favored by a number of native birds.
Overnight at Ubatuba.

A Yellow-fronted Woodpecker
photographed during a FONT tour in southeast Brazil, 
a colorful bird with more than yellow in its plumage.
(photo by Rosemary Lloyd)

Sat, Mar 20:  Birding in the area of Ubatuba, where there will be many birds to see in the lower elevations of the Atlantic Forest. One species, a small cotinga, called the Buff-throated Purpletuft, is virtually endemic to this region. It's silent. The Bare-throated Bellbird, also in the area, is not. In this coastal region, also with portions of the Atlantic Forest, many of the birds will be different than those where we were earlier at the higher elevations at Itatiaia. This is the case with tanagers, flycatchers, hummingbirds, antbirds, and others. 

Sun, Mar 21:  After another fine morning of Ubatuba birding, travel in the afternoon to the Sao Paulo International Airport, for the departure for home (arriving in North America the a.m. of Monday, Mar 22).  

Prices: 

For the tour in Brazil March 8-17:
 
US $2,895 per person, based upon double occupancy
Single supplement: US $325

For the tour in Brazil March 8-22, with the extension in southeast Brazil:  

US $3,495 per person, based upon double occupancy
Single supplement: US $395 

Prices include: 
All overnight accommodations.
Meals  
Ground transportation within Brazil.
Services of the FONT birding tour leader.

Prices do not include: 
Drinks and other items of a personal nature.
International flights to/from Brazil. 
Domestic flights within Brazil.

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