Brazil: The Southeast Atlantic Rainforest
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Oct 19 to Nov 3 2024
Fabrice Schmitt
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Oct 3-18, 2026
Fabrice Schmitt
2026 Tour Price to be Determined
2026 Tour Price to be Determined
Locally known as the Mata Atlântica in eastern Brazil, the wet forests stretching along the Atlantic coast are home to the typical Neotropical bird families familiar to those who have birded elsewhere in South America: woodcreepers, foliage-gleaners, antbirds, antpittas, cotingas, tapaculos, manakins, and tanagers. But imagine that these rainforest-cloaked mountains have been isolated from the vast forests of the Amazon Basin and the Andes off and on for millions of years, separated by savannas, deserts, and brushland. The bird life has been allowed to evolve in such isolation, producing an utterly different and often colorful mix of species that can be seen nowhere else on earth. Much of this once extensive rainforest has long been cleared, as this is where Europeans first settled and where the large cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are located. We’ll use these two cities as our ports of entry and departure, but we’ll visit national parks, a state park, and private lodges and reserves where sizable chunks of habitat have been preserved and where a huge number of Brazil’s endemic birds can still be found.
Note: In 2026 it’s possible to do this tour back to back with Brazil: Minas Gerais.
Day 1: Our tour begins at 6 pm this evening in São Paulo. Night in São Paulo.
Days 2–4: Leaving Sao Paulo early we should arrive at Intervalles State Park around mid-day. We’ll spend the rest of the afternoon and the following two full days at and near Intervales State Park, one of the loveliest remaining patches of Mata Atlântica forest. Once a private logging property, it is now well protected and visited by tourists, who mostly want to see the various waterfalls and caves and are oblivious to the marvelous biodiversity. We’ll find many species here, and because our lodge is located amid the rich forest we’ll have a chance for Rusty-barred Owl and Long-trained Nightjar right on the grounds. The electric pings of Bare-throated Bellbirds and the jerky whistles of Hooded Berryeaters ring across the valleys, and the downward tinklings of White-browed Warblers give this enchanting forest a character unlike no other. The numerous other specialties here could include Chestnut-backed Tanager, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Red-and-white Crake, Giant Antshrike, and Violet-crowned Plovercrest. If we’re very lucky, we’ll at least hear the elusive Spotted Bamboowren, an extremely secretive little bird. Nights near Intervales State Park.
Day 5: We will need a few hours’ drive to reach the coastal little village of Cananeia. The coastal habitats at the southern end of São Paulo state are very different from the tropical forest of Intervales and from the habitats we will see letter on the tour; the sandy soils and lower hills do not trap as much moisture, resulting in a shorter, denser forest. Some special birds are found here, such as Azure Jay, Restinga Tyrannulet, and Red-tailed Parrot, and we’ll spend the afternoon in search of them. Night in Cananeia.
Day 6: After some early morning time looking for restinga specialties near Cananeia, we’ll spend much of today in our vehicle, though there will certainly be some roadside stops on the northward drive along the entire coastline of São Paulo state. Night in Ubatuba.
Day 7: The Serra do Mar is a coastal range of hills still largely cloaked in a gorgeous wet forest, in many places dropping right down to the sea. It teems with regional and Brazilian endemics, and we’ll visit a couple of private conservation areas that are perhaps the best locations to find Buff-throated Purpletuft, a little treetop percher related to tityras and found only in this part of Brazil. Ferruginous, Scaled, and Squamate Antbirds live in the understory, along with Gray-hooded Flycatcher, Pin-tailed Manakin, and Spot-backed Antshrike. One scheduled stop is a private home open to birders wanting to see an incredible display of hundreds of hummingbirds. Festive Coquette is one of the highlights, and we may be lucky enough to see Frilled Coquette as well. Night in Ubatuba.
Day 8: After a second morning birding around Ubatuba, looking for the species we might have missed earlier, we’ll drive along the scenic coast of Rio de Janeiro state. Night in Parque Mambucaba.
Day 9: Very few roads pass through habitat within the miniscule range of the Black-hooded Antwren, and one is just down the street from our hotel. We’ll bird here for a few hours, perhaps also seeing Gray-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tyrant, Chestnut-crowned Becard, Lemon-chested Greenlet, and Green-headed Tanager, among many others. After lunch we will continue to our base for the next three nights, a comfortable lodge nestled in Itatiaia National Park, an extensive protected forest and the oldest national park in the country. Our first walk this afternoon might result in more of Brazil’s attractive endemics, perhaps a White-collared Foliage-gleaner or Golden-chevroned or Gilt-edged Tanager, among more widespread birds such as Yellow-legged Thrush and Swallow-tailed Manakin. Night in Itatiaia National Park.
Days 10–11: Itatiaia National Park covers a large section of the Serra da Mantiqueira, a mountainous spine in the interior of Rio de Janeiro state whose lush fern and bamboo forests are home to many endemic species. The stands of bamboo host secretive Fork-tailed Pygmy-Tyrants, moist draws have skulking Slaty Bristlefronts with their odd pinging call, and fruiting trees attract guans, tanagers, and cotingas. On one day we’ll drive to the higher elevations of the park to look for the adorable Green-crowned Plovercrest and very local Itatiaia Spinetail, as well as the sometimes-difficult Black-capped Piprites, here near the edge of its range. There will be more relaxed birding at the lodge feeders, where we should see Saffron Toucanet, Brazilian Ruby, and many others. Nights in Itatiaia National Park.
Day 12: According to the weather forecast and the species we may still be looking for in the area, we can decide to spend an extra morning at Itatiaia, or to start our drive to Reserva Ecologica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) to enjoy some nice afternoon birding there. Night in REGUA.
Day 13: REGUA is a private reserve established in 2001 protecting 15,000 of tropical forest from almost sea level up to 2,000 meters elevation. We’ll walk around these bird-filled areas looking for Rufous-sided Crake, White-barred Piculet, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, White-flanked (Silvery-flanked) Antwren, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, and so many more! After a lunch in REGUA, it will be now time to head towards our last destination, the beautiful Itororó Lodge. Night Itororó Lodge near Nova Friburgo.
Days 14–15: The feeders at Itororó will be hard to leave—the Red-necked Tanagers, Black Jacobins, White-throated Hummingbirds, and Maroon-bellied Parakeets are great fun to watch—but there are several areas harboring species with very small ranges that will draw us away from the lodge. One area is home to the very local Three-toed Jacamar, whose neighbors might include Crescent-chested Puffbird, Crested Black-Tyrant, Gray-bellied Spinetail, and Biscutate Swift. Another is Pico da Caledônia, an impressive granite dome with a strange flora dominated by cliff-hugging bromeliads and a forest below that supports Black-and-gold Cotinga, the very rare Gray-winged Cotinga, the endearing Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Spix’s Spinetail, and Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, among others. Nights in Nova Friburgo.
Day 16: After a final relaxing morning and a farewell lunch on the grounds of our lodge we’ll leave for the Rio de Janeiro International Airport, arriving in time for late afternoon/evening flights homeward.
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Brazil. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING BRAZIL: A passport is required for traveling to Brazil for any purpose. Your passport should be valid for at least six months after the date the tour ends and have a blank page available for the entry stamp.
VISA: Starting April 2025, a visa will once again be required for U.S., Canadian, and Australian citizens to travel to Brazil, regardless of the purpose of travel. For more information about visa requirements, visit the Brazilian government-authorized website, https://brazil.vfsevisa.com. Visas must be sorted in advance of your trip or you won’t be allowed to board your flight to Brazil. For more information, see https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/consulado-miami/information-about-visas-in-english/electronic-visitor-visa-e-visa
For current entry and customs requirements for Brazil, travelers may contact the Brazilian Embassy at 3006 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20008; telephone (202) 238-2700; http://washington.itamaraty.gov.br/en-us.
It is always a good idea to take photocopies of your passport and air ticket with you when traveling abroad. They can prove invaluable in helping you get replacements if your original documents are lost or stolen. You should pack the photocopies separately from the originals. It’s also a good idea to have a scan of the passport (and visa) saved somewhere online: in Dropbox or in your email, for example.
COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can review the U.S. Department of State Country Specific Travel Information here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html and the CIA World Factbook here: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/. Review foreign travel advice from the UK government here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and travel advice and advisories from the Government of Canada here: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories.
PACE OF TOUR: We’ll be making early starts most days (5:00-6:00 a.m.) so as to be out in the field for the first few hours of the day when birds are most active. We will normally have early breakfasts at our lodging before birding, rather than come back for a later breakfast. There will be occasional optional owling excursions in the early morning or evening, and these will of course be longer days. Such days could start as early as 4:30 a.m., allowing us to have a later breakfast, but we’ll also end earlier on such days; other days might have us owling and out until 10:00 p.m., after which we won’t have an extra-early morning.
Participants should be able to be on their feet for five to six hours at a time (on the longest mornings) with frequent long stops (the longest walks are only about 2-3 km), and a small travel stool is handy for those who find stand for long periods especially tiring. Be aware that you may not always be able to return to the lodge or vehicle on your own if you become tired.
On non-travel days we will return to our hotel for lunch and a siesta, venturing out into the field again in mid/late-afternoon. When we stay multiple nights at a lodge, the birding outings are of course optional giving the opportunity to take a few hours off to relax.
Most of our birding will be on wide, little-traveled or disused roads; one we do one morning is very steep, but we take it slowly. Some birding will be on narrower forest trails near a couple of our lodges; these can be steep and muddy in places, so you must be in relatively good physical condition.
Since we will continue to bird in light rain or may be out during unexpected showers, a travel umbrella in your daypack is highly recommended.
If you have any concerns regarding your physical ability for the walking demands of this tour, please contact the WINGS office.
If there are walks you do not feel you are able to do, there is excellent birding around the grounds of all of our hotels and lodges.
HEALTH: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all travelers be up to date on routine vaccinations. These include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.
They further recommend that most travelers have protection against Hepatitis A and Typhoid.
Yellow Fever: Yellow Fever vaccination is recommended by the CDC and by the Brazilian embassy but is not required to enter Brazil unless you have been to any of several South American, Central American, or African countries in the past 90 days.
Malaria: Malaria is basically nonexistent in the areas we will visit, there having been no outbreaks in over 20 years. If you choose to take anti-malarial drugs, please remember that many must be initiated one or more weeks before the period of exposure and continued for several weeks after it concludes; there are some potential side effects to consider.
Please contacting your doctor well in advance of your tour’s departure as some medications must be initiated weeks before the period of possible exposure.
The most current information about travelers’ health recommendations for Brazil can be found on the CDC’s Travel Health website here: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list
Altitude: Locations visited during this tour range from sea level to as high as 8,000 feet (2450 m) on one day; most days are below 3000 feet.
Insects: Many potential health problems can be prevented by adequate protection against insects. Even when mosquitoes may be sparse, biting gnats and chiggers can still be a nuisance. To be protected, bring plenty of spray repellent and wear long sleeves and pants when in the field.
Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a nonsmoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail.
Food Allergies / Requirements: We cannot guarantee that all food allergies can be accommodated at every destination. Participants with significant food allergies or special dietary requirements should bring appropriate foods with them for those times when their needs cannot be met. Announced meal times are always approximate depending on how the day unfolds. Participants who need to eat according to a fixed schedule should bring supplemental food. Please contact the WINGS office if you have any questions.
Miscellaneous: We avoid tap water but filtered and bottled water are readily available. Gastrointestinal problems are always a possibility while traveling.
We do not often encounter snakes and take time to observe them whenever possible; most are not venomous, and venomous ones are not aggressive; we’ll always be within driving distance of medical assistance in the case of an emergency. In any event, a small flashlight or headlamp is a necessity for navigating the paths between your room and dining areas at each lodge in the evenings.
CLIMATE: Strong cold fronts are unlikely, and it will probably be quite tropical on most days, especially near the coast, so be prepared for warm and humid weather with daily highs usually in the lower 80’s to lower 90’s° F. But weather is very fickle here: we could experience rain on several days or none at all; and since we will be at a variety of elevations, a jacket for cool days is also necessary. Trails may be muddy in places, but not enough to warrant rubber boots; good quality hiking boots (waterproof is best) will suffice. As we’ll be at lower elevations during much of the tour, it will be hot in the sun and a hat is recommended.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We’ll be staying in good quality hotels or lodges throughout. All rooms will have a private shower and toilet, including hot water. Wifi will be available at all of our hotels in some from throughout, some only from the dining hall or communal area. As is typical in the tropics, occasionally, small lizards, amphibians or unusual insects may visit a hotel room, especially in the lower elevations.
FOOD: The food is varied and scrumptious throughout, typically served buffet style. A green salad (often with locally grown greens), rice, and beans are standard fare, and the main dishes, sides, and desserts vary continually.
Drinks: Bottled water and/or a soft drink or a beer is provided at lunch and dinner, as is coffee or tea. All other drinks or ‘personal’ drinking water for use in your room etc. is the responsibility of the individual; our lodges typically have filtered water available for refilling your own bottles. We also keep bottled water on the bus for use during the day and for refilling your personal water bottles. As it can get hot and dry, we recommend you bring a large, good quality water bottle and keep this topped up.
TRANSPORTATION: Some access road to the lodges may be quite bumpy/or winding, but this is only for short distances. Most of our driving is on paved roads, or on good shape dirt roads.
2022 Narrative
So many endemic birds – either stunningly beautiful or with fascinating and evocative vocalizations – made our tour of the Atlantic rainforests of Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states memorable and fun. Ridiculously colorful tanagers and sparkling hummingbirds vied for our attention, skulking antbirds and gnateaters teased us, and feeders made for some easy birding. The sounds of several Bare-throated Bellbirds echoing across the hillsides with Hooded Berryeater and White-browed Warbler ringing through the forest provided for a sensory experience that can’t be repeated anywhere else in South America. We tallied an impressive 340 species of birds recorded, as well as many interesting plants, insects, reptiles, and other critters.
Some of the birds voted “best of” included the stunning Frilled Coquette visiting the Lantana flowers at Itatiaia, the pair of Saffron Toucanets together with a Spot-billed Toucanet on a fruiting tree at Intervalles, the elusive (but finally seen very well) Star-throated Antwren, and the colorful Brazilian Tanager. Additional starts include Black-cheeked Gnateater, Squamate Antbird, a memorable group of 40+ Toco Toucans, a Swallow-tailed Cotinga on a nest, andthe unique dance of the Bare-throated Bellbird.
Our eBird trip report with many pictures from participants can be found here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/78137
And some of the bugs and plants photographed during the trip can be consulted here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/wings-southeast-atlantic-forest-2022
IN DETAIL: Fabrice met half of the group at the Sao Paolo International airport. We left the city after a great view ofRio’s harbor, the Pan de Azucar, the Corcovado giant Jesus in the clouds and a few Magnificent Frigatebirds. We arrived at Itororo after three hours’ drive, with just a quick restroom stop on the way during which we found our first Masked Water-Tyrant, Rufous Hornero and Southern Lapwing. Once at Itororo we met up with the rest of the group, who had arrived here a day earlier. In the afternoon we birded the Itororo trail system, where we had fantastic views of a male Pin-tailed Manakin, a quick view of a White-breasted Tapaculo, a responsive Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, our first Half-collared Sparrow and a beautiful pair of Orange-eyed Thornbird. What a start!
After a lovely early breakfast, we birded a forest trail at Itororo. The bird activity was excellent, and we had great views of Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Variable Antshrike, Scaled Woodcreeper and Gray-bellied Spinetail. A pair of Rufous Gnateater were very tame and seen well. We also had a great mixed flock that included White-collared and Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaners, Lesser Woodcreeper, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Rufous-crowned Greenlet and Chestnut-crowned Becard.
We could have spent the full day on the Itororo trails, but it was time to take the bus and head towards Duas Barras. Soon after passing this little village, we stopped to watch two Blue-winged Macaws perched by the road side. This random stop was very productive, with two displaying Streamer-tailed Tyrants, Band-winged and Rufous Horneros, Fork-tailed Flycatchers, great views of the beautiful White-eared Puffbird, Rufous-fronted Thornbird and Yellow-chinned Spinetail, while a Black Hawk Eagle and two White-tailed Hawks were soaring high in the sky.
At another stop we found an amazing flock of 40+ (migrating?) Toco Toucans! What a fantastic sight to see these stunning toucans filling the trees! Here also we found a fantastic Red-legged Seriema in an open field near where a Burrowing Owl was standing on a termite nest. We also had great views of Spix’s Spinetail, Streaked Flycatcher, Planalto Tyrannulet and a Yellow-olive Flycatcher building its hanging nest. We arrived at Sumiduro just after noon, and after finding a pair of the rare and local Three-toed Jacamar, we had our picnic lunch in the shade of a tree while watching Sick’s Swift, Southern Lapwing, Gray-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Chalk-browed Mockingbird and Double-collared Seedeater. After lunch we birded a dirt road, finding a colony of Red-rumped Cacique and another of Crested Oropendola, a pair of Chopi Blackbird, a beautiful Capped Heron, a pair of Brazilian Teal, and a Savanna Hawk. There was a cooperative Green-barred Woodpecker that stayed and sang for a while in the open, as well as a pair of Rufous-fronted Thornbird building their enormous stick nest. But the two stars of the area where a stunning Chestnut-backed Antshrike seen together with two White-barred Piculets, all showing well in the open for a while! It was now time to drive back to Itororo for a late afternoon break at our lovely lodge. After dinner we had a night walk, having fantastic views of both a male of Long-trained Nightjar and a Rusty-barred Owl. What a way to end a stunning day!
We spent most of the next day at Pico do Caledonia, a peak west of Nova Friburgo rising to 2,250 meters (7,400 feet). Unfortunately, we experienced a very foggy day. It was so foggy that not only couldn’t we see the peak, we oftentimes couldn’t even see the trees only 50 meters away from us! At least the fog kept the birds active, and we saw most of the local specialties such as Rufous-backed Antvireo, Rufous-tailed Antbird, Bay-chested Warbling-Finch, Diademed Tanager, Black-and-gold Cotinga (whose unique song followed us the all morning), Gray-winged Cotinga, Mouse-colored Tapaculo, Thick-billed Saltator and Serra do Mar Tyrannulet!
After our morning at the highest part of the road leading to Pico do Caledonia, we started back to the lodge, stopping at a lower elevation, where the fog finally cleared up. There we had cracking views of a male Surucua Trogon (Orange-bellied form), and found Lineated Woodpecker, Spix’s Spinetail, Small-headed Elaenia (a recent split from Highland Elaenia) and a lovely Hooded Siskin.
Back at the lodge, we enjoyed the garden and the feeders, or did some birding on the trail system. Those who went on the trail found Bertoni’s Antbird, White-browed Woodpecker, Rough-legged Tyrannulet (Burmeister’s) and heard a Large-tailed Antshrike who never came in the open. Those who stayed at the feeders added Rufous-capped Motmot, Blond-crested Woodpecker and Chestnut-crowned Becard to the garden list.
The next morning, on our way to Itatiaia, we visited the Reserva Ecologica de Guapiaçu (REGUA), a private reserve established in 2001 that protects 15,000 of tropical forest from sea level to 2,000 meters in elevation. REGUA is a fantastic place to bird and in only a couple of hours we saw plenty of great birds, such as Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant and Masked Water-Tyrants, a group of a dozen Red-legged Honeycreepers, Greater Ani, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, White-barred Piculet, Bland-crested Woodpecker, White-flanked Antwren (Silvery-flanked), Yellow Tyrannulet and so many more! After lunch at a nearby restaurant, we had the whole afternoon to drive towards Itatiaia, with a couple short stops where we found Chestnut-capped Blackbirds, Common Waxbills and White-winged Swallows.
We spent our first day at Itatiaia during the eBird global Big Day, and as most of the group were active ebirders, we took it seriously! We spent the whole day walking around the lodge, birding the garden, the access road, the Purus trail towards an abandoned hotel, as well as enjoying the amazing feeders. We found lots of fantastic birds this day, including Tufted Antshrike, Yellow-fronted and White-spotted Woodpecker, Ferruginous and Ochre-rumped Antbirds, Blue-winged Macaw, several Red-breasted Toucans, a fantastic Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper singing by the roadside, great views of Swallow-tailed Manakin and Half-collared Sparrow, the uncommon Brown Tanager, Green-winged Saltator and Black-throated Grosbeak. The feeders at Hotel do Ypê are amazing and we could have spent the full day there watching the numerous birds visiting them, such as Green-headed Tanager, Blue Dacnis, Golden-winged Cacique, Double-collared Seedeater, Brazilian Ruby, Black Jacobin and Violet-capped Woodnymph, Dusky-legged Guan and Picazuro Pigeon, but also had mammals such as Black Capuchin and Guianan Squirrel. We also had fantastic views of a lovely pair of Frilled Coquette visiting the lantana flower in the hotel’s garden. We concluded the day with a singing Tawny-browed Owl, reaching 115 species for our eBird Global Big Day, of which 14 were heard only.
For our second day at Itatiaia, we went to a higher elevation, birding the road toward Agulhas Negras. In the grassy area with patches of bamboo, we quickly found the endemic Itatiaia Spinetail, a bird you don’t want to miss when visiting Itatiaia! From the highest point, we birded our way down along the main road, finding Velvety Black-Tyrant, Buff-throated Warbling-Finch, numerous Diademed Tanager, and Serra do Mar Tyrannulet as well as Tyrant-Manakin, a few Rufous-tailed Antbird, the lovely Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant, Sharp-billed Treehunter, Brown-breasted Pygmy-Tyrant and Gray-caped Tyrannulet. We had lunch in front of flowering bushes that was regularly visited by a stunning male Green-crowned Plovercrest (one of the most beautiful birds of the day).
We had a last morning birding around Hotel do Ypê, finding a few new species such as Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Sibilant Sirystes, White-bibbed Antbird, White-throated Woodcreeper and Greenish Shiffornis. We also enjoyed numerous species we had already seen, including great views of Green-barred Woodpecker, Streak-capped Antwren, Pallid Spinetail and Yellow-legged Thrush. After a last lunch in front of the busy feeders we started our drive towards the coast.
We arrived in the evening to our comfortable lodging near Parque Mambucaba, just on time for a bit of birding on the hotel grounds, where we found two Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, a par of Southern Lapwing with three recently hatched chicks, our first Brazilian Tanager and a Yellow-bellied Elaenia. We could hear a few Common Pauraques from our rooms after dusk.
The main reason for staying at Parque Mambucaba is to look for the lovely Black-hooded Antwren, and we had excellent views of this very localized endemic, thought to be extinct for a long time and rediscovered only 30 years ago. We also had amazing views of a female Tufted Antshrike just on the roadside, a pair of Spot-backed Antshrike, two very responsive White-eyed Foliage-gleaners, Gray-hooded Attila, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner and Riverbank Warbler. At a nearby marsh, we heard Ashy-throated Crake and briefly glimpsed a pair of Rufous-sided Crake, but had great views of a nice pair of Yellow-chinned Spinetail.
On our way to Ubatuba we stopped for lunch at the picturesque fishing harbor of Praia Grande, patrolled by dozens of Magnificent Frigatebird. At ‘Quiosco Sao Francisco’ restaurant we had a delicious meal of grilled fish or Moqueca, a Brazilian stew of fish or shrimp with coconut milk. Just before Ubatuba we stopped at Fazenda Angelim for some afternoon birding. It was misty but we managed to see a few good birds such as Flame-crested Tanager, Crested Becard and a flock of Olive-green Tanager.
We had the entire next day to bird the area around Ubatuba, and we spent a full morning back at Fazenda Angelim. With better weather conditions than the previous afternoon, we found numerous fantastic birds including cracking views of Black-cheeked Gnateater, plus Scaled Antbird, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Long-billed Gnatcatcher, Star-throated Antwren and Gray-hooded Flycatcher. There was also lots of seeding bamboo, attracting some rare nomadic species such as Temminck’s and Buffy-fronted Seedeater and Sooty Grassquit.
After a lunch and a short break at the hotel, we visited Folha Seca and an amazing hummingbird garden owned by Jonas. His feeders attracted more than a hundred indiviuals of no less than 10 hummingbird species during our visit, including Saw-billed Hermit, Festive Coquette, Versicolored Emerald, White-chinned Sapphire, Sombre Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango, Glittering-throated Emerald, Black Jacobin, Brazilian Ruby and Violet-capped Woodnymph. The fruit feeders were also visited by Red-necked, Green-headed, Brazilian and Olive-green Tanagers, plus Green Honeycreeper and Violaceous and Chestnut-bellied Euphonias. What a stunning place and what a charming host.
Before leaving Ubatuba and starting our long travel day to Cananeia, we spend the early morning back at Fazenda Angelim. Most of the birds we found this morning were species already seen the previous days, but we had some nice views of Blond-crested Woodpecker and Spot-breasted Antvireo, and added White-winged Becard and White-thighed Swallow to our list. We even had a distant view of a soaring Mantled Hawk.
We spend the rest of the day driving (more than 450 kilometers!) to reach the coastal town of Cananeia, arriving right at dusk.
Cananeia is surrounded by some good restinga, a habitat of impenetrable shrubs and small trees growing on sandy soils. The weather wasn’t great; quite cold for the season and with a few rain showers, but we managed to see well a few Restinga Tyrannulets (only recently described), as well as Ochre-collared Piculet, Southern Yellowthroat (recently split from Masked Yellowthroat), Chivi Vireo, Small-headed Elaenia and Greenish Shiffornis. A few Red-tailed Parrots, a species restricted to this restinga, were heard quite close from the road but never took off and stayed hidden in the dense vegetation. And in the little fishing harbor, dozens of Neotropic Cormorants, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Magnificent Frigatebird, Snowy and Great Egrets were attracted by the fisheries. Here we also spotted two Brown Boobies and a few Scarlet Ibises.
Leaving Cananeia mid-morning, we had a second traveling day to reach the famous Intervalles State Park. Just before reaching the splendid Paraiso Eco-lodge, we spotted a Red-legged Seriema on the roadside, as well as a pair of Gray Monjita and a Yellow-rumped Marshbird.
Our first full day at Intervalles State Park was very humid as it almost never stopped raining! After breakfast, we drove the muddy road to Intervalles. We made a stop at a patch of Araucaria trees, where we saw the most-wanted Araucaria Tit-Spinetail! Once at the park, we met our local guides, Gerson and Faustino, who showed us a Swallow-tailed Cotinga on its nest, protecting his clutch from the rain. We also had a Red-and-white Crake in the open as it ate (corn!) fed by our guides. But the continuous rain spoiled our plans, and after a couple of hours in Intervalles we decided to drive back to Paraiso.
At Paraiso we enjoyed the feeders, which were visited by Azure-shouldered, Golden-chevroned, Ruby-crowned and Green-headed Tanagers, as well as by Chestnut-bellied and Green-throated Euphonias. In the garden, we had repeated views of Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Red-breasted Toucans, Masked Water-tyrants, a pair of Southern Lapwing defending their young chicks, and Crested Becard inspecting the main building windows and walls looking for moths attracted by the lights during the night.
Fortunately, the rain stopped for our second full day here, and we had a stunning morning birding at Intervalles. With the help of our local guides, we found plenty of fantastic birds including Spot-billed and Saffron Toucanets, Squamate Antbird, Spotted Bamboowren, Slaty Bristlefront and Hooded Berryeater. We also enjoyed a prolonged view of a male Bare-throated Bellbird ‘singing’ atop of a dead tree, as well as Dusky-throated Hermit and Purple-crowned Plovercrest at their lek. Topping off this fabulous morning, we even had stunning views of a Solitary Tinamou coming to a feeding station in the forest!
In the afternoon at Paraiso, alongside the usual visitors of the garden, we also found a lovely pair of Robust Woodpecker offering stunning photographic opportunities, and a Rufous-tailed Attila singing mid-canopy. What a great way to end a beautiful day in Southeast Brazil. Our last day was mainly a traveling day to Sao Paolo. What a great trip to this unique corner of Brazil!
-Fabrice Schmitt
Note: In 2026 it’s possible to do this tour back to back with Brazil: Minas Gerais.
Maximum group size eight with one leader.
