Brazil: Serra dos Carajas, 10 days in this endemic and amazingly bird-rich region
Itinerary:
This is a special single-site tour of east Amazonian Brazil with focus on endemics to the region and a whole suite
Duration: 10 days
of poorly known birds, with a total species list of at least 375 species likely. There are also good chances for
mammal viewing.
Limit: 4 - 8
Please note that the detailed itinerary below cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed
Date: 1 - 10 October
(usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of
2013
accommodation, roads or birding sites, and the discretion of the guides and other factors.
Itinerary (10 days/9 nights)
Start: Brasília
Day 1. Arrival in Brasilia
Arrival in Brasília, with overnight at a hotel in the city.
End: Brasília
Days 2 – 9. Birding the Serra dos Carajás
We will take a morning flight to Carajás, where we will transfer to our hotel in the town of Parauapebas before
commencing our exploration of the area. The Serra dos Carajás is the site of the largest series of open-cast mines
in the world, but, due to the environmental foresight of the company mining the area, it is also an outstanding
birding destination. In addition to its reserves of iron, manganese, nickel and tin, Carajás has considerable
deposits of copper and gold. At the time of the first inventory of the region’s birds (published in 2007), some 575
species had been recorded in the area, but this total has now risen to over 610. Each day will see us explore a
different road or trail within the huge mining complex. Most sites we will bird are terra firme forest, but there are
some areas of riverine forest and also a strange vegetation known locally as canga, a peculiar type of rupicolous
vegetation that occurs on outcrops of iron ore. This vegetation is typical of rocky areas, where there are also a few
small lakes.
Among the species we could see are six species of macaw including Hyacinth Macaw, Jandaya Parakeet, the
very local Pearly Parakeet, Santarém Parakeet, the remarkable Red-fan Parrot, and the little-known
Vulturine Parrot. Because of the lack of hunting in this region, cracids such as Bare-faced Curassow are
common. Some of the other exciting bird possibilities are White-crested Guan, the recently described Cryptic
Forest Falcon, Russet-crowned Crake, Dot-eared Coquette, Fiery-tailed Awlbill, Rufous-capped Nunlet,
Rufous-necked Puffbird, Great Jacamar, Gould’s Toucanet, Brigida’s Woodcreeper, Chestnut-throated
Spinetail, the strange Wing-banded Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, and many other antbirds, Chestnutbelted and Black-bellied Gnateaters, the endemic White-tailed Cotinga, Purple-breasted Cotinga, Guianan
Red Cotinga, White Bellbird, the endemic Opal-crowned Manakin, Fiery-capped Manakin, Rose-breasted
Chat, Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak, the uncommon Blackish Pewee, Black-and-white Tody-Flycatcher, and
the highly prized Black-chested Tyrant. Carajás is also an excellent place to find Harpy Eagle (there is often an
active nest in the area). Mammals are represented by at least five species of primates, and Brazilian tapir is
regularly seen. There are also outside possibilities for jaguar and other cats.
Day 10. Departure
Our lunchtime return flight to Brasília should permit time for some final birding. The tour finishes on arrival in
Brasília.
Price: US$3375 per
person sharing, assuming
6 people (based on 2012
prices; we expect to
confirm 2013 prices a
little closer to the time)
Price includes:
Meals
Accommodation
Entrance fees
Guiding fees and local
guide
All transport while on
tour
Price excludes:
Flights within Brazil as
well as international
flights
Personal insurance
Alcoholic beverages
Your guide, Guy Kirwan, has visited Carajás some ten times and has an intimate knowledge of the area. He was
one of the authors of the Carajás checklist. He has spent more than eight years birding throughout Brazil. Guy is Gratuities
the editor of the well-respected journal Cotinga and the first author of a recently published monograph, Cotingas
and Manakins, published by Christopher Helm and Princeton University Press.
Laundry
Personal expenses such as
gifts
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