BRAZIL 2026 part 1: Cristalino and Cachimbo
Introduction. While on an Ornis trip to Southern Argentina in November
2024 I was alerted by our guide Chris Venetz that Ornis were offering a '3
Ground Cuckoo' trip to Amazonian Brazil. I showed Nick Preston who I was with
and we decided it was something we fancied doing. It was restricted to four
participants (due to using small hides) and we signed up for April/May 2025. There
was some uncertainty about the exact dates due to the local guide’s
availability so I booked a planned week in France with Megan for early June. Nick thought he was safe booking a June trip to Mongolia but nearer the time the Ground Cuckoo trip slipped to early
June too. We had to drop out but were first on the list for 2026 when the tour would be repeated if successful. It was, seeing Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo at Caxias and Scaled Ground
Cuckoo plus Golden-headed Manakin and Black-breasted Gnateater at Novo Progresso.
Two Ground Cuckoo trips were put on for the following April but nearer the time it was discovered that the habitat at Novo
Progresso had been trashed and the Ground Cuckoos no longer present. That part of the trip switched to Cristalino
where a Scaled had been coming to a feeder intermittently. We opted for the
second trip, from my point of view it gave me more time to prepare after
Colombia and meant I wouldn’t miss Megan’s birthday. We left Heathrow knowing
the first trip which had just finished hadn’t seen Scaled Ground Cuckoo so it looked as if the
possibility of three Ground Cuckoos when the trip was first proposed and had fallen
to two with less back up and might end up with one. Part of me was wishing I’d not
signed up …
Unless noted otherwise photos are mine taken with a Sony RX10. New birds for me in red.
Monday 13 April 2026. Afternoon buses to Brighton then Heathrow where I met Nick. Latam flight to Sao Paulo departed 21:20.
Tuesday 14 April 2026. We arrived in Sao Paulo at 05:00, cleared immigration and customs, checked our bags in then a long wait for our connecting flight to Sinop at 14:30. We met Shane Woolbright in the departure lounge. He remembered that we’d shared a room on a Naturetrek Sri Lanka trip in 2019, embarrassingly it was something I’d completely forgotten. His journey to Sao Paulo had been rather more stressful than ours with his flight from USA was delayed enough for him to miss his earlier connection. We joined the other participant (Andreas Lindo from Switzerland) and were met by Eduardo on arrival at Sinop soon after 16:00. We squashed our bags into the back of the 4WD he had hired and it was then a long drive (over 4 hours on a busy road) to the Lisboa Palace Hotel in Alta Floresta. It had been a long journey from Sussex.
Wednesday 15 April 2026. After an early breakfast we left Alta Floresta and drove for an hour to the Teles Pires riverbank opposite the Rio Cristalino. Here we transferred into a motorised canoe for the half hour journey up the Rio Cristalino seeing Anhinga, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Spangled Cotinga, Drab Water Tyrant and White-winged and White-banded Swallows. Once settled in and having seen Black-fronted Nunbird and Santarem Parakeet around the lodge we spent the rest of the morning on a trail behind it - an early trip highlight being 3 Dark-winged Trumpeters. Also White-eyed Stipplethroat, Dot-winged and Long-winged Antwrens and Trilling Gnatwren although I didn’t get onto a Para Greenlet (not the worse bird to miss, but still a bit annoying). After lunch local guide Francisco took us in the canoe a short distance to another trail into the forest from where we headed to a secluded hide he had set up. It wasn’t just any hide and comfortably seated five (one of the reason the tour was limited to four), had camouflage netting with small holes to view through and a quiet fan. Most importantly it overlooked a cleared area where Francisco had been putting out mealworms in the hope of attracting a ‘local’ Scaled Ground Cuckoo. We were somewhat tense as it hadn’t appeared for the earlier tour during the three times they’d tried the previous week but Francisco checked a trail camera overlooking the feeding area, seemed happy and prepared the ground. He’d not been back in the hide long before the Scaled Ground Cuckoo suddenly appeared!! It remained in full view for about 10 minutes before retreating to where it was mostly hidden from my position. Amazing views of an amazing bird - how fortunate were we. Squirrel Cuckoo and White-browed Antbird were also seen from the hide. We continued to another hide overlooking what was known as the ‘Magic Pool’. It was particularly good mid-late afternoon as birds came in to drink in a small pool and some bamboo troughs. Today was no exception with Bare-eyed Antbird, Saturnine and Cinereous Antshrikes and White-shouldered Tanagers appearing. Other birds seen during the day included Striated Heron, Black-throated Mango, Osprey, White-bellied Parrot, Whiskered Miobius, Spot-winged Antshrike, Plain-throated Antwren, Glossy Antshrike, Blackish and Spix’s Warbling Antbirds, Rufous-rumped and Ochre-throated Foliage-gleaners, while Great and Variegated Tinamous were heard. Also seen were White-lipped Peccary and Red Brocket Deer.
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Spangled Cotinga on the way to Cristalino
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| Santarem Parakeet at Cristalino Lodge |
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| Dark-winged Trumpeters on the trail behind Cristalino Lodge |
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| Scaled Ground Cuckoo from the secluded hide at Cristalino |
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| just amazing |
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| White-browed Antbird at Cristalino |
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| Squirrel Cuckoo at Cristalino |
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| White-lipped Peccary at Cristalino |
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male (above) and female (below) White-shouldered Tanager at the Magic Pond
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| female Saturnine Antshrike at the Magic Pond |
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| female Cinereous Antshrike at the Magic Pond |
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| female Spot-winged Antshrike at the Magic Pond |
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| male Spot-winged Antshrike at the Magic Pond |
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| Bare-eyed Antbird at the Magic Pool |
Thursday 16 April. We had breakfast at 05:15, were ferried across the
river and walked through primary forest to the very impressive 50m Canopy Tower
named in memory of Ted Parker. From the top it gave superb views of the
surrounding forest, appearing unbroken in any direction. Looking back towards
the lodge a communications aerial and the Chip Haven Canopy Tower were visible.
We spent a couple of hours there seeing Red-throated
Piping Guan, Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Amazonian
Pygmy Owl, Curl-crested and Red-necked Aracaris, Waved and
Cream-coloured Woodpeckers, Blue & Yellow, Chestnut-fronted
and Scarlet Macaws, Dwarf Tyrant Manakin, Pompadour Cotinga,
White-browed Purpletuft, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak and Paradise
Tanager. We relocated by boat to Dr Haffer’s Trail seeing a superb Sunbittern
on the way. We were dropped at one end of the trail and picked up at the other.
A secretive pair of Rufous-capped Nunlets and a Rose-breasted Chat were the
highlights but I found birding much harder and missed or only glimpsed several
species. We went back down the river to the lodge for lunch, me hoping for a
Razor-billed Curassow from the boat (the previous group had been successful
along the river) but failing. After lunch we returned to the ‘secluded hide’
and had even better views of the Scaled Ground Cuckoo with the bird present
for an hour, although often only partially visible, before disappearing. It was
hard to drag ourselves away but the bird was not on view and we had another
trail to visit – the Brazil Nut Trail. It gave closer views of Red-throated
Piping Guan and Blue-winged Macaw although rather against the light.
We returned downriver as the light was going. Still no curassows but
spotlighting a Zigzag Heron was superb. Another excellent day during which I
also saw Muscovy Duck, Green Ibis, Ladder-tailed Nightjar,
Black-eared Fairy, Grey-breasted Sabrewing, Amazonian Motmot, Ringed
and Amazon Kingfishers, Blue-necked and Paradise Jacamars,
White-necked Puffbird, Black-Girdled Barbet, White-throated
Toucan, Golden-winged Parakeet, Blue-headed and White-bellied
Parrots, Glossy Antshrike, Band-tailed Antbird, Straight-billed
Woodcreeper, Black-collared Swallow, Red-billed Pied Tanager and Purple Honeycreeper.
We also heard Great and Cinereous Tinamous and saw White-whiskered Spider
Monkey, Pink-nosed Bearded Saki and White-lipped Peccary.
Friday 17 April
2026. We went upriver to
the Serra Trail and climbed to a viewpoint above the river as the weather
closed in and it started to rain. We waited for a while but the rain only
became heavier and there seemed little prospect of it improving. We returned to
the boat and on our way down Francisco saw yellow and black frog. After some
effort searching rotting wood, he caught it using his hand in a plastic bag. A
sensible precaution as it was later identified as a Splash-backed Poison Frog.
Back at the lodge it was examined in the lab and after it had been photographed
and given some recovery time Francisco took it back to the Serra Trail. We’d
seen a Rufescent Tiger Heron as we returned to the lodge and I had a
quick look at the jetty where the White-winged and White-banded
Swallows were fairly approachable. Having almost an hour before lunch headed
onto the trails. I soon came to a fork, not recognising it from the previous
day. Left or right? I chose left but it was very quiet. I kept going until
reaching the Chip Haven Canopy Tower but didn’t have time to climb it before
heading back. Unknown to me Nick had turned right as we had done before, something
I had forgotten, saw the trumpeters again and picked up a Brazilian Tinamou
thanks to his thermal imager. During lunch we saw a Brazilnut Poison Frog one
of the staff had found on the lodge's decking, an Azara’s Agouti and some rather wet Red-fan
Parrots. After lunch we spent more time on the trails behind the lodge
seeing Collared Trogon, Blue-necked Jacamar, Xingu Scale-backed Antbird and Rufous-faced
Antbird before returning to the Magic Hide. There much the same cast was
present, namely Bare-eyed Antbird and Saturnine and Cinereous Antshrikes,
with the addition of a smart Black-spotted
Bare-eye. Dinner was interrupted by a group of Feline Night Monkeys in trees
by the lodge, impressive although they quickly slipped away. During the day I
saw Red-throated Piping Guan, Grey-fronted Dove, Ruddy Pigeon,
Pauraque, Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Amazon Kingfisher, Brown-winged
Schiffornis, Spot-winged Antshrike, Amazonian
Plain Xenops and Ochre-throated Foliage-gleaner. I also heard Great and
Variegated Tinamous and saw a South American Coati and Brown Brocket Deer.
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| Brazilnut Poison Frog at Cristalino |
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| Splash-backed Poison Frog at Cristalino |
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| White-banded Swallow at the jetty |
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White-winged Swallow at the jetty
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| Azara's Agouti at Cristalino Lodge |
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| female Collared Trogon at Cristalino |
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| Blue-necked Jacamar at Cristalino |
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| Probiscus Bat at Cristalino |
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| Amazonian Brown Brocket Deer at Cristalino |
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| Bare-eyed Antbird at the Magic Pond |
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| male Spot-winged Antshrike at the Magic Pond |
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| male Cinereous Antshrike at the Magic Pond |
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| female Cinereous Antshrike at the Magic Pond |
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| Ochre-throated Foliage-gleaner at Cristalino |
Saturday 18 April
2026. After an early
breakfast we walked to the Chip Haven Canopy Tower where we climbed 50m to the
upper platform and spent a couple of hours there. More spectacular views and
some close Scarlet Macaws as well as Amazonian
Elaenia and Tooth-billed Wren were
the highlights. On the platform or along the trail to it I also saw Red-throated
Piping Guan, Pale-rumped Swift, Black-bellied Thorntail, Crowned
Woodnymph, Versicoloured Emerald, King Vulture, White-throated
Toucan, Black-necked Aracari, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, a very
distant Bare-necked Fruitcrow, Spangled Cotinga, Plain-throated
Antwren, Cinereous Antshrike, Buff-throated and Spix’s Woodcreepers, Rufous-bellied
Euphonia and Bay-headed Tanager. We were back at the lodge at 10:00
and left by canoe at 10:30. Our time at Cristalino was over, it had been
brilliant but all too brief with, for me at least, some important birds left
behind - not that I could have afforded to stay much longer! We transferred
into our 4WD and it was then, with a stop for lunch, a seven hour drive to the campina
transition zone at Serra do Cachimbo. We arrived just before dusk and birded
along a dirt road in the last dregs of light seeing little other than a large
flock (100+) of Yellow-rumped Caciques flying to roost. We continued to
the Hotel Gold Palace in the dark.
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| Scarlet Macaws from the Chip Haven Canopy Tower |
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| Black-necked Aracari from the Chip Haven Canopy Tower |
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Tooth-billed Wren from the Chip Haven Canopy Tower
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| White-throated Toucan from the Chip Haven Canopy Tower |
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| the Ted Parker Canopy Tower from Chip Haven |
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| canopy views from Chip Haven |
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| morning mist rising from the river |
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| looking down from the top of the Chip Haven Canopy tower |
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| eye level Scarlet Macaws |
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| Rufous-bellied Euphonia from the Chip Haven Canopy Tower |
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Versicoloured Emerald from Chip Haven
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King Vultures from the Chip Haven Canopy Tower
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| White-whiskered Spider Monkeys from the Chip Haven Canopy Tower |
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| Collared Trogon at Cristalino |
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| Buff-throated Woodcreeper at Cristalino |
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| dragonfly |
Sunday 19 April
2026. We were up at 05:20
and after breakfast drove to what became a forest track at Serra do Cachimbo,
turning off onto it just past the waterfall. We birded along the track 06:30-11:00
by which time it was hot and activity had died. We returned to the town for a
pay by weight buffet lunch then back to the same area from 15:15-17:15. It was
an interesting area, birds seen during our visits included a fly-over Muscovy
Duck, Rusty-margined Guan, Guira Cuckoo, Short-tailed
Swift, White-necked Jacobin, Black-eared Fairy, Greater
Yellow-headed Vulture, White-tailed Hawk, Amazonian Trogon, Swallow-winged
Puffbird, White-fronted Nunbird, Channel-billed Toucan, Bat
Falcon, flight views of 2 Bald Parrots,
Blue-headed Parrot, Orange-winged Amazon, Santarem Parakeet,
Blue & Yellow Macaw, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Spangled,
male and female Pompadour and a superb male Purple-breasted
Cotinga, White-browed Purpletuft, Crested Becard, Zimmer’s
Tody-Tyrant, Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant, White-lored Tyrannulet, Pygmy
Antwren, Natterer’s Slaty Antshrike, Plain-brown and Dusky-capped
Woodcreepers, Plush-crested Jay, Purple-throated Euphonia, Swallow
Tanager, Short-billed and Green Honeyeaters and Yellow-backed,
Flame-crested, Red-shouldered, Opal-rumped, Bay-headed,
Dotted, Masked and Blue-necked Tanagers but only heard
Eastern Striolated Puffbird.
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| Purple-throated Fruitcrow at Serra do Cachimbo |
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Purple-breasted Cotinga at Serra do Cachimbo
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| Plush-crested Jay at Serra do Cachimbo |
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Southern Lapwing outside our hotel at lunchtime
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| White-browed Purpletuft Serra do Cachimbo |
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| Dotted Tanager at Serra do Cachimbo |
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| White-fronted Nunbird at Serra do Cachimbo |
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| male Pompadour Cotinga at Serra do Cachimbo |
Monday 20 April
2026. We returned to the track
at Serra Cachimbo and birded from 06:20-09:20 but it was much quieter. I missed
another Bald Parrot flyover and only saw silhouettes when a flock of
Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlets did the same although a flock of Kawall’s
Amazons did land briefly. I saw Pompadour Cotinga and Dotted
Tanager again as well as Black-necked Aracari, Bar-breasted
Piculet, Golden-winged Parakeet, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin, Black-tailed
Tityra, Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Buff-throated Saltator and
Red-necked and Blue-naped Tanagers. We continued to the campina transition
zone where we had stopped a couple of days earlier and took the sandy track further
into scrubby forest where we found Caatinga Antwren (an isolated
population). We were expecting to see Spotted Puffbird but only heard one
unresponsive individual. While searching for it we were summarily thrown out of
the area, in a friendly way, by a passing armed motorcyclist who’d spotted our
footprints. It was then another long drive to Sinop to overnight at Pousada Real ahead of our morning flight to
Caxias, unfortunately via Sao Paulo.
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| Brown Capuchin at Serra do Cachimbo |
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| Kawall's Amazon at Serra do Cachimbo |
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| Crab-eating Fox at Serra do Cachimbo |
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| Bar-breasted Piculet at Serra do Cachimbo |
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| Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin at Serra do Cachimbo |
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| Caatinga Antwren in the Cachimbo transition zone |
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| Swallow-winged Puffbird in the Cachimbo transition zone |
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| Blue-black Grassquit on the way to Sinop |
