Birdwatching

Voltar

Birdlife in the Pantanal

The beautiful vegetation, diversity of sounds, vibrant colors and abundance of life come together to create one of the most spectacular settings in the Pantanal: the coexistence of hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, arthropods and all the flora, inhabiting the same area.

By far, the most common vertebrate you will observe in the Pantanal are BIRDS. In a recent study, researchers reviewed the Pantanal bird list, considering only the flooding plan, and found a total of 463 species, 117 of  which are considered threatened in both state and national status, and 09 of them are in the global list of endangered species.

At Caiman Ecological Refuge you can birdwatch with specialized and well equipped naturalist guides, who will lead you where the most impressive birds can be found. Up until now we have observed 359 species, including flagship species, such as the Hyiacinth Macaw, Marsh Seedeater, King Vulture and the Yellow-faced Parrot.

We will attempt to describe below an example of what would be like a 05 day birdwatching in CER. It is important to remember that the richness in number of species varies according to the season (Dry or Wet Season).
   
To start familiarizing guests with some of the most common birds in the area, an introductory walk is taken and during which it is possible to observe some key species, including the area's most symbolic bird such as  the Jabiru Stork, Buff-necked Ibis, Plumbeous Ibis, Greater Rhea, Gray-necked Wood-Rail, Southern Lapwing, Chaco Chachalaca, Snail Kite, Road-side Hawk, the amazing Hyacinth Macaw (quite common here), Nanday and Monk Parakeets, Toco Toucan and many more.

With a little more luck it is possible to see Boat-billed Heron, Capped Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Azure Gallinule, Sungrebe, Undulated and Small-billed Tinamous, King Vulture, Fawn-breasted Wren, Laughing Falcon and Gray-headed Kite. Some special birds with pretty restricted distribution like the Mato-Grosso Antbird,  Great-rufous Woodcreeper, Blaze-winged Parakeet, Pale-crested Woodpecker and the very special White-fronted Woodpecker can be added to the list.

Other highlight species could be mentioned: Gilded Saphire, Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Spectacled Owl, Great Potoo, Blue-crowned Trogon, Green-and-rufous kingfisher, along with the other four species of kingfisher found in South America, Chestnut-eared Acarari, Golden-winged Cacique, etc. A typical five day and four night stay generally allows the chance of observing between 180 and 200 different species of birds.

Bird Guides

As birdwatching is considered one of the most attractive activities in the Pantanal, Caiman Ecological Refuge emphasizes bird identification as one of the main knowledge of our naturalist guides.

One of our guides deserves special recognition, Victor Nascimento, born in the Pantanal thirty-four years ago, started working at the ranch as a driver even before tourism in the area existed. Then, in 1987 when Caiman Ecological Refuge started its tourism operation, he got the chance to work as a field guide.

Even though he lacked a pair of binoculars and a bird book, he continually impressed birdwatchers visiting the ranch. Once one of such visitores gave him some binoculars and a bird book since then he became one of the premier bird spotters in South America. His experience and knowledge of the area is very helpful to his heart chosen profession. Victor knows when and where to find the birds you want to see!

Victor was a great example of dedication and self-learning, and now other local native guides are following his steps and are developing more interest in learning about the birds and their behavior, resulting in a very promissor guiding team.

When is the best time?

Birdwatching in the Pantanal is good all year round. The majority of the birds are residents, and they move within the Pantanal according to the water level. The best periods though are from February to June, when the water is receding and there is a higher concentration of birds on the water holes, and September to November, the breeding season.

It is important to remember you that July to October is our high season, therefore reservations must be made way ahead in advance and special arrangements are not always available. Contact our Reservation Office for more information.

Programs

During the regular tours, all the guides are going to be happy to show you the immense variety of the big and colorful birds found on the very different habitats in the ranch. But if you still have a deeper interest in learning about the most elusive birds, there are three other ways to go birdwatching at Caiman Ecological Refuge:

Single birders

If you are not coming in a group, it is possible book our optional Birdwatching tour, and have a specialized bird guide to show the most spectacular birds. This activity last one period, morning or afternoon, and a bird checklist is provided.

Small Groups

If you are part of group with the exclusive interest of birding but do not reach the minimum of ten people, we recommend the hiring of a private guide, who will  stay with you during your package. This special service can be requested through our Reservation Office. 

Groups over 10 people

For this group size it is possible to make special arrangements upon request, like an exclusive program for birdwatching. It is very important to mention on the reservation process that the group has the specific interest of birdwatching.

Example of a day by day program - Groups over 10 people only 

Day 1 - Arrival in the afternoon. Walk around the lodge to see the first common birds, which aren't least special, since couples of the amazing Hyacinth Macaws can be spotted. It is also possible to observe Nanday parakeets, Southern Lapwings, Buff-necked Ibis, Plumbeous Ibis and Southern Screamers. In the evening, after the welcome dinner,  a slide show about the Pantanal and its beauties will be presented.

Day 2 - Early start with an early breakfast. Safari on vehicle taking the road northound, looking for the first Tinamidae, such as Small-billed and Undulated Tinamous. It is also possible to see several mixed flocks, with Hooded Tanagers, Chestnut-vented Conebills, several flycatchers and woodcreepers. Back to the hotel, lunch and a little siesta. Another birding trip now heading east, towards Baiazinha lodge.

Around this lodge is a big marshy area, where depending on the time of the year it is possible to see Scarlet-headed Blackbirds, an amazing species. Other birds can be spotted in the area: Purplish Jays, Great-rufous Woodcreeper, Green-backed Becard and Spot-backed Puffbirds. On the way back, at dusk playback will try to attract the Tropical-screech Owl and the Scissor-tailed Nightjar.

Day 3 - Early start again, yet another truck safari on the big circuit, an interconnection between two roads, exploring several different habitats. On this tour the search will be for the Blaze-winged Parakeet, a great bird which has a restricted range area.

Other species will also be on the list: Golden-collared Macaws, Red-billed Scythebill, Crane Hawk, Snail Kites, Long-tailed Ground-Dove and the very special Pantanal symbol, the Jabiru Stork. In the afternoon, the highest areas of the ranch will be explored, where most probably a rookery for the Common and Great Potoos will be seen. The drive will take to the main entrance of the ranch looking for Red-legged Seriemas as well.

Day 4 - After an early breakfast, the morning drive will lead to an area close to our private reserve. This area is different from other forested areas, because it never floods. So, the trees are different so are the birds. The search will  be for Saffron-billed Sparrows, Red-crested Finches, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Flavescent Warbler and several other undergrowth species.

Lunch at the lodge, will be followed by a walk by the lake, looking for a very nice species of antbird, the Mato-Grosso Antbird. Other possibilities of sights are the Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Pigmy Kingfisher, Little Cuckoo, Pale-crested Woodpecker and the Boat-billed Heron.

Day 5 - This morning is dedicated to find one of the most special birds on the ranch, the unique White-Fronted Woodpecker. This species is quite common in Bolivia and Paraguai, but in Brazil, Caiman ranch is one of the only places you can observe them.

At the area where it usually appears, is also a great place to see mixed flocks, including Great Antshrike and Barred Antshrike and Rusty-backed antwren.

See our photo gallery of Birdwatching.

Click here for see the list of  birds of the Caiman.

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