>> BIRDING SITES BIRDING NORTH-EAST BRAZIL: BAHIA Birding in north-east Brazil, part 2: The vast state of Bahia Ciro Albano No birder can feel satisfied without ever visiting the country of Brazil, home to over half of the Neotropical avifauna. In this second and final part on top birding places in north-east Brazil, the author makes this point abundantly clear… What are you waiting for? Male Hooded Visorbearer Augastes lumachella (Near threatened), morro do pai inácio, february 2010. Endemic to the state of Bahia and found on mountain- tops of the Chapada Diamantina All photos are by Ciro Albano/www.nebrazilbirding.com and were taken in north-east Brazil 49 neotropical birding 7 neotropical birding 7 49 >> BIRDING SITES BIRDING NORTH-EAST BRAZIL: BAHIA ontinuing with the second part of the shouldered Fire-eye Pyriglena leucoptera, article published in Neotropical Birding White-bibbed Antbird Myrmeciza loricata and C 62 here I describe the state of Bahia; an others. Cerrado specialities include Collared outstanding destination for birdwatching in Brazil. Crescentchest Melanopareia torquata, Rufous- The state is huge (565 million km²) and contains sided Pygmy Tyrant Euscarthmus rufomarginatus an incredible diversity of habitats, ranging from (Near Threatened), the beautiful Horned Sungem lowlands to montane Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Heliactin bilophus and White-banded Tanager semi-deciduous forest and several Cerrado types. Neothraupis fasciata (Near Threatened). Campo A total of almost 800 species has been recorded rupestre birds include Gray-backed Tachuri in the state6, which harbours 33 Important Bird Polystictus superciliaris (Near Threatened) Areas (IBAs)3 and six Endemic Bird Areas (EBAs)7. and Pale-throated Serra Finch Embernagra At least two weeks will be necessary to longicauda (Near Threatened). Finally, Caatinga explore Bahia. Roads are usually good but birds include Cactus Parakeet Aratinga cactorum, the main highways (especially the BR-116 Broad-tipped Hermit Anopetia gounellei, Spotted and BR-101) are sometimes very busy with Piculet Picumnus pygmaeus, Caatinga Antwren big trucks. Access to most birding sites is Herpsilochmus sellowi (Near Threatened), Silvery- easy and an ordinary car is sufficient to reach cheeked Antshrike Sakesphorus cristatus, Scarlet- almost all the birding destinations (when throated Tanager Compsothraupis loricata, a 4×4 is necessary this is stated below). Caatinga Cacholote Pseudoseisura cristata, Great There is an international airport in the Xenops Megaxenops parnaguae and the very capital of Salvador de Bahia, with several range-restricted São Francisco Sparrow Arremon car rental agencies. My suggested itinerary franciscanus (Near Threatened), among others. starts and ends in the capital. If you are The first place to visit in Chapada Diamantina contemplating an entire north-east Brazil trip is the nice town of Lençóis. As the region is you can easily rearrange the itinerary proposed visited by many tourists, there are several hotel in my first instalment2 of this article by driving options. I highly recommend the Pousada to Chapada Diamantina from Estância. Casa da Geléia (www.casadageleia.com.br, e-mail: [email protected], tel: +55 75 Key Birding Sites 3334 1151). The owner José Carlos is a bird enthusiast, and they have feeders visited by 14 Chapada Diamantina (12°33’S 41°25’W) different species, including members of a very Following a five-hour drive from Salvador (use isolated population of the Brown Violetear Google Maps for the route) you will arrive at Colibri delphinae (subspecies greenwalti). one of the most impressive places in Brazil; The most special bird here is undoubtedly the landscapes are astonishing. The Chapada Hooded Visorbearer; it lives on the rocky Diamantina forms part of a long series of highlands mountains, known as mesas, of the region. The linked to the Espinhaço range, which extends easiest and closest place is the Morro do Pai Inácio north from central Minas Gerais through Bahia, (12°27’22.00”S 41°28’24.95”W). From Lençóis forming a watershed between the basin of the rio drive north until reaching the BR-242 and turn São Francisco and those rivers draining directly left (c.11 km) at the Lençóis junction; there’s a into the Atlantic. Due to the altitudinal gradient, bridge with a sign ‘divisa Lençóis / Palmeiras’; the mountain ranges that retain the humid air the Morro do Pai Inácio will come into view from the sea and the subsequent rainshadow, there after a few metres (it’s a very famous place, so, is a high diversity of habitats such as caatinga, if in doubt don’t hesitate to ask for directions). cerrado, campo rupestre (arid mountain shrubs), At the foot of the Morro take a dirt road to the moist forest, gallery forests and of course, a rich right. Pale-throated Serra Finch is common avifauna of over 350 species4. Some endemics of along this road and even the visorbearer can the region are the incredible Hooded Visorbearer be found. But to guarantee the hummingbird, Augastes lumachella (Near Threatened) and the continue to the car park and walk up to the recently described Sincorá Antwren Formicivora plateau. Halfway up the path to the top there is grantsaui and Diamantina Tapaculo Scytalopus a trail on the right to a more open area where diamantinensis (both published in 2007). the birds are always present. Usually there are The region also holds typical Atlantic Forest local guides at the entrance of the Morro near birds such as Plain Parakeet Brotogeris tirica, the car park; if you ask them about the ‘beija- Black Jacobin Florisuga fusca, Violet-capped flor’ they will show you the place for a modest Woodnymph Thalurania glaucopis, White- fee. Velvety Black Tyrant Knipolegus nigerrimus, 50 neotropical birding 7 Maroon-bellied Parakeet Pyrrhura frontalis from Lençóis). There are several hotels available and sometimes Black-chested Buzzard Eagle here and I recommend Pousada Mucugê (www. Buteo melanoleucus can be found here as well. pousadamucuge.com.br, tel: +55 75 3338 2210). Once you have ticked the visorbearer, drive If you missed Sincorá Antwren at Lençóis, on up to the caatinga vegetation. From the Morro there is another site near Mucugê. Set the do Pai Inácio, continue 18 km along the BR-242, odometer to zero at the Pousada Mucugê, drive and turn left to Palmeiras. Drive through the out of the town back to the BA-142 (towards town (if in doubt ask for directions to the road Andaraí). After c.3 km you cross a bridge (rio to Guiné). After crossing the town and driving a Cumbuca) and exactly 3.34 km after the hotel while on a dirt road, there will be a junction (at (12°59’23.82”S 41°20’54.73”W), there is a dirt 12°31’52.09”S 41°34’10.22”W) with a sign (left road to the left. After a few metres, on the right goes to Capão and right to Lavrinha and Guiné). side is an abandoned stone building formerly Turn right and drive c.1 km until the first bridge, used by the mine workers. Find a place to park where you can park your car and walk uphill along and try for the antwren along the road. Continue the road. All the Caatinga species occur here; this drive south-west on the BA-142. After a few pay special attention for São Francisco Sparrow kilometres you will reach patches of cerrado, (it has a high-frequency voice and can be very locally called gerais. There are several secondary secretive). Broad-tipped Hermit, Spotted Piculet, roads worth exploring. Try the dirt road (at Silvery-cheeked Antshrike and Caatinga Antwren 13°03’45.01”S 41°29’04.13”W) which starts 300 are very common. Very early in the morning a m after the road to Boninal (signposted). Here group of Scarlet-throated Tanagers is normally Rufous-sided Pygmy Tyrant, Gray-backed Tachuri, present but it seems to move off as the day warms Collared Crescentchest and White-banded up (sometimes they can also be found feeding on Tanager are very common and it’s one of the the jack fruits in the garden of Casa da Geléia). best places for the amazing Horned Sungem. After birding the Caatinga, where activity After locating all the specialities keep decreases rapidly in the morning at it gets hot, going west on the BA-142 until you see the start driving back to Lençóis. After passing the sign to the entrance of Ibicoara (03°26’28.19” Morro do Pai Inácio, cross the bridge with the sign S 41°24’02.19”W). Turn left and drive towards ‘divisa Lençois/Palmeiras’ again. Less than 500 Ibicoara. After 6.8 km (13°26’09.63”S 41° m after the bridge, stop the car by the road and 20”18.59”W) there is a small bridge over the rio look for the recently described Sincorá Antwren, Paraguaçu. The gallery forest here is one of the also endemic to the Chapada, on the rocky area best places to try for Diamantina Tapaculo. on the right side. Hooded Visorbearer has been seen here too. Thereafter return to the pousada Caetité (14°03’S 42°28’W) and enjoy the hummingbirds visiting the feeder, or bird the wet forest near the town; a good Until very recently the Endangered Minas Gerais option is the road to Remanso. Take the road out Tyrannulet Phylloscartes roquettei was known of Lençois, drive for c.4 km before turning right only from patches of dry and semi-deciduous off the main road (12°32’40.24”S 41°22’23.78”W). forest within the cerrado from the São Francisco Keep on the main road for a few kilometres and Jequitinhonha valleys in north and central until finding a suitable place to park.