BRAZIL: IGUAÇU FALLS EXTENSION SEPTEMBER 16–20, 2019 Iguaçu is a stronghold for the endangered Black-fronted Piping-Guan ©Andrew Whittaker LEADER: ANDREW WHITTAKER LIST COMPILED BY: ANDREW WHITTAKER VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM BRAZIL: IGUAÇU FALLS EXTENSION SEPTEMBER 16–20, 2019 By Andrew Whittaker The world’s mightiest, Iguaçu Falls © Andrew Whittaker Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Extension, September, 2019 This exciting short extension was centered on three days of birding in Iguaçu Falls National Park (Paraná state, Brazil), where the world’s greatest waterfalls are found right in front of our lovely five-star hotel. The huge national forest reserve surrounding the falls holds a very nice cross-section of southern Brazilian birds, many of which are endemic to the greater Atlantic Forest region. Our early morning departure from Cuiabá to São Paulo and subsequent connection were on time, and we reached Iguaçu as planned. Oliver, our local birding guide, was waiting and escorted us to the lovely, plush Hotel Cataratas in time for lunch. As temperatures fell, our late afternoon was devoted to birding and sightseeing between the hotel and the magnificent falls along the forested paths and walkways. The ever-present and spectacular Plush-crested Jay © Andrew Whittaker Due to our very early start in Cuiaba, we planned an early 4:30 start for owling, followed by a field breakfast in the forest for the following day. Despite this year’s amazingly dry conditions and a dull start to our second day, our two days of forest birding along the 11- km of jeep track ending at the Iguaçu River produced many of the Atlantic Forest specialties that we have come to expect from this magnificent spot. The trip highlights, however, were the fantastic looks at a magnificent rarely seen Long-tailed Potoo on its day-roost that Oliver had found last year! We marveled over its incredible camouflage and unique wing feathers rounded up at the ends to mimic bark chips! Other memorable highlights included nice studies of spectacular Yellow-fronted, Robust, and Blond- crested woodpeckers; the see-sawing displays of a male Spot-billed Toucanet; snazzy Red-breasted Toucans; incandescent male Band-tailed Manakins at a lek; confiding pairs of both Black-throated and Surucua trogons; and an unusually cooperative Rufous- capped Motmot. Sadly, a Pavonine Cuckoo and a Sharpbill were calling but would not Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Extension, September, 2019 appear. However, we enjoyed: hearing the repeated “bomb-dropping” whistled songs of the Sharpbill; an inquisitive, rarely seen Russet-winged Spadebill at point-blank range; Southern Antpipits skulking in the understory and one with nesting material; and mixed- species flocks of foliage-gleaners, ant-tanagers, and various tyrannulets. Sadly this year, no signs of the poorly-known Creamy-bellied Gnatcatchers; despite often playing our pygmy-owl calls, we just heard one distantly. Male Spot-billed Toucanet, Iguaçu Falls NP © Andrew Whittaker Tape, however, worked well, bringing in such canopy dwellers as Three-striped Flycatchers; Sibilant Sirystes; Rufous-winged and Streak-capped antwrens; Chestnut- bellied and Purple-throated euphonias; and the gaudy male Guira Tanager. The magnificent view from the tower overlooking the marsh provided Blackish Rail and a migrant Solitary Sandpiper, along with feeding Green Ibis. During our pleasant walks around the falls for birding and sightseeing from the hotel to the Devil’s Throat portion of the falls, we all managed to catch up and enjoy lovely views of the rare Black-fronted Piping-Guan. During the course of these nice ambles, we were also treated to close encounters with Toco Toucans, Chestnut-eared Aracaris, mobs of elegant Plush-crested Jays (and less elegant South American Coatis), the stunning Green- headed Tanager, and hordes of Great Dusky Swifts unfazed, flying right through the massive white water of the falls to roost! Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Extension, September, 2019 Great Dusky Swifts at and under the mighty Iguaçu Falls © Andrew Whittaker In conclusion, we enjoyed a lovely relaxed stay in a fantastic hotel with several marvelous buffet meals and added a whole new suite of many interesting Atlantic Forest birds, adding a total of an extra 141 species to our trip list from the main Brazil: Pantanal Safari (Birds & Jaguars) tour , and the extension proved a perfect “up- country” complement to our time in the “outback” of the Pantanal. Special thanks to our local guide Oliver, as well as to all of the folks from Macuco Safaris for their flawless handling of the complicated logistics. It certainly was great fun introducing each of you to the scenic, floral, and faunal wonders of this region. I do hope to see you all again on another exciting VENT tour in my home, Brazil, or in one of the other countries where I lead VENT tours. Happy birding to you all. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Extension, September, 2019 Black-throated Trogon male at Iguaçu Falls NP © Andrew Whittaker ITINERARY: 9/16 - Cuiabá to São Paulo to Iguaçu to the Hotel das Cataratas, inside the National Park. Afternoon walk and birding around the falls at 16:30 when most day tripers had left. 9/17 - Iguaçu Falls National Park: 06:30h departure from hotel with a great breakfast in the field for all-day birding (with field lunch) on the Poço Preto Road, until ca. 1700h. 9/18 - Iguaçu Falls National Park: small breakfast at hotel before our pre-dawn start at 04:30 departure from hotel for all-day birding (with field breakfast & lunch) on the Poço Preto Road, until ca. 1700h. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Extension, September, 2019 9/19 - Time for one last morning excursion (on foot) along the river to the Falls, mainly for sightseeing and photographing the Falls, and to search for Black-fronted Piping-Guan. We transferred to the airport in time for our flight from Iguacu to São Paulo, with later connections to international flights home. 9/20 - International flights arrive back in USA, with connections home. 7 FAVORITE BIRDS OF THE TRIP (as voted by the group): 1- LONG-TAILED POTOO 2- GREAT DUSKY SWIFT 3- BLOND-CRESTED WOODPECKER 4- BAND-TAILED MANAKIN 5- SURUCUA TROGON 6- ROBUST WOODPECKER 7- YELLOW-FRONTED WOODPECKER Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 7 Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Extension, September, 2019 The rarely seen and amazingly camouflaged Long-tailed Potoo on its day roost was voted top bird of the extension © Andrew Whittaker KEY: E - species endemic to the Atlantic Forest biogeographic region including and surrounding southeast Brazil (including northern Argentina -- mostly Misiones -- and eastern Paraguay). A few of these designated species are endemic to a slightly broader area that includes the Atlantic Forest of northeast Brazil, and/or adjacent Planalto regions of interior southern Brazil. In a few cases, I have added this designation to taxa not yet recognized at the species level by the South American Classification Committee (SACC) of the American Ornithologists Society (AOS), but which are either already treated as distinct by the Brazilian Check-list Committee, or, which are in imminent position of being elevated to species level. e - subspecies endemic to this biogeographic region (see above). Many of Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 8 Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Extension, September, 2019 these taxa are geographically isolated from (and morphologically and vocally distinct from) other forms currently considered to be conspecific. Many of these represent potential “splits”, and many are already treated as specifically distinct by some taxonomists. X - Indicates an introduced, non-native species. * - heard only POPR = Poço Preto Road BIRDS : TINAMOUS (Tinamidae) Solitary Tinamou (Crypturellus obsoletus obsoletus )* (e) - 2 birds heard on the POPR. Brown Tinamou (Crypturellus obsoletus obsoletus )* (e) - 1-2 birds heard each day on the POPR. CHACHALACAS, GUANS & CURASSOWS (Cracidae) Dusky-legged Guan (Penelope obscura ) * - Heard wing display early am. Black-fronted Piping Guan (Pipile jacutinga ) – We all got excellent views of this endangered beauty near our hotel by the falls! ANHINGAS (Anhingidae) Anhinga ( Anhinga anhinga ) – Seen at the falls. CORMORANTS (Phalacrocoracidae) Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus ) - 1-2 seen along the river above the Devil’s Throat. HERONS & EGRETS (Ardeidae) Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi ) - Single at falls. Great Egret (A.alba ) - Singles seen at the marsh and at the falls. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula ) - Singles seen at the marsh at the end of the POPR. Striated Heron (Butorides striata ) - Seen at the falls. Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax ) - Seen by some at the falls. IBISES & SPOONBILLS (Threskiornithidae) Green Ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis ) - Pair seen end of the POPR. NEW WORLD VULTURES (Cathartidae) Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 9 Brazil: Iguaçu Falls Extension, September, 2019 Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus ) - Seen daily, particularly common below the Falls. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura ) - Seen daily, particularly common below the Falls. HAWKS, KITES & EAGLES (Accipitridae) Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociablis ) - 1 seen at the falls. Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris ) - Common by falls and along the main park road. RAILS, COOTS & GALLINULES (Rallidae) Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans ) - Seen nicely from the end of the POPR. Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail (Aramides saracura ) – Seen by some on POPR and down by the falls. PLOVERS & LAPWINGS (Charadriidae) Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis chilensis ) - Remember my explanation this subspecies in time will be split from southern birds, the true Southern Lapwing. Several seen between the hotel and the Falls. One on a nest in front of the hotel on one egg! SAND PIPERS & ALLIES (Scolopacidae) Solitary Sandpiper ( Tringa solitaria) – One early migrant at the marsh seen off the tower at POPR. PIGEONS & DOVES (Columbidae) Pale-vented Pigeon (Patagioenas cayennensis ) - Small numbers seen/heard daily, usually flying high overhead, and mostly near the river.