Tours
South Brazil
The South Brazil tour starts and ends in Curitiba, the capital of Paraná State. There are daily flights from Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo to Curitiba (1 to 2 hrs long). The itinerary includes locations like Serra da Graciosa in Paraná State, Itapoá and Urubici in Santa Catarina State, Bom Jesus and São Francisco de Paula in Rio Grande do Sul State. Many endemic and endangered species can be seen in this tour, like: Red-spectacled Parrot, Long-tufted Screech-owl, Highland Tapaculo, Paraná Antwren, Scalope Woodcreeper, Kaempfer's Tody-Tyrant, Black-and-white Monjita, Black-bellied Seedater, among others. The best time of the year to visit South Brazil is late November, December and January.
Itinerary
DAY 1 – Arrival and reception at the Curitiba International Airport, followed by transfer to Antonina (2 hrs), located in Serra da Graciosa, with accommodations at the Pousada Atlante, with a view to Antonina bay.
DAY 2 – All day birding in Serra da Graciosa. The target birds are: Plovercrest, Buff-bellied Puffbird, White-spotted Woodpecker, White-breasted Tapaculo, Wetland Tapaculo, Dusk-tailed Antbird, Bertoni's Antbird, Canebrake Ground-creeper, Olive Spinetail, Sharp-billed Treehunter, Scalope Woodcreeper, Greenish Tyrannulet, Bay-ringed Tyrannulet, São Paulo Tyrannulet, Rufous-tailed Attila, Blue Manakin, Hooded Berryeater, Bare-throated Bellbird, Green-chinned Euphonia, Chestnut-backed Tanager, Black-backed Tanager, Blackish-blue Seedeater, among others.
DAY 3 – Morning birding in Serra da Graciosa, followed by drive to Itapoá, with accommodations at the Neals Hotel.
DAYS 4 and 5 - All day birding in Itapoá, located in Volta Velha Reserve. The target birds are: Yellow-legged Tinamou, Scaled Chachalaca, White-necked Hawk, Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail, Plain Parakeet, Dusky-throated Hermit, Saw-billed Hermit, Festive Coquete, Channel-billed Toucan, Spoted-billed Toucanet, Ochre-collared Piculet, Robust Woodpecker, Spot-backed Antshrike, Star-throated Antwren, Squamate Antbird, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, Pale-browned Treehunter, Paraná Antwren, Greenish Schiffornis, White-eyed Foliage-gleaner, Lesser Woodcreeper, Restinga Tyrannulet, São Paulo Tyrannulet, Kaempfer's Tody-tyrant, Azure Jay, Brazilian Tanager, Azure-shouldered Tanager, among others.
DAY 6 – After a brief morning birding in Volta Velha, drive to Urubici (5 hrs), with accommodations at the Pousada Café no Bule.
DAYS 7 and 8 - All day birding in Urubici. The target birds are: Vinaceous-breasted Parrot, Long-tufted Screech-Owl, Long-trained Nightjar, Sooty Swift, Biscutate Swift, Scale-throated Hermit, Plovercrest, Surucua Trogon, Red-breasted Toucan, Highland Tapaculo, Speckled-breasted Antpitta, Brazilian Anthrush, Rufous Gnateater, Rufous-capped Spinetail, Striolated Tit-spinetail, Azure Jay, Black-capped Piprites, Eastern Slaty Thrush, Rufous-crowned Greenlet, Long-tailed Reed-Finch, Red-rumped Warbling-Finch, Thick-billed Saltator, Glaucous-blue Grosbeak, Golden-winged Cacique, among others.
DAY 9 - Morning birding in Urubici, followed by drive to Bom Jesus (3.5 hrs). The target birds are: Yellow-billed Pintail, Speckled Teal, the endangered Red-spectacled Parrot, White-collared Swift, Freckle-breasted Thornbird, Black-and-White Monjita, Long-tailed Reed-Finch, Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch, Lesser Grass-Finch, Black-bellied Seedeater, Saffron-cowled Blackbird, among others.
DAY 10 - Morning birding in Bom Jesus, followed by drive to São Francisco de Paula (3 hrs) with accommodations at the charmming Veraneio Hampel Hotel. Afternoon birding near the hotel.
DAY 11 - All day birding in São Francisco de Paula. The target birds are: Long-tufted Screech-owl, Mottled Piculet, Straight-billed Reedhaunter, Araucaria Tit-spinetail, Gray-bellied Spinetail, Brown-breasted Bamboo-tyrant, Chestnut-headed Tanager, among others.
DAY 12 – Drive to Curitiba International Airport.
