9 - 19 October 2000
by Ron Hoff
We found out about this trip from friends who had run across an advertisement for the Pantanal Bird Club in the journal of the Neotropical Bird Club, the “Cotinga”. We contacted them (birdclub@terra.co.br) and asked about their itinerary (they also have a web page). They mentioned that they have been monitoring a Harpy Eagle nest for over a year, and a young one was still being seen in the vicinity of the nest. That was all we needed to know. We booked it through email and they didn’t even require a deposit. They also said they would run the trip even if only one person showed up, so we felt comfortable knowing it wouldn’t get canceled at the last minute. The trip was scheduled to start on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Not wanting to waste a couple of days, we flew to Cuiaba on Sunday, Oct. 8, rented a car for the next 2 days, and stayed at the Hotel Diplomata (dphotel@zaz.com.br), which is only 2 blocks from the airport. There we met up with 2 friends and went to the Chapada dos Guimaraes area for a couple of days birding before the tour started. Our tour with the Pantanal Bird Club went to Serra das Araras first, then the Pantanal, and finally to Chapada dos Guimaraes. I’ll do daily highlights and put the bird list at the end of the report, with the dates for each species.
October 9
We drove to the Chapada area, stopping along the road when we saw some bird activity. You have to be careful doing this, as there are not many places to safely pull off the road. In one place, not far from Cuiaba, we had a large group of Snail Kites, along with some Yellow-chevroned Parakeets and a Piratic Flycatcher. Driving to Chapada, you eventually go up a long, steep hill to a plateau. At the top, there is a small store and police post on the right. Walk a small trail behind these places and there is an overlook there with lots of bird activity. We picked up Rusty-margined Guan, Swallow Tanager, Black-throated Saltator, Red and Green Macaw, Blue-winged Macaw, and Red-legged Honeycreeper.
The next location we tried was a park that includes the Veu de Noiva waterfalls and Casa de Pedra. We went towards Casa de Pedra first, stopping by a smaller waterfalls and restaurant. Crested Black-Tyrant and Purplish Jay were noted and Great Dusky Swifts were nesting behind the waterfalls. Down at Casa de Pedra, we had super views of Helmeted Manakin. Next we went to the Veu de Noiva waterfalls, a beautiful area where we added Blue-headed Parrots. Our last stop was the road that goes to a radar station. It’s paved, with virtually no traffic, and is well worth some time to bird it. We picked up White and Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers, Thrush-like Wren, and Short-tailed hawk.
October 10
We took the road to Agua Fria this morning. This is true cerrado habitat and the birds are very different here. We mainly birded the road. There is a lot more traffic on this road and it’s pretty dusty, but the birding is very good. Some species added here were Red-winged Tinamou, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Grey Monjita, White-rumped and White-banded Tanagers, Coal-crested Finch, and Curl-crested Jays.
Our next stop was the road called Portao da Fe. It’s a small, sandy track on the right (going to Chapada), just after the Agua Fria turnoff, which is on the left. The birding is best here first thing in the morning, as it’s a small patch of forest. We got there about 1030 and still had some good birding, picking up things like Planalto Tyrannulet, Chestnut-eared Aracari, White-rimmed Warbler, Dark-billed Cuckoo, and Planalto Hermit. Our last stop after lunch was back to the radar road. It was slow during the heat of mid-day, but things picked up around 1600. We eventually added King Vulture, Pearl Kite, a great look at a perched Gray Hawk, Toco Toucan, Peach-fronted Parakeet, and Planalto Slaty Antshrike. We drove back to Cuiaba (about one hour), and spent the night at the Hotel Diplomata.
October 11
We actually started our Pantanal Bird Club tour this morning at 0700, meeting our guide Braulio Carlos. The 4 of us went to Serra das Araras. We only birded the highway a little bit, as it is very busy. We did stop at one place to look for Brown Jacamar, but didn’t find it. Serra das Araras is one of the most southern places to find true Amazonian species. We stayed at Pousada Curripira d’Araras (curripira@inter-fox.com.br). This pousada and the forest are privately owned and are working with the Pantanal Bird Club in trying to preserve the remaining forest on their land. We went into the forest right away and found the immature Harpy Eagle. Wow! Like any forest, the birding is slow, but some of the birds we found there were, Gray-headed Kite, Brazilian Teal, Striolated Puffbird, Red-necked Woodpecker, Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Black-throated Antbird, and White-eyed Attila. The last thing we did was look for nightbirds and Braulio found us a Rufous Nightjar and an Ocellated Poorwill that he creeped up on and actually caught it in his hand for a brief moment.
October 12
We birded the same forest in the morning and afternoon, with a break at the spring-fed pool in the heat of mid-day (a great, comfortable break). Birds added today were, Warbling Antbird, White-shouldered Antshrike, White-flanked Antwren, Little Tinamou, Red-shouldered Macaw, Moustached Wren, Mississippi Kite, Ash-throated Crake, Chapman’s Swift, Little Nightjar, and Scissor-tailed Nightjar.
October 13
We birded the same forest this morning before leaving for the Pantanal. We added White-backed Fire-Eye, Great Antshrike, Cocoa Thrush, and Sharpbill. We drove back to Cuiaba, as we were picking up 2 more people to join us in the Pantanal and Chapada. After lunch, we drove into the Pantanal.
We stopped at various places along the way to the Pixaim River and our hotel, Fazenda Santa Tereza (very nice and great food). Some of the birds along the Transpantaneira were Southern Screamer, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Bay-winged Cowbird, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Bare-faced and Plumbeous Ibises, Rusty-collared Seedeater, Long-tailed Ground-Dove, Bare-faced Curassow, Sunbittern, Red-throated Piping Guan, and great looks at Band-tailed Nighthawk at dusk.
October 14
We birded a patch of forest along the Pixaim River in the morning. There’s lots of flycatchers there. Some of the highlights were Rufous Cachalote, White-lored Spinetail, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Large-billed Antwren, Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant, Mato Grosso Antbird, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Rufous Cassiornis, Greenish Elaenia, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, and Band-tailed Antbird. This day was well over 100 degrees F., so we spent the afternoon resting in the dry wind at the hotel. At 1600, we were taken on a boat trip up the river. It was great. We got super looks at Chestnut-bellied Guans and to die for looks at a beautiful pair of Bare-faced Curassows. There were some Giant Otters that, over the years, had become friendly with the boat people. We got to within a few feet of them and even fed them some small Piranhas that the hotel people had caught for that purpose. It was fabulous. Some of the other birds we had on the river were Jabiru, Boat-billed Heron, Sungrebe, Greater Ani, and Green and Rufous Kingfisher. After supper, Braulio took us out spotlighting, and we found a Spot-tailed Nightjar. We were able to get to within 10 feet of it for a super look!
October 15
This morning was spent birding in the dry, open areas of the hotel not in the river forest. Some of the birds seen were White-rumped Monjita, Campo Flycatcher, Epaulet Oriole, Picui Ground-Dove, Rufous-fronted Thornbird, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper (seen from the breakfast table!), Black-hooded Parakeet, and Swainson’ Flycatcher. We then drove further into the Pantanal to the Jaguar Ecological Reserve, where we stayed for a couple of nights. On the way we added Buff-necked Ibis, Monk Parakeet, Plain Tyrannulet, a gorgeous Bat Falcon, and the stunning Scarlet-headed Blackbird. When we got to the hotel, we saw our first Hyacinth Macaws.
October 16
We first went to the jaguar research station, but on the way there (only a few kilometers), we found a Fawn-breasted Wren. At the station we added Great Rufous Woodcreeper (what a bird!), Crimson-crested and Pale-crested Woodpeckers, Golden-collared Macaw, Little Cuckoo, and Striped Cuckoo. Braulio then took us to fazenda Santa Isabell, where we found a flock of Hyacinth Macaws. At one point, there were 20 in one tree, only about 50 feet from us! Incredible! After a mid-day break, we went further into the Pantanal. Species added were Maguari Stork, Black-backed Water-Tyrant, and Rusty-backed Antwren.
Right before dusk, we found a group on Nacunda Nighthawks resting on the ground. We were able to get within 25 feet without disturbing them for some great views! On the way back, Braulio was spotlighting from the van and found us some Great Horned Owls and Great Potoos. Then we really got lucky. Braulio managed to find two Jaguars, lying in the grass about 75 yards from the road!!! We eventually got the scope on them for some great (and safe!) views. They were absolutely magnificent! We thought that was it for the night, but further up the road we came across a Yellow Anaconda about to cross the road. We stopped the van right beside it and watched it turn around and slither away. It appeared to be about 10-12 feet long. Gorgeous!
October 17
This was mostly a driving day, but we managed to pick up a few more things. On the way out of the Pantanal we found Hooded Tanagers, a Little Woodpecker, a King Vulture perched in a tree about 50 feet from us, and Braulio taped in a Red-billed Scythebill for an incredible look from 10 feet! When we got to Chapada it was mid-day, so we relaxed for a bit. Our hotel here was the Pousada Laura Vicuna. It was very nice. When we went out for the afternoon, we tried the road to Agua Fria, but a rainstorm came up and drove us away. This was the first rain we encountered so far. We went to a patch of forest, which is near a marker for the geographical center of South America. Braulio called this place Mirante. Braulio tried calling for Southern Antpipit, but no luck. The only thing we added here was a great look at Band-tailed Manakins.
October 18
We birded the road to Agua Fria this morning. We did very well with great looks at Collared Crescentchest, White-vented Violetear, a pair of Aplomado Falcons, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant, White-tailed Hawk, Blue Finch, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, and Small-billed Tinamou. We then went back to Mirante to try for the Antpipit again. We still couldn’t find the Antpipit, but did find Pectoral Sparrow, a difficult skulker. That afternoon, we went to the Veu de Noiva waterfalls. We didn’t add much in the way of new birds. While we were waiting around looking at birds (this is a guaranteed spot for Blue-winged Macaws), Braulio yelled “Maned Wolves!”. We turned around and saw a pair of Maned Wolves running across a grassy meadow about 100 yards away. They were stunningly beautiful! It was the first time Braulio had seen them in this park. Right before dusk, on the way back to our hotel, we managed to find a Red-legged Seriema.
October 19
Our last morning was spent birding the road called Portao da Fe. We added Guira and Gray-headed Tanagers, a fabulous look at Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, a poor look at a female Dot-eared Coquette, and Sirystes Flycatcher. We stopped at a couple of places on the way back to Cuiaba and picked up Rufous-thighed Kite, Crowned Slaty Flycatcher, Lesser Seed Finch, and Green-winged Saltator. We dropped Braulio off at the bus station in Cuiaba because he was going to Alta Floresta to begin another trip the next day. Our driver then took us back to the Hotel Diplomata. We flew to Rio the next day.
BIRD LIST for SERRA DAS ARARAS, The PANTANAL, and CHAPADA DOS GUIMARAES.
11 = seen on the 11th, etc.;
H9 = heard on the 9th; etc;
G = someone in our group saw the bird, but not myself.
| Gray Tinamou- H11, H13 | Little Tinamou- 12 |
| Undulated Tinamou- 14 (great look), 16 | Small-billed Tinamou- 18 |
| Tataupa Tinamou- G13, H18, H19 | Red-winged Tinamou- 10, 17 |
| Greater Rhea- 14-17 | Least Grebe- 12 |
| Olivaceous Cormorant- 14-16, 19 | Anhinga- 14-16 |
| White-necked heron- 11, 13-17 | Great Egret- 13-17 |
| Snowy Egret- 11-16 | Little Blue Heron- 17 |
| Cattle Egret- seen every day | Striated Heron- seen every day |
| Whistling Heron- 13 | Capped heron- 11, 12, 14-17 |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron- 11, 13, 16-17 | Rufescent Tiger-heron- 13-17 |
| Boat-billed Heron-14 | Plumbeous Ibis- 13-17 |
| Buff-necked Ibis- 15, 16 | Green Ibis- seen every day |
| Bare-faced Ibis- 13 | Roseate Spoonbill- 15, 17 |
| American Wood Stork- 14-17 | Maguari Stork- 16 |
| Jabiru- 14-17 | King Vulture- 10, 11, 17 |
| Black Vulture- Abundant | Turkey Vulture- 11, 13-18 |
| Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture- 11, 13-16 | Brazilian Duck- 11-13 |
| Muscovy Duck- 13, 15-17 | Southern Screamer- 13-17 |
| White-tailed Kite- 19 | Pearl Kite- 10 |
| Swallow-tailed Kite- 9, 13 | Gray-headed Kite- 11, 12 |
| Rufous-thighed Kite- 19 | Plumbeous Kite- 11-13, 16-19 |
| Mississippi Kite- 12, 13, 17 | Snail Kite- 9, 13, 15-17 |
| White-tailed Hawk- 18 | Short-tailed Hawk- 9 |
| Gray Hawk- 10 | Roadside Hawk- 9, 12-14, 16-18 |
| White Hawk-13 | Black-collared Hawk- 13 17 |
| Savannah Hawk- 13-16 | Great Black Hawk- 13-17 |
| Harpy Eagle- 11-13 (immature only) | Crane Hawk- 13, 15, 16 |
| Osprey- 14 | Laughing falcon- 11 |
| Collared Forest-Falcon - 16 (leader only) | Yellow-headed Caracara- 16-18 |
| Crested Caracara- seen every day | Bat Falcon- 15, 16 |
| Aplomado Falcon- 18 | American Kestrel- 9, 11-13, 17, 18 |
| Chaco Chachalaca- 13-17 (pretty common) | Rusty-margined Guan- 10, 17 |
| Spix's Guan- G12 | Chestnut-bellied Guan- 14 |
| Red-throated Piping-Guan- 13, 14 | Blue-throated piping- Guan- 15-17 |
| Bare-faced Curassow- 13, 14, 16, 17 | Limpkin- 13-17 |
| Gray-necked Wood-Rail- 13-17 | Ash-throated Crake- 12 |
| Gray-breasted Crake- H15 | Sungrebe- 14 |
| Sunbittern- 13, 14, 17 | Red-legged Seriema- 18 |
| Wattled Jacana- 11-17 | Southern Lapwing- seen every day |
| Solitary Sandpiper- 13-18 | White-rumped Sandpiper- 11 |
| Scaled Pigeon- 10-12 | Picazuro Pigeon- 13-18 |
| Pale-vented Pigeon- 13-15 | Plumbeous Pigeon- 11 |
| Ruddy Ground-Dove- seen every day | Picui Ground-Dove- 10, 17 |
| Blue ground-Dove- 11, 12 | Long-tailed Ground-Dove- 13, 15, 16 |
| Scaled Dove- 14 | White-tipped Dove- 13-17, 19 |
| Gray-fronted Dove- 12-14 | Hyacinth Macaw- 15-17 |
| Red-and-Green Macaw- 9, 10, 18 | Blue-winged Macaw- 9, 10, 18 |
| Golden-collared Macaw- 16 | Red-shouldered Macaw- 12, 13 |
| Blue-crowned Parakeet- G15 | White-eyed Parakeet- 9, 15, 16, 18, 19 |
| Dusky-headed Parakeet- 11-13 | Peach-fronted Parakeet- 10, 13, 14, 19 |
| Black-hooded Parakeet- 15 | Monk Parakeet- 15-17 |
| Yellow-chevroned Parakeet- 9-17 | Blue-headed Parrot- 9, 18 |
| Scaly-headed Parrot- 16 | Turquoise-fronted Amazon- 14-17 |
| Orange-winged Amazon- G14 | Dark-billed Cuckoo- 10, 16, 19 |
| Squirrel Cuckoo- 9, 11, 12, 14, 19 | Little Cuckoo- 16, 19 |
| Smooth-billed Ani- seen every day | Greater Ani- 14 |
| Guira Cuckoo- seen every day | Striped Cuckoo- 16 |
| Pheasant Cuckoo- H17 | Tropical Screech Owl- H17, H18 |
| Tawny-bellied Screech Owl- H11, H12 | Great Horned Owl- 16 |
| Spectacled Owl- H11 | Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl- H13 |
| Burrowing Owl- 10, 11-13, 17-19 | Great Potoo-13 |
| Lesser Nighthawk- 9 | Band-tailed Nighthawk- 13, 14 |
| Nacunda Nighthawk- 14, 16 | Pauraque- 11-14, 16 |
| Ocellated Poorwill- 11 | Rufous Nightjar- 11 |
| Spot-tailed Nightjar- 14 | Little Nightjar- 12, 13 |
| Scissor-tailed Nightjar- 12 | White-collared Swift- 9, 10, 18 |
| Biscutate Swift- G18 | Great Dusky Swift- 9, 18 |
| Chapman's Swift- 12 | Gray-rumped Swift- 12 |
| Fork-tailed Palm-Swift- 11 | Planalto Hermit- 10 |
| Swallow-tailed Hummingbird- 18 | White-vented Violetear- 18 |
| Black-throated Mango- 18 | Dot-eared Coquette- 19 (female only) |
| Glittering-bellied Emerald- 19 | Fork-tailed Woodnymph- 10-12, 18 |
| White-tailed Goldenthroat- 15 | Versicolored Emerald- 14 |
| Glittering-throated Emerald- 15, 17, 19 | Amethyst Woodstar- 18 |
| Black-tailed Trogon- 11-13 | White-tailed Trogon- 13 |
| Collared Trogon- 13 | Blue-crowned Trogon- almost every day |
| Ringed Kingfisher- 13-17 | Amazon Kingfisher- 11, 13-17 |
| Green Kingfisher- 13-17 | Green-and-Rufous Kingfisher- 14 |
| American Pygmy Kingfisher- 14 | Blue-crowned Motmot- 10, 12, 13, 18,19 |
| Rufous-tailed Jacamar- 10, 14, 16, 17, 19 | White-eared Puffbird- G18 |
| Striolated Puffbird- 11 | Black-fronted Nunbird- 10, 11, 12, 18, 19 |
| Swallow-wing- 11, 12, 18, 19 | Chestnut-eared Aracari- 10-12, 14-16, 19 |
| Yellow-ridged Toucan- 17 | Toco Toucan- 10, 12, 13, 16, 18 |
| White-wedged Piculet- 14, 18, 19 | Campo Flicker- 13 |
| Green-barred Woodpecker- 11-13, 17 | Golden-green Woodpecker- 14, 15 |
| Pale-crested Woodpecker- 16, 19 | Lineated Woodpecker- 15, 16 |
| Yellow-tufted Woodpecker- 9-11, 19 | White Woodpecker- 9, 15 |
| Little Woodpecker- 17, 19 | Red-stained Woodpecker- 11 |
| Crimson-crested Woodpecker- 16 | Red-necked Woodpecker- 11, 19 |
| Collared Crescentchest- 18 | Great Antshrike- 13, 15-18 |
| Barred Antshrike- 14-16, 18 | Planalto Slaty Antshrike- 10 |
| Rufous-winged Antshrike- 18 | White-shouldered Antshrike- 12 |
| Plain Antvireo- 14, 17, 19 | White-flanked Antwren- 12 |
| Large-billed Antwren- 14, 18 | Rusty-backed Antwren- 16, 19 |
| Mato Grosso Antbird- 14 | White-backed Fire-Eye- 13, 19 |
| Warbling Antbird- 12 | Band-tailed Antbird- 14 |
| Black-throated Antbird- 11 | Rufous Hornero- Abundant |
| Pale-legged Hornero- 14, 16 | Chotoy Spinetail- 13, 15 |
| Sooty-fronted Spinetail- 18 | Pale-breasted Spinetail- 10 |
| White-lored Spinetail- 14, 15 | Cinereous-breasted Spinetail- 15, 17 |
| Yellow-chinned Spinetail- 13, 15-17 | Rufous-fronted Thornbird- 15 |
| Greater Thornbird- 13, 15, 17 | Rufous Cachalote- 14, 15 |
| Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper- 19 | Plain-brown Woodcreeper- 11 |
| Olivaceous Woodcreeper- 19 | Great Rufous Woodcreeper- 16 |
| Straight-billed Woodcreeper- 14 | Buff-throated Woodcreeper- 11, 13, 16, 19 |
| Narrow-billed Woodcreeper- 15 | Lineated Woodcreeper- 13 |
| Red-billed Scythebill- 17 | Planalto Tyrannulet- 10, 19 |
| Southern Beardless Tyrannulet- 15 | Mouse-colored Tyrannulet- 19 |
| Campos Flycatcher- 15, 18 | Greenish Elaenia- 14, 19 |
| Forest Elaenia- 14, 17 | Yellow-bellied Elaenia- 13, 19 |
| Lesser Elaenia- 12 | Plain Tyrannulet- 15 |
| White-crested Tyrannulet- G15, G16 | Tawny-crowned Pygmy-Tyrant- 18 |
| Sepia-capped Flycatcher- 10 | Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant- 11 |
| Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant- 14 | Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant- 14-16 |
| Common Tody-Flycatcher- 13, 15, 16 | Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher- 14 |
| Yellow-olive Flycatcher- 14, 19 | Bran-colored Flycatcher- 13 |
| Yellow-margined Flycatcher- 11 | Euler's Flycatcher- 12 |
| Fuscous Flycatcher- 12, 14, 19 | Gray Monjita- 10 |
| White-rumped Monjita- 15 | Crested Black-Tyrant- 9, 18 |
| Black-backed Water-Tyrant- 13, 16 | White-headed Marsh-Tyrant- 13, 16 |
| Streamer-tailed Tyrant- 13 | Yellow-browed Tyrant- 13 |
| Swallow (Cliff) Flycatcher- 9, 10, 18 | Cattle Tyrant- 13-17 |
| White-eyed Attila- 11, 13, 16 | Rufous Casiornis- 14, 16 |
| Sirystes- 19 | Short-crested Flycatcher- 15, 16 |
| Brown-crested Flycatcher- 12, 14, 16, 17, 19 | Swainson's Flycatcher- 15 |
| Great Kiskadee- Abundant | Lesser Kiskadee- 14 |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher- 9, 12, 14-16, 18, 19 | Rusty-margined Flycatcher- 11-17 |
| Social Flycatcher- 9 | Streaked Flycatcher- 9, 15, 16, 18 |
| Piratic Flycatcher- 9, 14, 19 | Variegated Flycatcher- 10-12, 17, 19 |
| Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher- 19 | Fork-tailed Flycatcher- 9, 13, 15-17 |
| Tropical Kingbird- seen almost every day | White-throated Kingbird- 13, 14, 16 |
| White-winged Becard- 14 | Crested Becard- 19 |
| Black-tailed Tityra- 16, 17 | Masked Tityra- 10-13 |
| Black-crowned Tityra- 14-16, 18 | Band-tailed Manakin- 17, 18 |
| Helmeted Manakin- 10, 14, 18 | Fiery-capped Manakin- H19 |
| Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin- 18 | Sharpbill- 13 |
| White-winged Swallow- 13-16 | Brown-chested Martin- 15, 16 |
| Gray-breasted Martin- 11-17 | Blue-and-White Swallow- 18 |
| Southern Rough-winged Swallow- every day | Purplish Jay- 9, 12, 14, 15 |
| Curl-crested Jay- 10, 18 | Thrush-like Wren- 9, 12-14, 16, 17 |
| Black-capped Donacobius- 12, 14-17 | Moustached Wren- 12, 14 |
| Buff-breasted Wren- 19 | Fawn-breasted Wren- 16 |
| Masked Gnatcatcher- 14, 15, 19 | Rufous-bellied Thrush- 14, 15, 19 |
| Pale-breasted Thrush- 9, 10, 12, 17-19 | Cocoa Thrush- 13 |
| Chalk-browed Mockingbird- almost every day | Rufous-browed Peppershrike- 9-11 |
| Chivi (Red-eyed) Vireo- 10, 19 | Ashy-headed Greenlet- 14 |
| Tropical Parula- 19 | Masked Yellowthroat- 13,19 |
| Flavescent Warbler- 12, 14, 19 | White-bellied Warbler- 9, 10, 18, 19 |
| Bananaquit- 13, 15 | White-banded Tanager- 9, 10, 18 |
| White-rumped Tanager- 10, 18 | Magpie Tanager- 11-13 |
| Guira Tanager- 19 | Hooded Tanager- 17 |
| Gray-headed Tanager- 19 | White-shouldered Tanager- G11 |
| White-lined Tanager- 9, 10, 16, 18 | Silver-beaked Tanager- 9, 10, 13-19 |
| Sayaca Tanager- 9,10, 13-15, 17-19 | Palm Tanager- 9, 11-14, 16-18 |
| Purple-throated Euphonia- 9 | Thick-billed Euphonia- 11, 19 |
| Burnished-buff Tanager- 9, 10, 18 | Blue Dacnis- 9, 10, 19 |
| Red-legged Honeycreeper- 9, 10, 12, 19 | Chestnut-vented Conebill- 19 |
| Swallow Tanager- 9, 10, 17-19 | Rufous-collared Sparrow- 19 |
| Grassland Sparrow- 10, 15, 18 | Yellow Saffron-Finch- 13-17 |
| Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch- 10, 19 | Blue-black Grassquit- 12, 18, 19 |
| Plumbeous Seedeater- 18, 19 | Rusty-collared Seedeater- 13, 15, 17 |
| Double-collared Seedeater- 14, 16 | White-bellied Seedeater- 13 |
| Lesser Seed-Finch- 19 | Pectoral Sparrow- 18 |
| Coal-crested Finch- 10 | Red-crested Finch- 10, 15, 18 |
| Red-crested Cardinal- G15 | Yellow-billed Cardinal- 13-17 |
| Green-winged Saltator- 19 | Buff-throated Saltator- 9, 18, 19 |
| Grayish Saltator- 11-16 | Black-throated Saltator- 9, 10, 18 |
| Blue Finch- 18 | Crested Oropendula- 10, 15, 16 |
| Yellow-rumped Cacique- 11-17 | Solitary Black Cacique- 14-17 |
| Epaulet Oriole- 15, 16 | Orange-backed Troupial- 12, 14-17 |
| Unicolored Blackbird- 13-16 | Scarlet-headed Blackbird- 15, 17 |
| Chopi Blackbird- seen every day | Bay-winged Cowbird- 13-17 |
| Shiny Cowbird- 14, 15, 17 | Giant Cowbird- 11, 12, 14-17 |
| House Sparrow- 11, 13, 17, 19 | - |
Comments, opinions, and Recommendations
1 - We highly recommend the Pantanal Bird Club. They handled all our requests by email, even arranging a hotel in Chapada when we were there before their trip began. They also reserved a rental car for us. Be prepared for the cost of rental cars. We got the smallest one they had, it did not have air conditioning, we had to pay extra for unlimited kilometers, and it still cost us $75/day. The next time I would recommend the company Localiza (I think that's the correct name).
2 - We can't recommend Braulio Carlos too highly. He was great. Not only was he very knowledgeable about the birds, but also knew a lot about the plants and animals. He was energetic, loves nightbirds, and has a good sense of humor. He took care of any problem that came up quickly and efficiently.
3 - I've tried to be accurate in this report. If there are any mistakes, they are mine alone. If there are mistakes, please let me know.
Ron Hoff
(dollyron95@aol.com).