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ecorded: up to eight Chestnut-crested Antbirds, maybe 15 White-plumed Antbirds (several pairs with
fledged young), five or six Bicoloured Antbirds, a pair of Reddish-winged Bare-eyes, a pair of Barbellied
Woodcreepers, six White-chinned woodcreepers and eight or more Plain-brown
Woodcreepers. This just goes to show how unpredictable this phenomena is, although it is still
disappointing not to have found an antswarm on the tour.
On our last morning in São Gabriel we searched for Yellow-throated Antwren for Noel. In no time we
were enjoyed great views of a pair in a large canopy flock together with Spot-backed Antwren,
Pygmy Antwren, Amazonian Antshrike, White-crowned Manakins, more Ringed Woodpeckers and a
White-necked Puffbird before we had to head to the airport for our flight to Manaus. In the afternoon
we headed to the Sumauma park a tiny 50ha fragment of rainforest within Manaus. This park is one
of the best localities for the very local Pied Tamarin, a species restricted to the metropolitan area of
Manaus and highly threatened. Indeed it is considered the most threatened of South America’s
primates. It is now the subject of an intense breeding programme and conservation effort to secure a
viable population and by coincidence has also been the subject of a recent BBC Wildlife programme
on breeding programmes for endangered species. After walking the trails we did find and watch a
troop of this very attractive primate for some time. We also found a Red Acouchy and a roosting
Blackish Nightjar along with a number of other common urban birds that have filled the niches
previously occupied by true rainforest species..
The following morning we transferred to the Anavilhanas Jungle lodge. While crossing the Rio Negro
we saw a single Grey river Dolphin or Tucuxi. We then arrived late morning at the lodge. In the
afternoon we found the pallens form of Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrant and the magnificent Yellow-crowned
Manakins around the lodge. Our afternoon trip took us out to the islands in the archipelago. Our first
stop on a narrow river bank produced most of the specialities. The first to call was the lovely Ashbreasted
Antbird, a pair of Black-chinned Antbirds, a superb pair of Black-crested Antshrike and a
pair of Blackish-grey Antshrikes. With a little more work we also saw a few Buff-breasted Wrens and
a pair of Klages’s Antwrens. Previously thought to be restricted to this archipelago it is now found
more widely in suitable habitat along many of the larger rivers in Brazilian Amazonia. Along the river
we then found a group of Green-tailed Jacamars, several Black-fronted Nunbirds, a couple of Greychested
Greenlets and a pair of Leaden Antwrens. Exploring the narrow channels that make up the
archipelago we saw a few Bare-necked Fruitcrows, a male Amazonian Umbrellabird, a few Festive
Parrots, several Muscovy Ducks and a Grey-headed Kite. Also at one site we heard maybe three
Lesser Crestless Curassows, although they are notoriously difficult to see when booming. Exploring
the entrance track and terra firma trails at the lodge we worked through a number of sub-canopy and
canopy flocks finding a number of new species including White-shouldered Antshrike, Black-faced
Antbird and Rufous-tailed Xenops. The canopy flocks here were very active and we saw good
numbers of tanagers, dacnises, honeycreepers and woodcreepers before we had to head back to the
lodge for lunch and our return to Manaus.
The following morning we were at the port at 5am to catch our speedboat to Careiro on the south
bank. In no time we were heading south along the Porto Velho road. Our breakfast stop was alive
with birds and we quickly found a pair of Scarlet Macaws, dozens of Festive Parrots, Tui and Canarywinged
Parakeets and quite a number of Short-tailed Parrots. We then began our search for the
splendid Glossy Antshrike which we duly found and enjoyed superb views of. We then added
hundreds of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, Muscovy Duck, Anhinga, Rufescent Tiger Heron, a few
Hoatzins, a pair of Horned Screamers, a Great black Hawk, Limpkin and hundreds of egrets and
herons. While enjoying a strong coffee we saw an adult Slender-billed Kite fly low over the road. In
the more open cecropia woodlands we found a few Bicoloured Conebills, Yellow-chinned Spinetails,
a single Brownish Elaenia, a pair of Masked Tityras, Hooded Tanagers and a Chestnut-crowned
Becard. Nearer to Careiro we saw a single Buff-necked Ibis which was very unusual for the area. It
was then time to head back to Manaus and our onward flights home, or to Roraima.
6 Birdquest: Amazonian Brazil 2011