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Day 1: Arrivals at Curitiba International Airport (CWB). Birding Araucaria forest and marshes in the afternoon/evening near Borda do Campo to look for Canebrake Groundcreeper, Grey-throated Warbling Finch, Glaucous-blue Grosbeak and Long-tufted Screech Owl .Overnight in SJ dos Pinhais.

Day 2: Morning of forest birding near Borda do Campo in search of Mottled Piculet, Olive Spinetail, Hooded Berryeater, Bare-throated Bellbird, Scalloped Woodcreeper, Dusky-tailed Antbird, Speckle-breasted Antpitta, Diademed, Brassy-breasted and Chestnut-backed Tanagers and several other Atlantic Forest endemics from the diverse hills of Serra do Mar. In the afternoon we should keep birding montane forest at Serra da Gaciosa, looking for Slaty Bristlefront (southern race), Brazilian Ruby, Scale-throated Hermit, Bertoni’s Antbird, Giant and Large-tailed Antshrikes, White-browed Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-tailed Attila, Pin-tailed Manakin, Brown-breasted Bamboo Tyrant and others. Transfer to Antonina, check-in and overnight.

Day 3: Full day of birding in the gorgeous and well-protected foothills of Serra do Mar near Antonina, a true birding hotspot. Several Atlantic Forest highlights and rarities are part of the avifauna of Antonina. To mention beauties as Yellow-legged Tinamou, Black-headed Berryeater, Festive Coquette, White-necked Hawk, Robust and Helmeted Woodpeckers, Saffron and Spot-billed Toucanets, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Unicolored Antwren, Scaled Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Restinga and Bay-ringed Tyrannulets, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Russet-winged Spadebill, Atlantic Royal Flycatcher, Buff-throated Purpletuft, Azure Jay and Black-backed Tanager. We will be checking a Stygian Owl day roost in the town and trying Black-capped Screech Owl in the evening too. Overnight in Antonina.

Day 4: Morning in Antonina in search of possible rarities (Helmeted Woodpecker, Atlantic Royal Flycatcher and Buff-throasted Purpletuft can be very hard here, despite recent records). Lunch in Morretes and transfer to Pontal do Sul for an afternoon boat trip in the large Bay of Paranaguá, mainly in search of Rufous Crab Hawk, stunning flocks of Scarlet Ibis and the main event, watching the endemic Red-tailed Amazon coming to its largest known roosting site. We go through some fascinating mangrove channels on this boa trip and with a long view of Serra do Mar in the background. We should also see Estuary Dolphin, Brown Booby, Cabot’s and Royal Terns, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Pale-vented Pigeon and loads of Neotropic Cormorants. Dinner at a local brewery with very good pizza. Overnight in Pontal do Sul.

Day 5: Early transfer to Volta Velha Reserve in Itapoá, Santa Catarina state. Here in restinga forest we will be looking for a few more lowland endemics such as Scaled Chachalaca, the localized Kaempfer’s Tody-Tyrant, the threatened “Parana” Marsh Antwren and with more chances for Yellow-legged Tinamou, White-necked Hawk, Robust Woodpecker, Unicolored Antwren, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, White-browed Treehunter, White-breasted Tapaculo, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Restinga Tyrannulet, Three-striped Flycatcher, Long-billed Wren, Red-necked and Black-backed Tanagers, including chances for the rare Blue-bellied Parrot and Russet-winged Spadebill. Night birding in the reserve offers chances for the rare Silky-tailed Nightjar, Black-capped Screech Owl and Mottled Owl. Overnight at Volta Velha.

Day 6: Early morning birding at Volta Velha if necessary. For the most of morning, we should visit then the nice hills of Vila da Glória, an area we can look for Mantled Hawk, the uncommon Buff-bellied Puffbird and Rusty-breasted Nunlet; Tufted Antshrike, Spotted Bamboowren, Cinnamon-vented Piha, Oustalet’s Tyrannulet, East Brazilian Pygmy Owl and sometimes, on bamboo seeds, the uncommon Temminck’s and Buffy-fronted Seedeaters. Late morning drive south-west to the touristic hills around Rio dos Cedros for birding and overnight. In the afternoon we will be birding good forest patches at around 700m of altitude, mainly to find the uncommon Atlantic Forest endemic Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher. Overnight at Rio dos Cedros.

Day 7: Early morning of forest birding around Rio dos Cedros. Besides Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher, we will can also search in this area for Chestnut-headed Tanager, Blackish-blue Seedeater and even the rare Helmeted Woodpecker, which sometimes it shows up for some lucky birders. Then later, we continue driving south (about three hours and a half) to reach the fascinating Araucaria region, more precisely the scenic little town of Urupema. Arriving at Urupema we will visit Araucaria cloud forest (1600m), with dense bamboo and open bushy fields on hilltop. Here we will look for the endemic Long-tailed Cinclodes, the southern populations of endemics Serra do Mar Tyrannulet and Bay-chested Warbling Finch; the secretive Rufous-tailed Antthrush, Speckle-breasted Antpitta and Mouse-colored Tapaculo; more chances to find Mottled Piculet, Large-tailed and Giant Antshrikes; Greenish and Mottled Cheeked Tyrannulets, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Olive Spinetail, Diademed Tanager and others. Later check-in at the lovely Eco Pousada Rio dos Touros. Evening at the lodge offers chances of Rusty-barred Owl and Long-tufted Screech Owl. Overnight at Rio dos Touros, Urupema.

Day 8: In the early morning, the Rio dos Touros’ garden will entertain us with Araucaria Tit-Spinetails, endemic Striolated Tit-Spinetail, Grey-throated Warbling Finch and a good fruit feeder with frequent beauties like Chestnut-backed Tanager, Red Tanager, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Thick-billed Saltator and eventually, Blacksmith Thrush. In the woodland of Rio dos Touros we should also get amazing views of Planalto Tapaculo and possibly the first Vinaceous-breasted Amazons of the trip. Later in the morning, we can make a quick visit to a nice grassland area where we can find Red-legged Seriema, the stunning Black-and-white Monjita, Crested Black Tyrant, Lesser Grass Finch, Long-tailed Reed Finch, the endemic Black-bellied Seedeater and even chances to spot the rare Chaco Eagle. Later transfer south to Vacaria in Rio Grande do Sul state (two hours’ drive). Check-in at hotel and afternoon of birding in remnant marshes habitats (where decades ago were part of a vast area of natural grasslands). These marshes are still home of several rare and threatened species, where we we will be hoping to find Freckle-breasted Thornbird, the uncommon Straight-billed Reedhaunter, the shy endemic Marsh Tapaculo, uncommon Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant, more of Black-and-white Monjita and Black-bellied Seedeater and hopefully any other seedeater species. The evening here will reveal our main gem, the tiny and least known Sickle-winged Nightjar. Overnight in Vacaria.

Day 9: Day transfer to São Francisco de Paula. In the morning, two hours’ drive south in the Araucaria region will take us to Canyon Palanquinhos, where the semi-open habitats are still good home for the rare, threatened and recently described endemic Tropeiro Seedeater. Tawny-bellied Seedeater should be found here as well as more from grasslands and Araucaria woodland – Red-winged Tinamou, Spotted Nothura, Red-legged Seriema, Sooty, White-collared and Biscutate Swifts, Striolated Tit-Spinetail, Mottled Piculet, Olivaceous Elaenia, Planalto Tyrannulet, Blacksmith Thrush and others. Later stop for lunch and short transfer to the bird packed area and lovely little town of São Francisco de Paula. After checking-in, we will enjoy more grasslands habitats in search of the uncommon Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Hellmayir’s Pipit and, with luck, the rare Ochre-breasted Pipit. More good views of Straight-billed Reedhaunter and Black-bellied Seedeater are on the agenda too. The Sunset time should be very special once we will visit a roosting site of the threatened Red-spectacled Amazon. Overnight in São F de Paula.

Day 10: We should get a busy but splendid day of birding around São Francisco de Paula. If still necessary, we can start the day at a good site for Vinaceous-breasted Amazon. We will then spend the morning at the impressive Araucaria Forest from the São Francisco de Paula National Forest. One of our main target birds are the endemic Blue-bellied Parrot and the rare Black-capped Piprites, among so many other great Atlantic Forest birds we can find in this place, such as Purple-crowned Plovercrest, Mottled Piculet, Pileated Parrot, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Grey-bellied Spinetail, Sharp-billed Treehunter, Scalloped and White-throated Woodcreepers, Giant Antshrike, Short-tailed Antthrush, Variegated and Speckle-breasted Antpittas, Mouse-colored Tapaculo, Rufous-tailed Attila, Brown-breasted Bamboo Tyrant, White-bearded Bellbird, Swallow-tailed Cotinga (rare), Rough-legged Tyrannulet, Green-chinned Euphonia and others. In the afternoon, we will have time to visit Canela National Forest in order to get the amazing and uncommon Swallow-tailed Cotinga, or to visit more sites in the surroundings of São Francisco de Paula in search of any possible missing target bird. Night birding in São F de Paula includes more chances for Rusty-barred Owl, Long-tufted Screech Owl and attempts for the poorly known Buff-fronted Owl and the uncommon Long-trained Nightjar. Overnight in São F de Paula.

Day 11: Day transfer to Mostardas. We will leave São Francisco early in the morning, going down the southern-most of Serra do Mar to enter the rich and very birdy zone of the coastal Pampa. By mid-morning (after around two hours’ drive), we will have our first birding stop at coastal habitats (lacustrine ecosystems) in Nova Tramandaí. Here our main target birds is the tiny and uncommon Crested Doradito. This site offers good birding and we should expect to see several others, including Southern Screamer, Savanna Hawk, Long-winged Harrier, Firewood Gatherer, Wren-like Rushbird, Scarlet Flycatcher, White Monjita, Tawny-headed Swallow, Brown-and-yellow Marshbird, Red-crested Cardinal, hundreds of Chestnut-capped Blackbird and others. After lunch, quick stops near Cidreira can provide decent views of Giant Wood Rail, Silver Teal and even Glaucous-blue Grosbeak if needed. After two hours heading south through the lowlands along the narrow strip of land between the coast and the large Lagoa dos Patos lagoon, we finally reach the little town of Mostardas. There we are going straight for birding at the amazing area of Porto do Barquinho, which combines water, reeds, marshes, open grass and woodland, such a peaceful place and with so many birds that easily turns one of the most pleasant sessions on the tour. The sunset from here is really spectacular. The highlights we are going search here include the uncommon Ringed Teal; Plumbeous Ibis, the most wanted South American Painted-snipe, Pantanal Snipe, Spotted Rail, loads of Snail Kites, Great Black Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Spectacled Tyrant, Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Short-billed Pipit, Masked Gnatcatcher, Scarlet-headed Blackbird, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Rusty-collared Seedeater and others. Check-in, seafood dinner and overnight in Mostardas.

Day 12: A full day in Mostardas to bird the impressive Lagoa do Peixe National Park. In the morning, we will be covering the proper lagoon Lagoa do Peixe and its edges along the Talha Mar track. This magnificent hotspot is a very important stopover for migrant shore birds in southern Brazil. The abundance of food and good conditions of habitats favor a rich local avifauna and a great site for birding. Highlights from this morning shall include Greater Rhea, Spotted Nothura, White-tufted Grebe, Coscoroba and Black-necked Swans, Yellow-billed and Silver Teals, Yellow-billed Pintail, Red Shoveler, Rosy-billed Pochard, the shy Dot-winged Crake, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit, South American Painted-snipe, Snowy-crowned Tern, Bay-capped Wren Spinetail, Common Miner, Hudson’s Canastero (rare), Correndera Pipit and others. In the afternoon, we will be doing the marshy area of the National Park along the Dunas track. Like a mini Pantanal, we will enjoy a nice session where we can find Pinnated Bittern, Maguari Stork, Southern Screamer, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Gilded Sapphire, Spot-flanked Gallinule, Giant Wood Rail, Pumbeous Rails, Long-winged Harrier, Chimango Caracara, Monk Parakeet, Curve-billed Reedhaunter, Spectacled Tyrant and several others. Overnight in Mostardas.

Day 13: Early morning to repeat one of the birding sites in Mostardas, then transfer south to Rio Grande (across ferry) and to the coastal Praia do Cassino. After check-in at guesthouse, we will enjoy the afternoon covering more of these very birdy marshy habitats, this time at the large Banhado do Maçarico. Here our main target birds will be Sulphur-bearded Reedhaunter and the threatened Marsh Seedeater. We also hope to find here other interesting birds such as Ringed Teal, Cinereous Harrier, Spotted Rail, Red-fronted Coot, Orange-breasted Thornbird, more chances for Hudson’s Canastero; Warbling Doradito, Scarlet-headed Blackbird and others. Overnight at Praia do Cassino.

Day 14: Early morning birding at Cassino and Banhado do Maçarico, then transfer back to Porto Alegre Airport (POA) where tour ends in the afternoon.

Tour details