Sunrise Birding LLC - Birding & Wildlife Tours - BRAZIL Atlantic Forest Special With Eduardo Patrial, September 13

BRAZIL
Atlantic Forest Special
With Eduardo Patrial
September 13 - 22, 2025

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Red-tailed Amazon by Eduardo Patrial. Join Eduardo Patrial for an easy and comfortable tour through the best sites of the lush and threatened Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil.

The diverse forests from the hills of Serra do Mar and Mantiqueira, together with coastal lowland and foothill forests, will deliver a mouthwatering list of endemics, with several rarities and many colorful species. Highlights such as Solitary Tinamou, Black-fronted Piping Guan, Long-trained Nightjar, Festive and Frilled Coquettes, Saffron Toucanet, Red-tailed Amazon, White-bearded Antshrike, Hooded Berryeater, Bare-throated Bellbird, Black-backed Tanager and more are all in the menu!

Our itinerary features 3 nights at Intervales State Park, 2 nights at Ubatuba and 3 nights at Itatiaia National Park.

Don't miss this extraordinary tour offering the best birding in Brazil's diverse Atlantic Forest with the top guide in Brazil, Eduardo Patrial!

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ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive São Paulo, Brazil / Intervales State Park

After arrival at Guarulhos airport (Airport code: GRU) in the early morning, we will drive south to the incredible Intervales State Park for three night stay. Part of the largest continuous Atlantic Forest remnant in the country, Intervales is renowned as the best birding site in the Atlantic Forest. After checking-in, we will embark upon some impressive introductory birding in the afternoon, with chances of seeing a fine selection of birds including Solitary Tinamou, Spot-winged Wood Quail, Red-and-white Crake, Orange-breasted Thornbird, Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, Short-tailed Antthrush, Grey-throated Warbling Finch and Chestnut-backed Tanager. Overnight at Intervales State Park.

Day 2: Intervales State Park
Blue Manakin by Steve Bird. On our first full day at Intervales, we will bird the famous Carmo Road in the morning, simply a must area in the park. There we will look for an amazing selection of Atlantic Forest birds, including Black-fronted Piping Guan, Mantled Hawk, Rufous-capped Motmot, Saffron and Spot-billed Toucanets, Buff-bellied Puffbird, the rare Blue-bellied Parrot, White-collared and White-browed Foliage-gleaners, Giant and White-bearded Antshrikes, Ferruginous, Ochre-rumped and Squamate Antbirds, White-breasted Tapaculo, Blue Manakin, Hooded Berryeater, Bare-throated Bellbird, Cinnamon-vented Piha, Oustalet’s and Bay-ringed Tyrannulets, Green-headed and Brown Tanagers and with a good dose of luck, even the very rare Helmeted Woodpecker.

In the afternoon we will explore the large trail system in the park, in search of beauties such as Dusky-throated Hermit, Purple-crowned Plovercrest, Short-tailed Antthrush, Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin, Brown-breasted Bamboo Tyrant, the tricky Variegated Antpitta and others. Night birding is always rewarding here with good chances for the impressive Long-trained Nightjar, Long-tufted Screech Owl and Rusty-barred Owl. Overnight at Intervales State Park.

Black-cheeked Gnateater by Steve Bird.

Day 3: Intervales State Park
In the morning, we will bird the beautiful forest track known as Lajeado. There we hope to add many other Atlantic Forest species to our list including Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Scalloped Woodcreeper, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Slaty Bristlefront (southern race), Sao Paulo Tyrannulet, the rare Russet-winged Spadebill, Green-chinned Euphonia and several others.

In the afternoon we should cover other corners of the park, always very birdy and where we can look for so many others like Pavonine Cuckoo, Green-billed Toucan, Robust Woodpecker, Pileated Parrot, Spot-backed Antshrike, Dusky-tailed and Bertoni’s Antbirds, Star-throated Antwren, Planalto, Lesser and White-throated Woodcreepers, Rufous Gnateater, Grey-hooded Attila, Spotted Bamboowren, Atlantic Royal Flycatcher, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow and more. Overnight at Intervales State Park.

Day 4: Carlos Botelho State Park / Guaraú
Black-backed Tanager Today we travel down towards the coast, going through the beautiful forest of Carlos Botelho State Park where we should will make some stops in search of the uncommon endemic Black-headed Berryeater. After reaching our guesthouse by the beach at Guaraú, we will bird lush lowland Atlantic Forest. Here our main target species will be the localized and stunning endemic Black-backed Tanager.

We should also have chances for the rare White-necked Hawk in this area. Other highlights include Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Riverbank Warbler, Azure Jay, Long-billed Wren, Brazilian and Red-necked Tanagers. If time permits, we can also search for some mangrove birds such as Scarlet Ibis, Mangrove Rail and Bicolored Conebill. Overnight at Guaraú.

Day 5: Guaraú / Itanhaém / Ubatuba
From Guaraú, a short drive will take us to spend most of morning near Itanhaém for more lowland forest. Our main target this time is the localized and threatened Red-tailed Amazon and we should get great looks at large flocks of its northernmost population. Here we also hope to encounter with Channel-billed Toucan (ssp. ariel) and to have more chances with beauties such as Spot-billed Toucanet, Buff-bellied Puffbird, Azure Jay, Long-billed Wren and others. Later we will drive about five hours to reach the north coast of São Paulo, more precisely the lush foothills of the very green town of Ubatuba. Overnight at Ubatuba Palace Hotel.

Day 6: Ubatuba
A full day in Ubatuba will give us the chance to visit the rich private area of Fazenda Angelim, a famous site for birding where we will be targeting the tiny endemic Buff-throated Purpletuft and several other Atlantic Forest jewels, to include Orange-eyed Thornbird, Spotted Bamboowren, Bertoni’s Antbird by Eduardo Patrial Unicolored Antwren, the rare Salvadori’s Antwren, Bertoni’s Antbird, Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant and hopefully some of the seeding bamboo specialists, such as Buffy-fronted and Temminck’s Seedeaters and Sooty Grassquit.

In the afternoon, the plan is to visit the famous Sitio Folha Seca where we can enjoy some of the most amazing feeders for hummingbirds in the world. Dozens over dozens flying around will get us confused at the beginning to identify all of them: the amazing Festive Coquette; Saw-billed Hermit, Brazilian Ruby, Violet-capped Woodnymph, Versicolored and Glittering-throated Emeralds, White-chinned Sapphire, Sombre and Swallow-tailed Hummingbirds, Black-throated Mango, Black Jacobin and hopefully the small Amethyst Woodstar. The fruit feeder usually brings plenty as well and we will keep alert for Violaceous and Chestnut-bellied Euphonias, Green-headed, Red-necked, Brazilian, Ruby-crowned and Azure-shouldered Tanagers, Red-rumped Cacique and even chances for Blond-crested Woodpecker. Overnight at Ubatuba Palace Hotel.

Day 7: Ubatuba / Itatiaia National Park
Frilled Coquette by Eduardo Patrial Today we move from Ubatuba to Itatiaia National Park, our last destination on the tour. In the early morning we should make a birding stop in the north part of Ubatuba, a good area where we can maximize the chances of Buff-throated Purpletuft and also to look for the rare Atlantic subspecies (bahiae) of Dusky Leaftosser. Jumping into Rio de Janeiro state and still along the coast, we should make another stop at Mambucaba to see the extremely localized Black-hooded Antwren. This is also a great area for general birding where we can find Yellow-eared Woodpecker, Buff-bellied Puffbird, Orange-eyed Thornbird, Unicolored Antwren, Squamate Antbird, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Sao Paulo Tyrannulet and even more chances for the Purpletuft. Later drive up the hill of Serra do Mar to get the branch of Serra da Mantiqueira to finally the reach the fantastic Itatiaia National Park.

After check in at the very nice Hotel do Ypê, we should have time for some introductory birding around the lodge and the feeders, where we can look for the little impressive Frilled Coquette, Olive-green and Golden-chevroned Tanagers, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Green-billed Toucan, Scaled Woodcreeper, many Dusky-legged Guans and more. Overnight at Hotel do Ypê.

Day 8: Itatiaia National Park
Today we spend a full day at the lower part of Itatiaia National Park. We should begin around the hotel, checking hummingbird and fruit feeders as first thing in the morning. Later and in the afternoon, we will be walking different tracks in search of the many possible target species, to mention Black Hawk-Eagle, Blue-winged Macaw, Scaly-headed Parrot, Saffron Toucanet, Pale-browed Treehunter, Black-billed Scythebill, Tufted Antshrike, White-bibbed Antbird, Slaty Bristlefront (northern race), Cryptic and Rufous-tailed Antthrushes, Large-headed Flatbill, Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant, Pin-tailed Manakin, Rufous-crowned Greenlet, Half-collared Sparrow, Gilt-edged and Brassy-breasted Tanagers and luckily a Swallow-tailed Cotinga. In the evening around the hotel, we can try for the large Tawny-browed Owl. Overnight at Hotel do Ypê.

Day 9: Agulhas Negras Road / Itatiaia National Park
Today we explore the amazing Agulhas Negras Road at the high part of Itatiaia National Park between 1,700 to 2.500 meters above sea level in a fascinating landscape. The pristine cloud-forest and the paramo like habitat may deliver many fantastic birds such as the endemics Green-crowned Plovercrest, Itatiaia Spinetail, Large-tailed Antshrike, Rufous-tailed Antbird, Rufous-backed Antvireo, Rufous-tailed Antthrush, Speckle-breasted Antpitta, Mouse-colored Tapaculo, Velvety Black Tyrant, Serra do Mar Tyrannulet, Black-capped Piprites, Buff-throated and Bay-chested Warbling-Finches, Diademed and Brassy-breasted Tanagers, Thick-billed Saltator and others. Trip back to Hotel do Ypê and overnight.

Day 10: Itatiaia National Park / Sao Paulo for departures
Time permitting we will have some early morning birding at Itatiaia National Park. On the drive back to Guarulhos airport, depending the time of international flights, we can make a stop on the way to see the recently discovered Marsh (Sao Paulo) Antwren. Later arrival at the airport and end of the tour.