The famous Itatiaia National park lies three hours by car from from Rio de Janeiro, half way between Rio and São Paulo. This national park, one of the oldest in Brazil, has an incredible range of forest habitats at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 8,000 ft. Various endemic species of birds are to be found along this altitudinal gradient. The mountainous terrain with many peaks, waterfalls and hiking trails make this a popular destination for tourists and nature lovers. The Ypê and Simon hotels, each a birder’s paradise, are located in the lower part of the park in the middle of the rain forest and have excellent feeders which attract many hummingbirds, toucanets, guans, woodpeckers and others. Squirrels, coatis and monkeys can be seen around the hotels daily. Some of the local bird species are: Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Tawny-browed Owl, Scale-throated Hermit, Black Jacobin, Frilled Coquette, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, White-collared Foliage-gleaner, White-bearded Antshrike, Streak-capped Antwren, White-bibbed Antbird, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia.