During the last 20 years, Ricardo Parrini has traveled to various locations in Minas Gerais State, and has published articles about distribution and feeding behavior of various bird species. In the Minas Gerais tour you will see many endemic birds of Serra do Espinhaço rocky mountains (Cipó and Caraça), Atlantic Forest (Caraça), Cerrado (Cipó and Canastra) and Caatinga (Januária) habitats. You will see around 280 bird species during its 12 days. This tour starts and ends in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais State, and the best time of the year to do it is between April and August.

Itinerary

DAY 1 – Arrival and reception at the Belo Horizonte International Airport, followed by transfer to Caraça Park (2.5 hrs), with accommodations at the Monastery located inside the park.

DAY 2 – All day birding in Caraça. Some target birds are: Blackish Rail, Tawny-browed Owl, Biscutate Swift, Red-breasted Toucan, Red-eyed Thornbird, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Dusky-tailed Antbird, Large-tailed Antshrike, Swallow-tailed Cotinga, Cinnamon-vented Piha, Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin, Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, Green-backed Becard, Gray-eyed Greenlet, Gilt-edged Tanager, Pale-throated Serra-Finch and many others.

DAY 3 – Morning birding in Caraça, followed by drive to Cipó National Park, with accommodations at the Pousada Chão da Serra.

DAY 4 – All day birding in Cipó. The target birds are: Giant Snipe, Horned Sungem, Hyacinth Visorbearer, Checkered Woodpecker, Cipó Canastero, Helmeted Manakin, Gray-backed Tachuri, Curl-crested Jay, White-rumped Tanager, Cinereus Warbling-Finch, Yellow-billed Finch, Saffron-billed Sparrow.

DAY 5 – Morning birding in Cipó, followed by drive to Pirapora with accommodations at the Canoeiros Hotel.

DAY 6 – Morning birding in Córrego dos Ovos in Pirapora, where we will see the endemic and rare Minas Gerais Tyrannulet, Chestnut-capped Foliage-Gleaner, Rusty-backed Antwren, Forbe’s Blackbird, Blue-fronted Parrot, Stripe-breasted Starthroat, among others. Afternoon drive to Januária with accommodations at the Viva Maria Hotel.

DAYS 7 and 8 – All day birding in Peruaçu National Park. We will see various endemic species of the Caatinga habitat. The target birds are: White-bellied Nothura, Giant Wood-Rail, Caatinga Parakeet, Golden-capped Parakeet, Bahia Nighthawk (São Francisco River endemic species), Spot-backed Puffbird, Spotted Piculet, Golden-green Woodpecker, Moustached Woodcreeper, Scaled Woodcreeper, Planalto Woodcreeper (potential split of Atlantic birds), Red-billed Scythebill, Pale-legged Hornero, Chotoy Spinetail, Ochre-cheeked Spinetail, Gray-headed Spinetail, Caatinga Cachalote, Great Xenops, Silvery-cheeked Antshrike, Planalto Slaty-Antshrike, Stripe-backed Antbird, Caatinga Antwren, Black-bellied Antwren, White-browed Antpitta, White Monjita, Brazilian Black-Tyrant, Ash-throated Casiornis, Yellow-olive Flycatcher (potential split of Atlantic birds), Greater Wagtail-Tyrant, Reiser’s Tyrannulet (endemic species of the dry forests and caatingas of Central Brazil), Gray Elaenia, White-naped Jay, Tropical Gnatcatcher, Gray-eyed Greenlet, Bay-winged Cowbird, Epaulet Oriole, White-lined Tanager, Scarlet-throated Tanager, Grayish Saltator, Red-cowled Cardinal, White-throated Seedeater, San Francisco Sparrow, among others.

DAY 9 – After a very early breakfast, drive to Canastra National Park, with accommodations at the very nice Pousada Barcelos in the quiet São Roque de Minas town.

DAY 10 and 11 – All day birding in Canastra. The target birds are: Greater Rhea, Spotted Nothura, Brazilian Merganser, Red-legged Seriema, Great Dusky Swift, Stripe-breasted Starthroat, Toco Toucan, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Brasilia Tapaculo, Firewood-Gatherer, Campo Miner, Cock-tailed Tyrant, Sharp-tailed Tyrant, Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Sooty Tyrannulet, White-rumped Monjita, Southern Antpipit, Tawny-headed Swallow, Plush-crested Jay, Sedge Wren, Ochre-breasted Pipit, Cinnamon Tanager, Black-masked Finch, and others.

DAY 12 – Morning birding in Canastra, followed by drive to Belo Horizonte.