The Pantanal, Brazil September 2012.

I first visited Brazil in the 90's. It was just a trip with a couple of birders, starting and ending in Rio de Janeiro and birding mainly Atlantic Forest sites. Ten years on and I'd visited many South American countries, but Brazil remained a great favourite.
After a few more Atlantic Forest trips I made it to the Pantanal. Famous for its vast numbers of water birds and of course Hyacinth Macaws the Pantanal offers a nice variety of birding from open savannah, arid forests, scrub and the famous vast wetlands.

A trip to Brazil visiting the Atlantic Forests and the Pantanal soon became my favourite Neotropical 'Combo'; the open-country birding being some relief from the sometimes tricky forest birding.

Most folks will enter the Pantanal via the city of Cuiaba. Driving into the Pantanal should yield a hundred species or so before arriving at the lodge for the first night. Before venturing out into the field the lodge grounds are always worthy of investigation and apart from the first, all the photos below were taken from the yard.

All pictures are from my last tour there - Ornitholidays in September 2012 and we stayed at the Pouso Alegre Lodge and at the Best Western Mato Grosso on the banks of the Rio Pixaim before heading to Porto Jofre for Jaguars and Giant Otters. I'm saving those for another post!

A warm welcome from a Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus.

Hyacinth Macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus.

The Pantanal's flagship species can often be found nesting in the lodge gardens.

Greater Rhea Rhea americana.

Toco Toucan Ramphastos toco.

Chestnut-bellied Guan Penelope ochrogaster (endemic to Brazil).

Bare-faced Curassow Crax fasciolata (male).

Bare-faced Curassow (female).

Great Rufous Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes major.

Orange-backed Troupial Icterus croconotus.

Chestnut-eared Aracari Pteroglossus castanotis.

Greater Thornbird Phacellodomus ruber.

Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus.