Day 1: The tour begins at 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of our hotel, near Salvador de Bahia International Airport. Night in Salvador de Bahia.

Day 2: We’ll need to drive all day with few rest stops to reach the town of Canudos near the Indigo Macaw reserve. As we travel, the agricultural fields, grassland, and patches of forest found near Salvador will slowly be replaced by drier and drier habitat. Ultimately, we’ll reach the little village of Canudos, where prime caatinga habitat, and the Indigo Macaws, can be found. This distinctive xeric habitat holds not only exciting birds but also fascinating cacti, euphorbias, and trees. Night in Canudos.

Day 3: We’ll have a full day’s birding near Canudos, starting early at the cliffs where Indigo Macaws breed. Seeing the macaws flying in front of the ochre cliffs in the morning light is truly magical. After feasting on excellent views of the macaws, we’ll spend the rest of the day birding the caatinga. We’ll look for fancy birds such as Barred (Caatinga) Antshrike, Black-bellied Antwren, Broad-tipped Hermit, Stripe-breasted Starthroat, Caatinga Cacholote, Bahia Wagtail-Tyrant, the unique Red-shouldered Spinetail, and the lovely Cactus Parakeet. With some luck we might even find the rare Great Xenops or the elusive Stripe-backed Antbird. After dinner we’ll search for Scissor-tailed Nightjar and other nightbirds. Night in Canudos.

Day 4: We’ll make the long drive toward the picturesque town of Lençois in the Chapada Diamantina region. Opportunistic stops at habitat and wet spots along the way might yield Green-barred Woodpecker, White-eared Puffbird, or Southern Pochard. Night in Lençois.

Day 5: After an early breakfast we’ll visit dry forest and caatinga habitat near the village of Palmeiras. We have an excellent chance of finding Silvery-cheeked Antshrike, Caatinga Antwren, Gray-eyed Greenlet, the cute Tropical Gnatcatcher, Red-cowled Cardinal, at least a few Cactus Parakeets, and perhaps even the noisy Scarlet-throated Tanager. It’s also here that we hope to find the São Francisco Sparrow, a lovely bird only described in 1997. A few miles away we’ll explore an interesting area of grassland mixed with low shrubs. Despite growing on poor and sandy soils, the vegetation here is extremely varied, from dwarf palm trees to stunning flowers, and is home to fabulous birds such as Rufous-sided Pygmy-Tyrant, White-rumped Tanager, Campo Flicker, Collared Crescentchest, and Black-throated Saltator.

After a mid-day break in Lençois we’ll visit the scenic Morro do Pai Inacio, a plateau covered by spectacular rupicolous vegetation. The more intrepid will have the opportunity to climb the plateau and enjoy the wonderful view, and along the hike to the top, we’ll have a great chance of finding the stunning Hooded Visorbearer, the endemic Pale-throated Pampa-Finch, and the lovely Velvety Black-Tyrant. Between the boulders we may spot a Rock Cavy, a weird-looking mammal related to Guinea Pigs. We’ll also look for the very recently described Sincora Antwren, a beautiful and extremely local species, found only in the northern part of the Espinhaço range, as well as more common species such as Burnished-buff Tanager or Planalto Tyrannulet. Night in Lençois.

Day 6: We’ll spend the morning in the dry forest near Lençois, looking for Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, the recently split Ochre-backed Woodpecker, Black-capped Antwren, and the superb White-naped Jay among others. In the background of the songs and calls of more common birds we’ll probably hear the marvelous song of the Yellow-legged Tinamou. In the afternoon we’ll travel to the charming village of Mucugê. Just before arriving at our destination, we’ll bird open cerrado habitat, where we hope to see Rufous-winged Antshrike, Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, and possibly even the uncommon Stripe-tailed Yellow-Finch. Night in Mucugê.

Day 7: We’ll have a full day to investigate savanna and a patch of superb dry forest near Mucugê. In the savanna we’ll look for species we haven’t yet seen, perhaps the cute Gray-backed Tachuri, the oddly shrike-like White-banded Tanager, or one of the elusive tinamous, Red-winged and Spotted Nothura. In the dry forest we could find several birds new to us, such as the handsome Spotted Piculet, the shy Planalto Slaty-Antshrike, Gray-headed and Ochre-cheeked Spinetails, the endemic Narrow-billed Antwren, the minute Hangnest Tody-Tyrant, or the charismatic Great Xenops if we haven’t seen it already near Canudos. Night in Mucugê.

Day 8: After some extra birding in the morning near Mucugê, we will have a long drive to the little town of Boa Nova where we plan to arrive in the late afternoon. Night in Boa Nova.

Day 9: The Boa Nova area is at the border between the humid coastal range and the dry interior cerrado: in just a few kilometers one can pass from a dry forest with cacti and huge bromeliads to a wet forest with tall trees and very dense understory. The bird communities of these two habitats are almost completely different, explaining why Boa Nova is so popular with birders. In the dry forest, among many interesting species, we’ll be looking for the unique Slender Antbird, the only species in the Rhopornis genus, whose total population is estimated to be fewer than 2000 individuals. The wet forest, with its collection of mixed-species flocks filled with tanagers, interesting furnariids, and elusive antbirds, will be our focus for the rest of the tour. The list of new species here is almost endless, but we’ll be particularly interested in finding the Brazilian endemics, including Rio de Janeiro Antbird, Striated Softtail, Bahia Spinetail, and Gilt-edged Tanager. Other enticing species such as Tufted Antshrike and Fork-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant should also be present. Near Boa Nova we’ll also visit rocky outcrops with spectacular cacti and fascinating euphorbia. Hopefully the cacti will be in bloom, as their flowers attract the sparkling Ruby-topaz Hummingbird. With some luck and perseverance, we may even spot a Pygmy Nightjar hidden between the cacti. Night in Boa Nova.

Day 10: After birding for a few hours near Boa Nova, we’ll begin our drive toward the Serra Bonita Private Reserve. Located near the city of Camacan, the reserve was created by a consortium of owners to protect 2500 hectares of Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest. The reserve is perched on the top of a steep mountain, and we’ll need 4x4 trucks to get there. We’ll stay at the Serra Bonita Lodge, run by the famous entomologist Vitor O. Becker and his charming wife, Clemira Souza. It will be wonderful spending two full days here, not only enjoying the unbroken forest and its birds but also meeting that wonderful couple. People interested in moths will be in moth heaven and may even have a chance to visit his impressive collection of 700,000+ specimens, including many undescribed species. After our long journey we’ll probably be happy to relax and enjoy a drink in front of the bird feeders, which usually attract Red-necked and Green-headed Tanagers, Spot-billed Toucanet, Sombre Hummingbird, and even the very local Wied’s Black-tufted-ear Marmoset. Night at Serra Bonita.

Days 11–12: There will be plenty to discover during our time at Serra Bonita. With accommodation in the middle of the forest we’ll not have to go far from our rooms to find plenty of birds: we could see flocks of colorful tanagers from our room terraces, and the rare Cinnamon-vented Piha sometimes displays between the buildings. In the dense and rich understory, we’ll look for secretive birds such as Spot-breasted and Plumbeous Antvireos, Scaled Antbird, and Rufous Gnateater. We also hope to find a lek of Kinglet Manakin, one of the most beautiful manakins recently split from Striped Manakin. In the canopy flocks we may find two species of interest, the recently-described Bahia Tyrannulet and the “Bahia Treehunter,” a still-undescribed species of the Heliobletus genus, illustrating how much there is to learn in the remarkable Atlantic Forest. Nights at Serra Bonita.

Day 13: After a final early morning at Serra Bonita, we’ll drive back to Camacan and then to Porto Seguro, the last stop of our trip. It’s a popular tourist location, well known for long sandy beaches and coconut trees, but we’ll spend our time in coastal mangroves and patches of humid forest. After checking in to our hotel and with a break during the hot hours of the day, we’ll explore the nearby mangroves looking for species all but restricted to this habitat, such as Bicolored Conebill, Mangrove Rail, Little Wood-Rail, and Plain-bellied Emerald. We’ll end the day with a short visit to the nearby Estação Veracel Reserve, where we should see Red-browed and perhaps Blue-headed (Reinchenow’s) Parrots as they travel to their night roost. The chorus of tinamous is usually impressive, and perhaps we’ll even see one of these beautiful singers crossing the road. At dusk we’ll hope to see an owl or two and at least hear the rare White-winged Potoo. Night in Porto Seguro.

Day 14 We’ll continue our exploration of the white sand forest of the Estação Veracel Reserve, located only 15 kilometers from Porto Seguro and protecting 6000+ hectares of Atlantic Forest. This is a great place to see the stunning White-winged Cotinga as well as the uncommon Black-headed Berryeater. Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike and Bahia Antwren are fairly common, but we’ll need some luck to see the secretive Solitary Tinamou. In the mixed-species flock we might encounter a few White-bellied or Opal-rumped Tanagers and perhaps even Yellow-green Grosbeak. No doubt there will be new species right up to the end of the morning, making it difficult to return to the hotel for final packing, a last meal together, and the short trip to the Porto Seguro airport, where the tour concludes.

2025 Narrative

Brief Summary:

The amazingly diverse state of Bahia dazzled us with its wonderful birding on the WINGS tour earlier this month. Thinking back through over 350 species in less than two weeks, many participants included Indigo Macaw among their most memorable of bird experiences. Requiring a long drive to the dry north of the state and a very early start on our second morning of the tour, the experience of watching these gorgeous blue parrots fly to their spectacular red sandstone nesting cliffs was a memory we all savored. We then traveled to the center of the state to the picturesque Chapada Diamantina National Park with its stark mesas and fascinating endemic plant life, where we enjoyed two memorable woodpecker species, the stunning Ochre-backed and the adorable and distinctive Spotted Piculet. The transition zone from the dry to wet habitats at Boa Nova was where we saw two pairs of the very local Slender Antbird, and this was where we had the most amazing experience of watching a Tropical Screech-Owl fly in and perch on a fence post right in front of the group in broad daylight. We spent three full days in the very humid and evergreen Atlantic Rainforests of the far southeastern part of the state, an incredible contrast to the first part of the tour. A pair of ridiculously gaudy Spot-billed Toucanets coming to the fruit tray at arm's length and two Swallow-tailed Cotingas appearing out of nowhere to feed in a Fruta-de-sabiá tree right next to where we were standing were two unforgettable highlights at Serra Bonita, but there were many other memorable sightings here and in the wet forest near Boa Nova. A male Pin-tailed Manakin, at least four Banded Cotingas, Sharpbill, and Moustached Wren were high on the lists of favorites, while Red-necked Tanager, Green-backed Trogon, and Black-necked Aracari were mentioned for their amazing colors and the great views they provided. We had great weather the whole trip, not losing a minute of birding time from any rain. Our driver Ernesto competently drove us over 1600 miles through his state, and along the way we enjoyed the delicious and varied buffet lunches, sampled a few caipirinhas, grew to love the breakfast cakes and pão de queijo, and partook in several self-service açai and ice cream joints.

Detailed Summary:

Our first morning's drive went by fast enough, punctuated by a nice roadside breakfast stop, a pause to tally a raft of thirty-nine Least Grebes on a roadside lake, and a fun perusal of waders at a drying up pond, which included many Black-necked Stilts and a rare migrant American Golden-Plover. After a bit of a siesta in our rooms in Canudos, we braved the afternoon heat to visit a shady spot to watch birds along the slow waters of a remnant river. The biggest surprise was lone Scarlet-throated Tanager mostly buried deep in the branches of a large tree, while a Campo Troupial's plumage nearby made it much harder to hide. Coming in close to mobbing noises were a pair of adorable Tropical Gnatcatchers and a super confiding Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet, and we'd soon learn that every spot would produce the stunning Swallow-tailed Hummingbird and aptly-named Glittering-bellied Emerald. A Green-barred Woodpecker foraged in the low vegetation across the river, while a Green Kingfisher zipped in and perched with hopes of an absentminded fish. When the angle of the sun was lower, we ventured into the dry caatinga habitat where we were pleasantly surprised by a Scarlet-throated Tanager in full color and great light, as well as an even better Swallow-tailed Hummingbird.

The first full day of birding began early with a bumpy drive in the dark. We emerged into a stunning landscape of sandstone cliffs, actually spotting our first Indigo Macaws from the vehicles as the macaws were already out for their early breakfast. The first birds we saw at the viewing area were Blue-crowned Parakeet and Turquoise-fronted Amazon, but soon the first macaws began arriving to lay claim to their future nest caves and reaffirm their pair bonds and community ties. We watched the spectacle for over an hour as more and more macaws came in, one pair performing an extremely well-choreographed unison flight. Our first Cactus Parakeets flew by in perfect light just below the cliffs, but you had to be ready to get on these fast flyers. The rest the morning was spent in the dry woodland habitat where we connected with a perfectly spotted Spotted Piculet, Barred and Silvery- cheeked Antshrikes, Black-bellied Antwren, and a very long-billed Long-billed Wren. One of the main targets here was Red-shouldered Spinetail, and we eventually had brief looks at this furtive bird. We started the afternoon birding a little later as the heat began to wane. Mobbing mixes brought in several goodies, including fabulous views of Glittering-bellied Emerald, Pileated Finch, and a Grassland Sparrow, but the big prize was a pair of Spot-backed Puffbirds that just happened to be within earshot when a desire was expressed to see them. Least Nighthawks flying over the road were the next great find, prompting us to stop the vehicle. Our owling continued with a silent fly-by of nightjar of some unknown species, a distant calling Common Potoo, and a Tropical Screech-Owl that we saw well only in flight as it crossed the road a few times and repeatedly chose to perch only deep within the thorny vegetation.

We had a long travel day from Canudos to Lençois, but fortunately we there were reasons to stop, stretch, and look at birds along the way. Our first stop at a fuel station in Euclides da Cunha was at the perfect time of morning for fly-overs of Indigo Macaws commuting to their feeding areas, and it made us grateful for our experience at the nesting cliffs the previous day. A Cattle Tyrant at the same location was fun to observe walking around and grabbing insects at close range. A large pond at one stop was noisy with Chestnut-capped Blackbirds, and we saw our second Spot-backed Puffbird and only Suiriri Flycatcher of the tour here. On the water and shore were lots of birds to look at, but the White-cheeked Pintails were particularly handsome, and the Collared Plover a nice write-in on the list. Farther south we stopped at a little marsh that looked promising, flushing a rarely seen Pinnated Bittern right when we arrived. We found Southern Pochard at the same lake where we had one on the last tour, and bonus birds we saw well here were a flock of Common Waxbills and a very confiding Yellow-chinned Spinetail.

On our first day in the Chapada Diamantina area, we spent the morning birding a riparian area where we had hoped to find São Francisco Sparrow but instead found many other wonderful species. Flavescent Warblers were uncommonly easy to see, and one Sooty-fronted Spinetail sang completely exposed for many minutes. We had great views of Gray-eyed Greenlet and a mixed flock with Hooded Tanager. Heard really well but devilishly hard to see was an Ochre-cheeked Spinetail that teased us from the dense thickets with its squeaky song. In the afternoon we braved the big rock-step climb up the Morro do Pai Inácio only to find the passing of the cold front that made the daytime temperatures so pleasant was accompanied by howling winds at the elevation of the mesa. In the lee of the mountain, we had fabulous views of a flock containing Gilt-edged Tanagers in perfect light, accompanied by a singing Pale-throated Pampa Finch from the top of a bush and screaming and mating pairs of Biscutate Swifts overhead. In a sheltered spot amidst the fascinating rupicolous bromeliads, orchids, and begonias on top was a very confiding Velvety Black-Tyrant.

On our second morning based out of Lençois we walked a trail where Great Antshrike and a confiding Rufous-tailed Jacamar started our walk, which included a daring walk across a plank bridge missing its handrail. While some of us were navigating that, a Hooded Siskin posed for some, while farther along the trail we finally heard one of our targets, a Sincora Antwren. Glimpsed by Rich, the bird moved back up the slope and continued with its mate and mixed flock before anyone else could lay eyes on it. But another main target here was the charming Collared Crescentchest, and we had a wonderful pair of them foraging on the ground and hopping across the trail several times. A little mixed flock with Southern Yellowthroat and a confiding Rufous-winged Antshrike were also nice to see. We spent the rest of the morning in a patch of forest near town that was deafeningly silent until we were greeted with the deafening whooping duets of two pair of the critically endangered Blonde Titi. Amazingly, they were in sight just down the dirt road from where we parked, and we enjoyed watching these small-headed, hunched monkeys for some time. Finally, some birdsong led us to a very close pair of White-shouldered Fire-eyes, which was then followed by a mixed flock dominated by a Long-billed Gnatwren, a pair of Golden-crowned Warblers, and a Spotted Piculet. The afternoon was devoted to our drive to Mucugê, punctuated by a stop where we had two Great Xenops and a Red-shouldered Spinetail, and another stop with a well-seen Diamantina Tapaculo, both NE Brazil endemics, the latter with one of the smallest distributions of any bird in the world.

We started early morning near the Mucugê airstrip where the sounds of singing and calling Grassland Yellow-Finches filled the air. We heard many distant Red-winged Tinamous and Spotted Nothura, but our attention was drawn to the simple but amusing yoyo display of a Blue-black Grassquit, while a lone White-banded Tanager sat for excellent views. Later in the morning we enjoyed a pair of Black-throated Saltators and a Cinnamon Tanager, while two 

Spix's Spinetails seemed to be defending their territories on either side of the dirt road. We followed up on a tip and connected with a pair of the adorable Gray-backed Tachuri before heading to a bit of gallery forest that was full of birds. We stumbled across a Ceara Gnateater, getting great views of this silent bird, only later remembering that the ones from this area were only very recently split from the more widespread Rufous Gnateater, based mostly on vocalizations and genetics. The undescribed interior form of Yellow-olive Flatbill was visiting a nest, further highlighting how little the birds have been studied from this region, and a pair of Hepatic Tanagers (also surely to be split from the Andean and Middle American ones) were the only ones we would see for the tour.

On our travel day to Boa Vista, we had a good chunk of the morning hours to look for some birds. A Black-bellied Antwren tried fooling us into thinking we had connected with Sincora Antwren, and super inquisitive Planalto Hermit came within a few inches of some of our group as it went back and forth across the trail. Later in the morning, a trail into a wonderfully viny patch of forest was reverberating with Planalto Slaty-Antshrikes, as today was apparently the day for them to assert their territories. Gray-eyed Greenlet was also super easy to see, as was a Narrow-billed Antwren. We even had better views of Great Xenops than a couple days earlier. We got back to the van to have our driver Ernesto, who knows nothing about birds, adequately describe an Ochre-backed Woodpecker that he had been watching for some time. A bit of playback worked like a charm, and we had great views of this spectacular bird. Then came the long drive, with just one brief stop at some water that resulted in some nice Black-necked Stilts. We arrived in Boa Nova with enough time for some roadside birding just before town, where Purple Gallinules were feeding in the open. We were then drawn to some bird activity across the road, and a little bit of Tropical Screech-Owl playback to bring them out had the most astonishing effect of producing an owl itself, which flew out to the fencepost just below the road, in broad daylight and totally in the open. It was a birding moment none of us will forget.

Our morning in the famous Boa Nova wet forest was almost nonstop activity, and it was hard to choose our favorite birds of the day. We started with Large Elaenia before entering the forest, where we soon saw Spot-breasted Antvireo and heard Tufted Antshrike. We tried seeing several of them, but on the way out, only when we stopped trying, did we see one furtively foraging in the dense fern tangles. A mixed flock of tanagers included a snazzy Rufous-headed Tanager and a vocal Black-billed Scythebill. Pectoral Sparrow – not Pectoral Sandpiper – was the colorful bird in the undergrowth that eventually showed well. A male Pin-tailed Manakin was just on its own, sitting in the open with no announcement, but the pair of Striated Softtails were quite noisy, going to and from a nest, just underneath the tree where a Boat-billed Flycatcher was sitting on its nest. We ended the morning with a dizzying list of 84 species before a well-deserved siesta. The afternoon's highlights included a pair of Slender Antbirds, a bird with a very specific habitat requirement of bromeliad-dominated forest, for which the town of Boa Nova is now famous. We ended on a natural rocky outcropping full of blooming Melocactus ernestii, which must have a very special nectar, as the area was alive with hummingbirds, notably a few stunning male Ruby-topaz Hummingbirds. We also flushed a Pygmy Nightjar, which eventually sat where we could watch it through the scope.

We didn't have a terribly long drive this day, so we started the morning birding close to Boa Nova, mostly to get our fix of Slender Antbirds before leaving the core of their distribution. We had to make a quick stop for Campo Flicker, White Monjita, and other birds in the open country before we arrived at the forest edge. A large, dark bird in the distant skyline trees didn't look that interesting at first, but thanks to the spotting scope, we found it was an amazing Red-ruffed Fruitcrow. It had apparently been eating some large fruit, as we watched it regurgitate a seed before it flew off, presumably to get some more. We ended up seeing two pair of the amazing Slender Antbird before returning for breakfast. We made a few stops on the way to Serra Bonita, first having a bold Streaked Xenops joined by our first Short-crested Flycatcher and some Gilt-edged Tanagers. A gas station rest stop was a great opportunity to watch a family of Masked Water Tyrants feeding at close range, while another stop after lunch featured a pair of Maroon-faced Parakeets. We arrived at Boa Nova in time to enjoy some of the special birds there, with Red-necked Tanager and Green-headed Tanager in a flock right by our rooms.

It was such a treat to start birding from our rooms while at Boa Nova. We started with a Least Pygmy-Owl just down the drive from our rooms, while we added one bird after the next, including a rare White-throated Woodcreeper, Plain-winged Woodcreeper, Black-capped Foliage-gleaner, and Sepia-capped Flycatcher. After lunch we enjoyed seeing the tanagers joined by Spot-billed Toucanet and Maroon-bellied Parakeet at the bananas, while around the corner a pair of Gray-headed Tody-Flycatchers were tending a nest. In the afternoon we connected with a much-wanted Sharpbill, now once again in its own family. Earlier we had tried way too hard to see a couple of unresponsive Spot-backed Antshrikes, because here we had amazing views of one in a mixed flock under the canopy of a small tree. On the way back, some of us had to sit in the back of the truck which ended up being how we spotted the stunning Mantled Hawk perched right over the road. Luckily it stayed just long enough for those inside the car to see it as it flew off down through the forest.

We descended Serra Bonita to bird a neighboring ranch in the lowlands for the next morning, hoping for the elusive and rare Banded Cotinga, despite no recent sightings. As we arrived, we found all the bird's favorite açai palm trees were loaded with nothing but green fruit. The Red-rumped Caciques were making a racket as they tended their nests, joined by a Yellow-rumped Cacique and a wishful Piratic Flycatcher, and then we noticed thrushes and other birds feeding from a lauraceous tree growing amongst the palms. Here we glimpsed a female, then a male Banded Cotinga just as they flew off. We waited long enough without their returning, so the manager of the ranch took us through the cacao plantation to some açai trees that had some ripe fruit. There were no obvious birds coming to them, so we decided to wait them out. A few minutes later, a participant just happened to notice that buried in one of the fruit clusters was a gorgeous male Banded Cotinga. It soon flew off, and after waiting too long for it to return, we went birding. We enjoyed seeing Black-necked Aracaris and a pair of Red-stained Woodpeckers in the meantime, and when we returned to the main ranch, a Banded Cotinga landed in the open in a large tree. Soon, at least two males were in the fruiting tree where we finally had our soul-satisfying views. We stopped by a wet area on the way back up to Serra Bonita, seeing a write-in Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Least Grebe, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, and a pair of the always fascinating Black-capped Donacobius.

The feeders at the lodge were hopping again with tanagers and being visited by Maroon-bellied Parakeets while nearby a Violet-crowned Woodnymph fed from the exotic Grevillea flowers, and a pair of Gray-hooded Attilas decided to be very vocal and visible. Our afternoon walk down the road had some unexpected sightings, including the most amazing appearance of two Swallow-tailed Cotingas feeding from the unripe berries of a Fruta-da-sabiá (Iochroma arborescens) tree right next to the road and a pair of Chestnut-backed Antshrikes that braved the open pasture to thwart their perceived intruder.

We had a busy final early morning at Serra Bonita, getting great views of another Gray-hooded Attila and finding a mixed flock that contained the rare and local Bahia Tyrannulet before breakfast. As our luggage was being loaded into the trucks, a Green-backed Trogon decided to show off right in front of rooms, followed by a lone Black-necked Aracari doing almost the same. While doing the vehicle transfer at Fazenda Santo Antônio, we saw a pair of Campo Troupials, glimpsed a White-chinned Sapphire feeding from the flowers, and enjoyed a Rufous Hornero on the rooftops. On our way to Porto Seguro and before lunch, we backtracked up the highway to a patch of forest where we found a pair of Pink-legged Graveteiros, a bird described to science only 30 years ago, though these stuck to the tops of the trees as usual. A bonus prize here was a Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle that must have just taken off for its morning soar at super close range. Late afternoon took us to Estação Veracel where afternoon bird activity had shut down early, though we did see a Flame-crested Tanager, our only Yellow-green Grosbeak, and heard the evening songs of Variegated Tinamous. As dusk settled, the Common Pauraques began feeding, and we ended up with at least eight of them along the road, including three recently fledged juveniles. We didn't get any responses from owls, but the eyeshine of a Common Potoo right next to the road was worth a pause. We walked back to see the bird sit stolidly in plain sight. 

Our last morning added a lot of birds, starting with Plain-bellied Emerald, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, and Little Blue Heron in the mangroves right by town. At Estaçao Veracel, Ochre-marked Parakeet and Red-browed Amazon showed themselves only in quick flyovers, but it was a surprise to see a pair of the distinctive Reichenow's subspecies of Blue-headed Parrot foraging in a small tree. White-bellied Tanager and Opal-rumped Tanager were new for the list near the visitor center as well. A muddy stretch of road kept us from getting to the white sand forest, but we still managed to find several Rufous-throated Sapphires, a mixed flock with Black-capped Becard, a lone White-flanked Antwren, Sooretama Slaty-Antshrike, and Bahia Antwren. Also new for our list were a female White-crowned Manakin and a stunning male Red-headed Manakin. Perhaps our best meal of the trip was our farewell lunch at a restaurant on the beach, while Guira Cuckoo and a Green-barred Woodpecker vocalized just outside. Before our transfer to the airport, we made one last fabulous stop at what surely was the best açai ice cream store in Porto Seguro.

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