Brazil/Argentina 2014: Amazon, Pantanal & Iguazu Falls

A 3-week birding and wildlife excursion with Rockumper Birding Tours

The Cristalino Jungle Lodge dock and platform on the Cristalino River. Cristalino Lodge preserves a large area of rainforest with unusually great biodiversity, even for the amazon basin. It was chosen as one of the 25 best ecolodges in the world by National Geographic Traveller. See their web page at: http://cristalinolodge.com.br/en
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Myiornis ecaudatus
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
At 2.4 in. (6 cm.) this is the world's smallest Passerine (songbird).
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Myiornis ecaudatus
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Myiornis ecaudatus
Adult in the nest. Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Ipê, Tabebuia sp.
A hard and resilient wood, often used in coastal environments. Its wood is known for its resistance to attack by both fungi and insects, and holds a Class A fire rating -- the same rating given to concrete and steel!
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Cathartes melambrotus
A close relative of the Turkey Vulture of North America, it prefers rainforest rather than open habitats.
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Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
White-necked Puffbird, Notharcus hyperrynchus
Photographed from a canopy tower, Cristalino Jungle Lodge
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Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
A large Brazil Nut tree, Bertholletia excelsa, on the Castanera Trail, Cristalino Jungle Lodge
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa)
The fruit is a large capsule resembling a coconut in size and weighing up to 2 kg (4.4 lb). The hard, woody shell contains eight to 24 triangular seeds (the "Brazil nuts") packed like the segments of an orange.
The capsule contains a small hole at one end, which enables large rodents like the agouti to gnaw it open. The rodents eat some of the nuts inside while burying others for later use; some of these are able to germinate into new Brazil nut trees.
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Flame-crowned Manakin, Heterocercus linteatus
Cristalino Jungle Lodge
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Flame-crowned Manakin, Heterocercus linteatus
Cristalino Jungle Lodge
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Swallow-wing, Chelidoptera tenebrosa
A specialized Puffbird which captures insects on the wing from a perch in the canopy.
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Brazilian Tapir, Tapirus terrestris
Tapirs are excellent swimmers and divers, and can also move quickly inland on steep slopes. Their main predators are caimans, pumas and jaguars. Adults generally weigh between 150 to 320 kilograms (330 to 710 lb).
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Brazilian Tapir, Tapirus terrestris
This photo and the next show the flexibility of this animal's long snout.
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil mammals mammals of South America wildlife
Brazilian Tapir, Tapirus terrestris
This photo and the previous one show the flexibility of this animal's long snout.
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil mammals mammals of South America wildlife
Curl-crested Araçari, Pteroglossus beauharnaesi
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
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Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
White-browed Purpletuft, Iodopleura isabellae
A small (11 cm.) member of the Cotinga family. Photographed from a canopy tower, Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Tigrisoma lineatum
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Tigrisoma lineatum
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Red-throated Piping-Guan, Pipile cujubi
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Red-throated Piping-Guan, Pipile cujubi
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Capped Heron, Pilherodius pileatus
One of the most beautiful of S. American herons. Photographed under low light conditions from a moving boat in late afternoon. Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
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Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Cashew Tree, Anacardium occidentale
A cashew apple with its cashew seed.
One nut per "apple" - no wonder cashews are expensive!
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil.
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil
Razor-billed Curassow, Mitu tuberosum
A large member of the Chachalaca/Guan/Curassow family (Cracidae), length to 89 cm./35 in. and weighing up to 3.8 kg./8.4 lb. Surprisingly both sexes look alike and have the massive casque-like bill, though males are larger.
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Bare-faced Curassow, Crax fasciolata, female
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Bare-faced Curassow, Crax fasciolata, female
Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Brazil
©Peter Candido All Rights Reserved
Cristalino Jungle Lodge Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
The Pantanal
View along the Transpantanera, the only road which goes through the Pantanal, though only part way.
©Gloria Candido All Rights Reserved
Pantanal Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Most of the Pantanal is under private ownership, mainly ranches.
Pousada Piuval, Pantanal
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Pantanal Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife
Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Campephilus melanoleucos
A large woodpecker in the same genus as the extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker of North America.
Fazenda Curicaca, Pantanal
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Pantanal Brazil birds birding wild birds birds of South America mammals wildlife

aviphile

Brazil/Argentina 2014: Amazon, Pantanal & Iguazu Falls