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PO Box 9021,
Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-800-721-9986
or 302/529-1876; Fax: 302/529-1085 |
Birds found
during FONT 
Birding & Nature Tours
in M
inas
Gerais
Brazil
A Minas Gerais, Brazil bird list compiled by Armas Hill
with photos
437 species of birds
have been found during FONT tours, since 1992, in Minas Gerais (& adjacent
Espiritu Santo).
During one of Minas Gerais tours, we traveled into Espiritu Santo to see the
extremely rare CHERRY-THROATED TANAGER.
Explanations pertaining to nomenclature (including some recent changes)
& taxonomy (subspecies) are in the two-part file "Brazil Birds during
FONT Birding & Nature Tours". There's a link below.
Codes:
MN:
in the state of Minas Gerais
ES: nearby, in the adjacent state of Espiritu Santo
(i): introduced species
(t): a globally threatened or rare species, designated by Birdlife International
(t1): critical
(t2): endangered
(t3): vulnerable
(nt): a near-threatened species globally
(e): species endemic to
Brazil
(qe): quasi (or nearly) endemic to Brazil
Photo at upper right:
BRASSY-BREASTED TANAGER, a colorful Brazilian endemic
Photo below: the BRAZILIAN MERGANSER, one of the rarest of the world's
birds,
has been found during nearly all of the FONT tours in Minas Gerais (5 out
of 6).
This photo was taken in 2006.

Links:
Upcoming
Brazil Tour Itineraries
Mammals
& Other Wildlife during FONT Tours in Brazil
A
Photo Gallery of Brazilian Birds & Animals (from our Sep '06 tour)
Birds
during FONT Brazil Tours (Part 1: Tinamous to Flycatchers)
Birds
during FONT Brazil Tours (Part 2: Antshrikes to Grosbeaks)
Birds
during FONT Tours in Mato Grosso (with photos)
Rare
Birds of Brazil

Birds:
- Solitary Tinamou (nt) (qe) ______
MN
- Little Tinamou ______ MN
- Yellow-legged Tinamou (nt) (e) ______ MN
- Brown Tinamou ______ MN
- Small-billed Tinamou ______ MN
- Tataupa Tinamou ______ MN
- Red-winged Tinamou ______ MN
- Spotted Nothura ______ MN
- Greater Rhea (nt) ______ MN

Greater Rhea photographed during
the March 2008 FONT tour in Brazil
- Scaled Chachalaca ______ MN
- Rusty-margined Guan ______ MN
- Dusky-legged Guan ______ MN
- Spot-winged Wood Quail ______ MN
- White-faced Whistling Duck ______ MN
- Black-bellied Whistling Duck ______ MN
- Muscovy Duck ______ MN

Wild Muscovy Ducks photographed during
the March 2008 FONT tour in Brazil
- Brazilian Teal ______ MN
- BRAZILIAN MERGANSER (t1) (qe) ______
MN (photo above; note at the end of this list)
- Pied-billed Grebe ______ MN
- Least Grebe ______ MN
- Wood Stork ______ MN
- Buff-necked Ibis ______ MN

Buff-necked Ibises photographed during the FONT tour in Brazil in March
2008.
(photo by Marie Gardner)
- Green Ibis ______ MN
- Bare-faced Ibis ______ MN
- Rufescent Tiger Heron ______ MN
- Black-crowned Night Heron ______ MN
- Whistling Heron ______ MN
- Cattle Egret ______ MN
- Snowy Egret ______ MN
- Great Egret ______ MN
- Cocoi Heron ______ MN
- Neotropic Cormorant ______ MN
- Anhinga ______ MN
- King Vulture ______ MN
- Black Vulture ______ MN ES
- Turkey Vulture ______ MN
- Southern Crested Caracara ______ MN
- Yellow-headed Caracara ______ MN
- Laughing Falcon ______ MN
- Collared Forest Falcon ______ MN
- American Kestrel ______ MN
- Bat Falcon ______ MN
- Aplomado Falcon ______ MN
- Osprey _____ MN
- Swallow-tailed Kite ______ MN ES
- White-tailed Kite ______ MN
- Rufous-thighed Kite ______ MN
- Plumbeous Kite _______ MN
- Crane Hawk ______ MN
- Bicolored Hawk ______ MN
- Gray-bellied Hawk (nt) ______ MN
- Mantled Hawk (nt) (qe) ______ MN
- Great Black Hawk ______ MN
- Crowned Solitary Eagle (t3) ______ MN

A Crowned Solitary Eagle photographed during the
March 2008 FONT Brazil Tour in Minas Gerais
(photo by Marie Gardner)
- Savanna Hawk ______ MN
- Black-chested
Buzzard-Eagle ______ MN
- Roadside Hawk ______ MN ES
- Short-tailed Hawk ______ MN
- White-tailed Hawk ______ MN
- Ornate Hawk-Eagle ______ MN
- Black Hawk-Eagle ______ ES
- Red-legged Seriema ______ MN

A Red-legged Seriema photographed during
the
March 2008 FONT Brazil Tour in Minas Gerais
(photo by Marie Gardner)
- Blackish Rail ______ MN
- Gray-necked Wood-Rail ______ MN
- Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail (qe) ______ MN
- Ash-throated Crake ______ MN
- Rufous-sided Crake ______ MN
- Common Moorhen (or Gallinule) ______ MN
- Purple
Gallinule ______ MN
- Limpkin ______ MN
- Wattled
Jacana ______ MN
- Southern Lapwing ______ MN
- Semipalmated Plover ______ MN
- Collared Plover _____ MN
- Upland Sandpiper ______ MN
- Greater Yellowlegs ______ MN
- South American Snipe ______ ES
- Common (or Feral) Pigeon ______ MN
- Picazuro Pigeon ______ MN
- Pale-vented Pigeon ______ MN
- Plumbeous Pigeon ______ MN
- Eared Dove ______ MN ES
- Ruddy Ground Dove ______ MN ES
- Plain-breasted Ground Dove ______ MN
- Scaled Dove ______ MN

A Scaled Dove during the FONT tour in Brazil in March 2008.
(photo by Marie Gardner)
- White-tipped
Dove ______ MN ES
- Gray-fronted Dove ______ MN
- Blue-winged Macaw (t3) ______ MN
- White-eyed Parakeet (or Conure) ______ MN
- Golden-capped Parakeet (or Conure) (t3) (e) ______
MN
- Peach-fronted Parakeet (or Conure) ______ MN
- Blue-winged Parrotlet ______ MN
- Plain Parakeet (e) ______ ES
- Yellow-chevroned Parakeet ______ MN
- Pileated Parrot (nt) (qe) ______ ES
- Scaly-headed Parrot ______ MN
- Mealy Amazon (or Parrot) ______ MN
- Smooth-billed Ani ______ MN
- Squirrel Cuckoo ______ MN ES
- Striped Cuckoo ______ MN
- Guira Cuckoo ______ MN ES
- Barn Owl ______ MN
- Rusty-barred Owl (qe) ______ MN
- Tropical Screech Owl ______ MN
- Ferruginous Pygmy Owl ______ MN
- Burrowing Owl ______ MN
- Short-eared Owl ______ MN
- Striped Owl ______ MN
- Great Potoo ______ MN
- Common Potoo ______ MN
- Short-tailed Nighthawk ______ ES
- Nacunda Nighthawk ______ MN
- Least Nighthawk ______ MN
- Pauraque ______ MN
- Band-winged Nightjar ______ MN
- Little Nightjar ______ MN
- Scissor-tailed Nightjar ______ MN
- Sickle-winged Nightjar (nt) ______ MN
- White-collared Swift ______ MN
- Biscutate Swift ______ MN
- Great Dusky Swift ______ MN
- Ashy-tailed
Swift ______ MN
- Swallow-tailed
Hummingbird ______ MN
- Scale-throated Hermit ______ MN
- Dusky-throated Hermit ______ MN ES
- Planalto Hermit ______ MN
- Cinnamon-throated Hermit ______ MN
- Reddish Hermit ______ MN
- Minute Hermit (e) ______ MN
- Gray-breasted Sabrewing ______ MN
- Black Jacobin ______ MN
- White-vented Violetear ______ MN

A White-vented Violetear, photographed during
the FONT March 2008 tour in Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Black-throated Mango ______ MN
- Black-breasted Plovercrest ______ MN
- Frilled Coquette (e) ______ ES
- Black-bellied Thorntail ______ MN
- Ruby Topaz ______ MN
- Glittering-bellied
Emerald ______ MN
- Fork-tailed Woodnymph ______ MN
- Violet-capped Woodnymph ______ MN
- Rufous-throated Sapphire ______ MN
- White-chinned Sapphire ______ MN
- White-throated
Hummingbird ______ MN
- White-tailed Goldenthroat ______ MN
- Versicolored Emerald ______ MN
- Glittering-throated
Emerald ______ MN
- Sapphire-spangled
Emerald ______ MN
- Sombre Hummingbird (e) ______ MN
- Brazilian Ruby (e) ______ MN ES
- Hyacinth Visorbearer (nt) (e) ______ MN
- Horned Sungem ______ MN
- Stripe-breasted
Starthroat (e) ______ MN
- Amethyst Woodstar ______ MN
- Amazonian White-tailed Trogon ______ MN

A White-tailed Trogon photographed during a FONT tour in Minas Gerais.
This "Amazonian White-tailed Trogon" is split from the
more-northerly
"Western White-tailed Trogon".
- Black-throated Trogon ______ MN
- Surucua Trogon (qe) ______ MN
- Ringed Kingfisher ______ MN
- Green Kingfisher ______ MN
- Amazon Kingfisher ______ MN
- Rufous-capped Motmot ______ MN
- Three-toed Jacamar (t2)
(e) ______ MN
- Rufous-tailed Jacamar ______ MN
- White-eared Puffbird ______ MN
- Spot-backed Puffbird ______ MN
- Crescent-chested
Puffbird (e) ______ MN
- Toco Toucan ______ MN

A Toco Toucan photographed during the FONT tour in Minas Gerais, Brazil
in March 2008
(photo by Marie Gardner)
- Channel-billed Toucan ______ ES
- Red-breasted Toucan (qe) ______ MN
ES
- Black-necked Aracari ______ MN
- Spot-billed Toucanet (qe) ______ ES
- Blond-crested Woodpecker ______ MN
- Campo (or Field) Flicker ______ MN
- Green-barred Woodpecker ______ MN
- Yellow-browed
Woodpecker (nt) (qe) ______ MN
- Yellow-fronted
Woodpecker (qe) ______ MN
- White Woodpecker ______ MN

5 White Woodpeckers in a tree to their liking,
during the March 2008 FONT tour in Minas Gerais, Brazil
(photo by Marie Gardner)
- Little Woodpecker ______ MN
- Yellow-eared Woodpecker
(e) ______ MN ES
- Lineated Woodpecker ______ ES
- White-barred Piculet ______ MN
- Pin-tailed Manakin (e) ______ MN
- White-bearded Manakin ______ MN
- Helmeted Manakin (qe) ______ MN
- Blue Manakin ______ MN ES
- Black-tailed Tityra ______ ES
- Black-crowned Tityra ______ MN
- Greenish Schiffornis ______ MN ES
- Green-backed Becard ______ MN
- White-winged Becard ______ MN
- Chestnut-crowned Becard ______ MN ES
- Sharpbill ______ ES
- Swallow-tailed Cotinga (nt) (qe) ______
MN

The Swallow-tailed Cotinga
is a treat during our Brazil tour
in Minas Gerais.
- Hooded Berryeater (nt) (e) ______ ES
- Cinnamon-vented Piha
(t3) (e) ______ MN ES
- Bare-throated Bellbird (nt) ______
ES
- Red-ruffed Fruitcrow ______ MN
- Gray-hooded Flycatcher (qe) ______ MN
- Sepia-capped Flycatcher ______ MN
ES
- Drab-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant _____ MN
ES
- Hangnest Tody-Tyrant (nt) (e) ______ MN
- Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant (nt) (e) ______ MN
- Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant ______ MN
- Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher ______ MN
- Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher (e) ______
MN
- Common Tody-Flycatcher ______ MN
- Planalto Tyrannulet (qe) ______ MN
- Greenish Tyrannulet (qe) ______ MN
- Rough-legged Tyrannulet ______ MN
- Gray-capped Tyrannulet (nt) (e) ______ MN
- Southern Beardless
Tyrannulet ______ MN
- Mouse-colored Tyrannulet ______ MN
- Yellow Tyrannulet ______ MN
- Southern Scrub Flycatcher ______ MN
- Campo Suiriri ______ MN
- Gray Elaenia ______ MN
- Greenish Elaenia ______ MN
- Yellow-bellied Elaenia ______ MN
- White-crested Elaenia ______ MN
- Small-billed Elaenia ______ MN
- Highland Elaenia ______ NM
- Plain-crested Elaenia ______ MN
- Lesser Elaenia ______ MN
- Sooty Tyrannulet ______ MN
- White-crested Tyrannulet ______ MN
- Sharp-tailed
Grass-Tyrant (nt) ______ MN
- Gray-backed Tachuri (e) (nt) ______ MN
- Southern Bristle Tyrant (nt) (qe) ______
MN
- Mottle-cheeked
Tyrannulet ______ MN
- Bay-ringed Tyrannulet (nt) ______ MN
- Yellow-olive Flatbill ______ MN
- White-throated Spadebill ______ MN
- Black-tailed Myiobius ______ MN
- Bran-colored Flycatcher ______ MN
- Cliff Flycatcher ______ MN
- Fuscous Flycatcher ______ MN
- Euler's Flycatcher ______ MN
- Tropical Pewee ______ MN
- Gray Monjita ______ MN
- White-rumped Monjita ______ MN
- Blue-billed Black Tyrant ______ MN ES
- Velvety Black Tyrant (e) ______ MN
- Crested Black Tyrant ______ MN

A Crested Black Tyrant during the March 2008 FONT Brazil Tour in Minas
Gerais.
This bird superficially resembles the Phainopepla of western North
America,
and when it flies, like the Phainopepla it has wing on its wings.
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Masked Water Tyrant ______ MN
White-headed Marsh Tyrant ______ MN
Cock-tailed Tyrant (nt) ______ MN

A Cock-tailed Tyrant during the
March 2008 FONT Brazil Tour in Minas Gerais
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Streamer-tailed Tyrant ______ MN
Yellow-browed Tyrant ______ MN
Cattle Tyrant ______ MN
Long-tailed Tyrant ______ MN
Shear-tailed Gray-Tyrant (nt) ______ MN
Rufous Casiornis ______ MN
Eastern Sirystes ______ MN ES
Dusky-capped Flycatcher ______ MN
Brown-crested Flycatcher ______ MN
Short-crested Flycatcher ______ MN
Swainson's Flycatcher ______ MN
White-throated Kingbird ______ MN
Tropical Kingbird ______ MN ES
Fork-tailed Flycatcher ______ MN ES
Variegated Flycatcher ______ MN
Crowned Slaty Flycatcher ______ MN
Boat-billed Flycatcher ______ MN
Streaked Flycatcher ______ MN
Social Flycatcher ______ MN
Piratic Flycatcher ______ MN
Lesser Kiskadee ______ MN
Great Kiskadee ______ MN ES
Gray-hooded Attila (e) ______ MN
Variable Antshrike ______ MN ES
Great Antshrike ______ MN
Rufous-winged Antshrike ______ MN
Chestnut-backed Antshrike ______ MN
Sooretama Slaty Antshrike (e) ______ MN
Planalto Slaty Antshrike (qe) ______ MN
Giant Antshrike ______ MN
Large-tailed Antshrike (qe) ______ MN
Tufted Antshrike (qe) ______ MN
Cinereous Antshrike ______ MN
Plain Antvireo ______ MN
Silvery-flanked Antwren (e) ______ MN
Unicolored Antwren (t3) (e) ______ MN
Black-capped Antwren (nt) ______ MN
Large-billed Antwren (qe) ______ MN
Serra Antwren (nt) (e) ______ MN
Ferruginous Antbird (e) ______ MN
Ochre-rumped Antbird (nt) (e) ______ MN
Dusky-tailed Antbird ______ MN
Scaled Antbird (e) ______ MN
White-shouldered
Fire-eye (qe) ______ MN
White-bibbed Antbird (e) ______ ES
Rufous Gnateater ______ MN
Mouse-colored Tapaculo (qe) ______ MN
White-breasted Tapaculo
(e) ______ MN
Brasilia Tapaculo (t3)
(e) ______ MN
Cryptic Antthrush (e) ______ MN ES
"Imperial" Variegated Antpitta
______ MN ES
Speckle-breasted Antpitta (qe) ______
MN
Campo Miner ______ MN
Rufous Hornero ______ MN ES
Band-tailed
Hornero (e) ______ MN
Rufous-capped Spinetail (qe) ______ MN
Sooty-fronted Spinetail ______ MN
Pale-breasted Spinetail ______ MN
Spix's Spinetail ______ MN
Gray-bellied Spinetail (qe) ______ MN
Yellow-chinned
Spinetail ______ MN
Pallid Spinetail (e) ______ MN
Cipo Canastero (t2) (e) ______ MN (note
follows at the end of this list)
Rufous-fronted
Thornbird ______ MN

A Rufous-fronted Thornbird at its large stick nest,
photographed during the FONT March 2008 Brazil Tour
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Red-eyed
Thornbird (e) ______ MN
Firewood-gatherer ______ MN
White-collared
Foliage-gleaner (e) ______ MN ES
Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner ______ MN
White-browed
Foliage-gleaner (nt) (qe) ______ MN
Black-capped
Foliage-gleaner ______ MN
Buff-fronted
Foliage-gleaner ______ MN
Ochre-breasted
Foliage-gleaner (qe) ______ MN
White-eyed
Foliage-gleaner (qe) ______ MN
Henna-capped
Foliage-gleaner (nt) (qe) ______ MN
Streaked Xenops ______ MN ES
Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper
______ MN
Olivaceous Woodcreeper ______ MN
White-throated
Woodcreeper (qe) ______ MN ES
Scaled Woodcreeper (e) ______ MN ES
Lesser Woodcreeper (qe) ______ MN
Narrow-billed
Woodcreeper ______ MN
Rufous-browed
Peppershrike ______ MN
Red-eyed Vireo ______ NM
Rufous-crowned Greenlet ______ ES
Gray-eyed Greenlet (e) ______ MN
Lemon-chested Greenlet ______ MN
Ashy-headed Greenlet ______ MN
White-naped Jay (e) ______ MN
Curl-crested Jay ______ MN
White-winged Swallow ______ MN
White-rumped Swallow ______ MN
Brown-chested Martin ______ MN
Gray-breasted Martin ______ MN
ES
Blue-and-white Swallow ______ MN ES
Tawny-headed Swallow ______ MN
Southern Rough-winged
Swallow ______ MN
Barn Swallow ______ MN
American Cliff Swallow ______ MN
Moustached Wren ______ MN
Sedge Wren ______ MN
"Southern" House Wren ______ MN
ES
Black-capped Donacobius ______ MN
Chalk-browed Mockingbird ______ MN
Eastern Slaty Thrush ______ MN
Rufous-bellied Thrush ______ MN ES
Pale-breasted Thrush ______ MN ES
Creamy-bellied Thrush ______ MN
Yellowish Pipit ______ MN
Hellmayr's Pipit ______ MN
Ochre-breasted Pipit
(t2) ______ MN
Purple-throated Euphonia ______ MN
ES
Violaceous Euphonia ______ MN
Green-chinned Euphonia (nt) ______ MN
Chestnut-bellied Euphonia ______ MN
Blue-naped Chlorophonia ______ MN
Hooded Siskin ______ MN
Southern Yellowthroat
______ MN
Tropical Parula ______ MN
Stripe-crowned Warbler ______ MN
Flavescent Warbler ______ MN
White-bellied Warbler ______ MN
White-striped Warbler
(e) ______ MN
Riverbank Warbler ______ MN
Red-rumped Cacique ______ MN
Shiny Cowbird ______ MN ES
Giant Cowbird ______ MN
Baywing ______ MN
Crested Oropendola ______ MN
Chestnut-capped
Blackbird ______ MN
Unicolored Blackbird ______ MN
Chopi Blackbird ______ MN
Yellow-rumped Marshbird ______ MN
White-browed Blackbird ______ MN
Bananaquit ______ MN
Blue Finch (nt) (qe) ______ MN
Grassland Sparrow ______ MN
Rufous-collared Sparrow ______ MN
Sayaca Tanager ______ MN
Azure-shouldered Tanager (nt) (e) ______
MN ES
Golden-chevroned Tanager
(e) ______ MN ES
Palm Tanager ______ MN
Silver-beaked Tanager ______ MN
Green-headed Tanager ______ MN
Gilt-edged Tanager (e) ______ MN
Brassy-breasted Tanager
(e) ______ MN
Yellow-backed Tanager ______ MN
Burnished-buff Tanager ______ MN
Fawn-breasted Tanager ______ MN
Diademed Tanager ______ MN
Red Tanager ______ MN
Olive-green Tanager (e) ______ MN
White-lined Tanager ______ MN
Ruby-crowned Tanager ______ MN
Flame-crested Tanager ______ MN
Black-goggled Tanager ______ MN
Guira Tanager ______ MN
Rufous-headed Tanager
(e) ______ MN ES
Orange-headed Tanager ______ MN
White-rumped Tanager (nt) ______ MN

A White-rumped Tanager photographed during the FONT tour
in Minas Gerais, Brazil, in March 2008,
not showing the white rump.
Hooded Tanager ______ MN
CHERRY-THROATED TANAGER (t1) (e)
______ ES (probably the rarest bird ever seen during any FONT tour)
Brown Tanager (nt) (e) ______ ES
Cinnamon Tanager (e) ______ MN
Magpie Tanager ______ MN ES
Swallow Tanager ______ MN
Blue Dacnis ______ MN
Chestnut-vented Conebill ______ MN
Blue-black Grassquit ______ MN
Plumbeous Seedeater ______ MN
Lined Seedeater ______ MN
Yellow-bellied (inc. Dubois')
Seedeater ______ MN
Double-collared
Seedeater ______ MN
Capped Seedeater ______ MN
Saffron Finch ______ MN
Stripe-tailed Yellow Finch ______ MN
Uniform Finch ______ MN
Coal-crested Finch (nt) ______ MN
Gray Pileated Finch ______ MN
Pampa Finch ______ MN
Serra Finch (nt) (e) ______ MN
Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch ______ MN

A Wedge-tailed Grass Finch photographed during
the FONT Tour in Minas Gerais, Brazil in March 2008
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Black-masked Finch (t3) ______ MN
Bay-chested Warbling Finch (e) ______ MN
Red-rumped Warbling Finch ______ MN
Cinereous Warbling-Finch (nt) (e) ______ MN
Buff-throated Saltator ______ MN
Green-winged Saltator ______ MN
Black-throated Saltator ______ MN
Black-throated Grosbeak (qe)
______ MN
Ultramarine Grosbeak ______ MN
Common Waxbill (i) ______ MN
House Sparrow (i) ______ MN
Notes:
The very rare BRAZILIAN
MERGANSER has been seen during a number of FONT tours: in March 1997, in October 1998,
in August 2002, in October 2003, in September 2006, and in March 2008. Each time, our sightings have been in a remote
part of western Minas Gerais State
Recent estimates have put the population of the species at only about a hundred
pairs. Some say, however, that's too high a number. With large territories, and
favoring remote areas, the merganser is not usually an easy bird to see.
The range of the bird has included southeast Brazil, northeast Argentina, and
adjacent Paraguay. It's probably now extinct in Paraguay, and may be in
Argentina (where the population has been critically small). Actually, in the
mid-20th Century, the species was thought to be extinct altogether. It was
re-found in 1948. Now, just over 50 years later, the bird is still "too
close" to extinction.
The CIPO CANASTERO was
discovered only as recently as 1985 in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, where it is very localized. When the species was
initially found, it was a surprise as all other canasteros occur
much further to the west in South America, mostly in Andean
habitats. We've seen it during nearly all of our tours in Minas Gerais.
