Biritiba-Mirim and Salesópolis road..
Biritiba-Mirim.
Female São Paulo Antwren. Photo ₢ Charlie Moores.
Just outside the town of Mogi das Cruzes is a smaller town called Biritiba-Mirim. It was here that the undescribed antwren known as São Paulo Antwren Formicivora sp.nov. was found. There is a site for these birds at a marsh between Mogi and Biritiba altjhough the access is now resdtricted and fenced off. The site also has a number of other good birds such as the Red-eyed Thornbird, Rufous-capped Antshrike and Cinnamon Tanager. Nearby there is an overgrown swampy area that has Rufous-sided Crakes, American Purple Gallinule and Wattled Jacanas among others.
Male São Paulo Antwren. Photo ₢ Charlie Moores.
Birds to look for include: White-faced Whistling Duck, Brazilian Teal, Rufous-sided Crake, American Purple Gallinule, Wattled Jacana, Burrowing Owl, White Woodpecker, Campo Flicker, Rufous Hornero, Wing-banded Hornero, Spix’s Spinetail, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Red-eyed Thornbird, Rufous-capped Antshrike, São Paulo Antwren, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Crested Becard, Sooty Tyrannulet, Planalto Tyrannulet, Bran-coloured Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Tyrant, Masked Water-Tyrant, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, Donacobious, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Hooded Siskin, Masked Yellowthroat, Cinnamon Tanager, Orange-headed Tanager, White-bellied Seedeater, Double-collared Seedeater, Capped Seedeater, Saffron Finch, Chestnut-capped Blackbird and Yellow-rumped Marshbird.
Reservoir Salesópolis road. Photo ₢ Rick and Elis Simpson.
Salesópolis road.
Past Biritiba-Mirim on the way to Ubatuba we pass along a road that takes you through Salesópolis. This road has various points at which it is worth stopping to look for birds. There is a huge reservoir that holds a few ducks, herons, other water birds and once, an Osprey. In passage the odd wader can be seen such as Pectoral Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs. There are other stops that produce typical farmland birds and a small valley that has a surprisingly rich bird population.
Lined Seedeater. Photo ₢ Tommy Pedersen.
Birds to look for include: Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga, Whistling Heron, Cocoi Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Striated Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, White-faced Whistling Duck, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Comb Duck, Brazilian Teal, Southern Pochard, Osprey, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Savannah Hawk, Southern Caracara, Yellow-headed Caracara, Ash-throated Crake, American Purple Gallinule, White-backed Stilt, Eared Dove, Burrowing Owl, Green Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher, White-eared Puffbird, Firewood Gatherer, Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, White-crested Tyrannulet, Bran-coloured Flycatcher, White-rumped Monjita, White-rumped Swallow, Yellowish Pipit, Lined Seedeater (summer), Wedge-tailed Grassfinch, Ultramarine Grosbeak, Chestnut-capped Blackbird, Yellow-rumped Marshbird and Chopi Blackbird.
