The Five Best Birding Regions in Brazil aka Birding is the World will take you there.

Jo O
Jun 12
3 min read

Updated: Jun 13

A Female Spot-billed Toucanet photographed in rural São Paulo, Brazil. — The Spot-billed Toucanet, photographed in the Atlantic Rainforest, is one species where the female is as beautiful as the male.

Brazil’s vast and varied landscapes make it a global birding hotspot, hosting over 1,900 bird species, including nearly 250 endemics. From dense rainforests to sprawling wetlands, each region offers unique avian treasures. Here are the top five regions in Brazil for birding, perfect for spotting vibrant and rare species.

1. Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Basin, encompassing the world’s largest rainforest, is a birder’s dream. Spanning states like Amazonas and Pará, it’s home to over 600 species. Near Manaus, you can spot Crimson Fruitcrows, Spangled Cotingas, and Hoatzins

along rivers. Lodges like Amazon Ecopark provide access to terra firme forests and river islands, where Amazonian Umbrellabirds thrive. Boat trips at dawn reveal elusive species like Horned Screamers. The dry season (June–October) offers easier navigation.

Two Hoatzin birds perched on a branch in the lush Amazon Rainforest. Its distinctive features include a spiky, reddish-brown crest on its head, a blue face with bright red eyes, and a brownish body with a long tail. The background is filled with dense green foliage, highlighting the bird's unique, prehistoric appearance. — Two Hoatzins perched in the Brazilian Rainforest. Beautiful creatures...they look almost prehistoric!

A flock of white-eyed parakeets flying above a tropical forest. The birds display vibrant green feathers, white eye-rings around dark eyes, and curved red beaks. They soar in a loose formation against a backdrop of dense green foliage and a soft blue sky, capturing their dynamic motion and vivid colors. — Literally Flying Colors. These White-eyed Parakeets were spotted above the Amazon

2. Pantanal

The Pantanal, straddling Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, is the world’s largest tropical wetland and Brazil’s top wildlife region. Its open landscapes make spotting Hyacinth Macaws, Jabiru Storks, and Roseate Spoonbills a breeze. With over 400 species, the region shines during the dry season (June–October), when birds like Toco Toucans and Agami Herons concentrate around shrinking waterholes. Access via Cuiabá or Campo Grande for safari-style tours.

Hyacinth Macaw in the Pantanal, Brazil. — The Hyacinth Macaw is endangered but a lot of domestic and international effort by conservation groups and birders is going a long way in preserving its populations.

Jabiru catches a fish in the Pantanal, Brazil — Jabiru with a tasty snack photographed in the Pantanal region of Brazil

3. Atlantic Rainforest

Stretching across the east and southeast coast of Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Paraná, the Atlantic Forest is a biodiversity hotspot with over 200 endemic species. Parks like Itatiaia and reserves like REGUA host Black-hooded Antwrens, Saffron Toucanets, and Red-billed Curassows. Coastal areas like Ubatuba offer Buff-throated Purpletufts. Guided trails are key to navigating this fragmented forest, where manakins and tanagers dazzle.

Brazilian tanager is a birding dream. Here a male perches on a branch in the Atlantic Rainforest — Endemic to Brazil, this Brazilian Tanager is simply stunning for birders to photograph

Female Brazilian Ruby and a white-throated hummingbird share a flower — Both the Brazilian Ruby and the White-throated hummingbird are endemic to Brazil

4. Cerrado

The Cerrado, Brazil’s tropical savanna, covers Goiás, Mato Grosso, and parts of Minas Gerais. Its open woodlands and grasslands are perfect for spotting Blue-winged Macaws, Coal-crested Finches, and Swallow-tailed Hummingbirds. Chapada dos Guimarães National Park near Cuiabá is a highlight, with over 300 species and dramatic landscapes. The region’s mix of savanna and gallery forests offers unique birding, less crowded than the Pantanal.

A greater rhea, a large flightless bird, stands on a grassy plain with its chicks in the Cerrado of Brazil. The adult has a greyish-brown plumage, a long neck, and strong legs. The fluffy, light-brown chicks cluster closely around it. The background features open grassland under a clear sky, highlighting the protective stance of the rhea and its young. — Birders come from all over the world to photograph the Greater Rhea in the Brazilian Cerrado

5. Caatinga

The Caatinga, a semi-arid region in Brazil’s Northeast (Bahia, Pernambuco, and Ceará), is often overlooked but rich in endemics. Its scrublands and dry forests host Caatinga Antwrens, Scarlet-throated Tanagers, and Blue-crowned Parakeets. Serra da Capivara National Park is a prime spot, with over 200 species. The wet season (January–April) brings greener landscapes and active birdlife, making it ideal for spotting elusive species like Araripe Manakins.

A close up of a Spix's macaw perched on a branch in a tropical setting in the Caatinga in Brazil. Its striking blue plumage shimmers, with a slightly greener hue on the head, wings and a vivid blue tail. The bird's greyish head, black curved beak, and alert dark eyes stand out against a backdrop of lush green foliage, showcasing its rare and vibrant beauty. — The Indigo Macaw or Lear's Macaw has come back from the edge of extinction through intensive conservation efforts

An Araripe manakin perched on a slender branch in a tropical forest. The male bird displays a striking red crown and upper back, contrasting with its glossy black wings and white underparts. Its small, sleek body and dark eyes stand out against a lush green foliage background, highlighting its vibrant and rare coloration. — Another bird that people come from all over the world. This Araripe Manakin is striking and birders in Brazil love to photograph it.

What Birding is the World Brazil offers:

Local guides: Our guides are the BEST. Many are biologists and all are experts and they know where to look for and find rare and threatened species without interference of local habitat.
Wonderful lodging: Our accomodations are run by birders and birding experts. They contribute to the experience of finding, observing and photographing birds in Brazil. In addition, the lodging is comfortable and offers up wonderfully typical Brazilian cuisine.
Transportation: Comfortable vans, driven by motorists with your absolute safety as a priority.
Conservation: We emphasize supporting LOCAL businesses. We stick to trails, avoid disturbing habitat and our goal is to learn and appreciate the incredible landscape Brazil has to offer.
We aim to giving a once in a lifetime Brazilian experience: Brazil’s diverse regions offer unmatched birding experiences, from the Amazon’s dense jungles to the Caatinga’s stark beauty. Whether you’re after macaws or antbirds, these regions deliver unforgettable sightings. But we also aim to give birders a truly Brazilian experience and you will come away appreciating more profoundly what this wonderful country has to offer!