Rufous-breasted Leaftosser (Sclerurus scansor) - 09Feb2026

This skulking leaftosser almost gave me the slip on my second trip to Brazil.  We had it initially at Pico Alto near Guaramiranga, but I failed to get a picture.  I thought for sure I was doomed to miss my chance, but then several days later at Malhada Bonita in Araripe, we had one singing thick in some brush and I was able to get a photo after messing with my manual focus.  This is a Vulnerable species per IUCN criteria because of deforestation.  It has two disjunct populations with one being in northeast Brazil which is where I got mine.

Ceara Woodcreeper or Atlantic Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus atlanticus) - 05Feb2026

This is yet another Brazilian endemic I bagged on my trip to northeast Brazil.  There is only an estimated 5000 to 11000 individuals left on this planet.  We had ours at Vale Das Nuvens in the Guaramiranga region.  There are 13 species of woodcreeper in this genus.  

White-throated Spadebill (Platyrinchus mystaceus) - 05Feb2026

Could a bird be any cuter?  This species of Spadebill has 14 subspecies across a vast area in South America.  I am guessing this is the nominate eastern subspecies but I don't have enough information to pin it down.  We had this bird at Pico Alto in the Guaramiranga region of northeastern Brazil.

Buff-breasted Tody-Tyrant (Hemitriccus mirandae) - 05Feb2026

This Brazilian endemic has a Vulnerable status due to its limited range and only an estimated 1500 to 7000 birds left.  Habitat destruction is the biggest threat.  There are 22 species in this genus.  We had ours at Pico Alto in the Guaramiranga region. 

Gray-headed Kite (Leptodon cayanensis) - 05Feb2026

Although this is a species with a wide range from Mexico down through southern Brazil, I have only seen one.  This one was photographed in Guaramiranga in northeast Brazil.  You need to be vigilant in northeast Brazil when seeing this bird, because the very similar but much more rare endemic White-collared Kite can also be found.  They are the only two birds in the Leptodon genus.

Planalto Hermit (Phaethornis pretrei) - 15Feb2026

The Planalto Hermit was one of three hermit species at Lajedo dos Beija-Flores in Boa Nova that was super cooperative.  Previous to visiting this famous garden, we only saw them visiting traplines in the forest and they were impossible to get a photo of.  However, at this place they were visiting feeders and flowers all over the property.   They have a wide range from the eastern parts of Brazil all the way to Bolivia and Paraguay. 

Reddish Hermit (Phaethornis ruber) - 09Feb2026

 We had this little hermit all over our trip to northeast Brazil.  It has a really wide range all over South America, but has a sub-species "ruber" which is found in this area of Brazil and is considered the nominate sub-species.  My best photos were from our stay in Porto Seguro in southern Bahia State.