Volunteer Stories - Alexandre
My experience in Yupukari was special and unusual.
During the last four years I have traveled to many isolated places in different parts of the Brazilian Amazon. But those experiences were very different from what I had here, because for the first time I had the opportunity to interact with local people.
Not only did I see dozens of special birds, but I was also received with huge hospitality by local people. I learned a lot with the village kids. These kids are like a trapped dragonfly, beating its wings inside a box. They have a huge appetite for learning. They were crazy to go birding with me and to learn Portuguese as well. And I improved my English a lot interacting with them.
I recommend this place for birders visiting Guyana. Located in a huge and well-preserved savanna, close to the forested Kanuku Mountains, and surrounded by flooded forest, it is possible to visit different habitats and see a huge biodiversity of birds.
The comfortable facilities of the field station, which are easy to get to, provide a perfect place for tourists, scientists and anyone who wants to be in contact with nature. From the bird deck in the guest house, with its beautiful view of the Kanuku Mountains, it is possible to see flocks of the Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus) flying over the savannas every evening. Around the field station, the conspicuous Ruby-Topaz Hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus) is often seen. The diversity of hummingbirds is huge.
In the patch forests that accompany savanna streams, many male blue backed Manakin (Chiroxiphia pareola) were seen lekking, exhibiting their plumage colors and strange sounds.
On the Rupunumi River, flocks of the Band-Tailed Nighthawk (Nyctiprogne leucopyga) are common. During a boat trip from Yupukari to Karanambu in breeding season it is possible to see many Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius), and when the river starts to drop at the end of the rainy season, the Agami Heron (Agamia agami) can be seen. In the dry season huge flocks of Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) are a familiar sight.
If you are looking for adventure and isolated places, the foothills of the Kanuku Mountains are a perfect choice. Ashley Holland, an expert river guide, lives in Yupukari. He has a huge knowledge of natural history, knows very well the hot spots for birdwatching, and can organize a safe and successful birdwatching expedition to the forest and mountains.
In a few hours traveling by boat up the Rupununi River there is a huge forest in the mountains (expected number of total species for this locality is close to 400, almost half of all Guyana avifauna). In one of these creeks one can, with luck, see the rare Fasciated Tiger-Heron (Tigrisoma fasciatum), Zigzag Heron (Zebrilus undulatus) and at night the bizarre oil bird (Steatornis caripensis). Very common is the Brown Jacamar (Brachygalba lugubris). At certain times of the year it is common to hear the spectacular sound of the White Bellbird (Procnias albus) and to see many mixed flocks of birds. It is possible to see the Guianan Red-Cotinga (Phoenicircus carniflex), the cordial Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicula rupicula), the Spangled Cotinga (Cotinga cayana) and several other cotinga species.
As a neotropical ornithologist I can tell you that this place is really perfect for a bird tour because it is easy to get to, it has great facilities, and most important, it is a preserve sheltering a huge biodiversity of habitats and birds. I had a very good time here, interacted with great people and saw special birds that I had never seen before.
Alexandre Fernandes
Brazil