HYACINTH MACAW - Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus
This is the largest psittacid (family of the parrots and parakeets) in the world, reaching up to 1 meter (3 ft) in length. They can be seen in groups and in pairs, feeding on some palm nuts and nesting in hollow trunks of trees such as the Manduvi. Critically threatened by extinction until some years ago, the populations are gradually recovering, thanks to initiatives such as the Hyacinth Macaw Project.

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BLACK-COLLARED HAWK – Busarellus nigricollis
A species that feeds almost entirely on fish, which are captured with the feet, thanks to the long claws and rough toes that help on keeping hold of the prey.

COCOI (WHITE-NECKED) HERON– Ardea cocoi
A solitary bird during most of the year, living always near the water and feeding chiefly on fish that are captured with the beak. During the breeding period, they gather forming the famous nesting areas in the Pantanal.

RUFOUS-TAILED JACAMAR - Galbula ruficauda
Found solitary or in pairs, frequently in the gallery forests alongside the rivers, where they dig their tunnel-like nests on the banks.

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BIRDS IN FLIGHT
A mixed flock, formed by aquatic species such as ducks and egrets, returns to their roosts after a full day feeding massively in the Pantanal’s lagoons, where food is abundant.

CRESTED CARACARA – Caracara plancus
A bird from the falcon family, this opportunistic species can feed both on prey that they capture, as well as on carrion, in a way similar to the vultures.
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BURROWING OWL - Athene cunicularia
As opposed to most of the owls, this species is chiefly diurnal, feeding on insects and small vertebrates. The nest consists of a burrow in the ground, which the bird itself can excavate or take over another animal’s abandoned den.

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BURROWING OWL - Athene cunicularia
In order to protect their nests against predators, these birds show a curious behavior: they collect cattle dung and place it around the den’s entrance, as an attempt to deceive animals who search for prey using their sense of smell. The den can be up to 1mt (3ft) deep and 3mt (9ft) long.

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PLUMBEOUS IBIS- Theristicus caerulescens
An abundant species in the Pantanal, usually found near water. In this picture, an immature bird begs one of the parents for food.

BLACK SKIMMER (CHICK) – Rynchops niger
This nest, located on a beach by the Rio Negro (Pantanal), displays one of the strategies adopted by birds to protect their young, like this perfect camouflage of the chick with the surrounding sand.

CRIMSON-CRESTED WOODPECKER - Campephilus melanoleucos
Woodpeckers have adaptations on the muscles and bones of the head, which allow them to bang their beaks on trees in search for larvae and insects.

RED-LEGGED SERIEMA - Cariama cristata
This bird spends most of its time on the ground, not being capable of long flights. Its call is one of the most typical sounds of the Brazilian Cerrado region.

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ROSEATE SPOONBILLS (Platalea ajaja) AND OTHER WADERS
In order to make this picture, I had to walk into a knee-deep marsh in the Pantanal that was full of caimans and surrounded by clouds of mosquitoes, before the first morning lights came out. It took me about three hours until I got the shots that I wanted.

GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba), ROSEATE SPOONBILLS (Platalea ajaja) AND JABIRU STORK (Jabiru mycteria)
In order to make this picture, I had to walk into a knee-deep marsh in the Pantanal that was full of caimans and surrounded by clouds of mosquitoes, before the first morning lights came out. It took me about three hours until I got the shots that I wanted.

TOCO TOUCAN – Ramphastos toco
One of the most well known tropical birds, the toucan feeds on fruits, seeds, and also on eggs and chicks of other birds, which are taken directly from their nests when the parents are distracted.

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BLUE-CROWNED MOTMOT – Momotus momota
Found chiefly in gallery forests, this bird has distinctive features such as the long tail – whose feathers end in an oar-shape – and the remarkable bass-pitched call.

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COMMON POTOO – Nyctibius griseus
One of the most interesting birds in Brazil’s fauna. Active at night, during the day the potoo sits on a dry branch or a stump, motionless, camouflaging itself in a perfect manner. They have a very wide mouth, which is used to capture insects in flight. This individual had made its nest just a couple of meters away from a window in my house, in an urban area of Brazil.

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AMAZON KINGFISHER – Chloroceryle amazona
These birds are very agile to catch fish, diving after them at high speed from a branch on the surface. Afterwards they bang the fish on a log to make it dizzy before swallowing.