The Park and its surroundings

 

Intervales State Park, a vital ecological sanctuary managed by the Fundação Florestal, spans approximately 41,700 hectares and was officially established in 1995, although its protective status dates back to 1987. Nestled within the stunning Serra do Mar escarpment, which rises to 3,300 feet, the park is strategically located along the southeastern coast of Brazil. This remarkable region not only serves as a refuge for diverse flora and fauna but also plays a crucial role in preserving the rich biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest ecosystem.

The park is surrounded by several other significant reserves, including Carlos Botelho State Park, Petar, Fazenda Nova Trieste, Xitué, and Nascentes do Paranapanema, which collectively encompass over 150,000 hectares of pristine Atlantic forests. These interconnected areas, referred to as the "Continuum de Paranapiacaba," showcase an impressive altitudinal gradient that ranges from nearly sea level to elevated terrains. This unique geographical feature contributes to a variety of microclimates, fostering an array of habitats that support numerous species, some of which are endemic to this region.

As a protected area, Intervales State Park is not only a haven for wildlife but also a critical site for conservation efforts. The collaborative management of this park and its neighboring reserves highlights the importance of preserving natural landscapes for future generations. Visitors to the park can experience its breathtaking scenery while participating in eco-friendly activities, thus promoting awareness and appreciation for the vital environmental resources that the Atlantic Forest provides. Through ongoing conservation initiatives, Intervales State Park remains a beacon of hope for biodiversity preservation in Brazil. 

    

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The vast expanse of the "Continuum de Paranapiacaba," along with the neighboring reserves that border Intervales, plays a crucial role in safeguarding the park's ecological integrity. Nestled within this rich landscape, Intervales serves as a prime destination for birdwatchers eager to explore the Atlantic Forest Ecosystem. Over 430 bird species have been documented in the park and its surrounding buffer zone, a testament to the effective conservation efforts in place. Additionally, Intervales boasts an impressive network of birdwatching trails, most of which are accessible by 2x4 vehicles at any time. This accessibility enhances Intervales' reputation as one of the most fruitful birding locations in southeastern Brazil. 

Visitors are encouraged to take their time to immerse themselves in the unique rainforest environment, soaking in the diverse sounds and sights that this extraordinary ecosystem has to offer.
 

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Birding Trails


Self-guided Trail

The central area of the Park around the lodges there is a self-guided trail through secondary growth, marsh areas and fishing lakes. There is plenty of good birding in this trail and the following species can be seen: Rusty-barred Owl, Buff-fronted Owl (seeing occasionally), Stygian Owl (seen recently) White-breasted Tapaculo, Araucaria Tit Spinetail, Giant Antshrike, Large-tailed Antshrike, Red-eyed Thornbird, Swallow-tailed Cotinga, Red-ruffed Fruit Crow, Azure-shouldered Tanager, Golden-chevroned Tanager, Blue-and-orange Tanager (during the winter), Olive-green Tanager, Blue Dacnis and Black-legged Dacnis (nesting every year around the lake).

 

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Mirante Trail

This trail begins just in front Pica-pau Lodge and goes up for 2,5 km, with an altitude varying from 2.800 to 3.000 ft. At the end of the trail is possible to see a beatiful sight of the hilly landscape of the "Continuum de Paranapiacaba". Highlights include White-bearded Antshrike, Bertoni's Antbird, Ferruginous Antbird, Such's Antthrush, Short-tailed Antthrush, Spotted Bamboowren and Atlantic Royal Flycatcher ( nesting by the Lago Negro).

 

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Lageado Trail
The most reliable trail for species suchs as: Blue-bellied Parrot (May/June), Oustalet's Tyrannulet, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Russet-winged Spadebill, Crescent-chested Puffbird.


 

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Carmo Road
Carmo Road is a 35 km driving path, which begins at the central area of the park (2.800 ft. elevation) and ends at Alecrim ranger station (600 ft. elevation), only the first 10 kms of the road can be accessed by 2x4 car, the road goes through well preserved forest, surrounded by Palm trees (Euterpes edulis), and bamboo (Guadua tagoara), attracting a great variety of species such as: Solitary Tinamou,  Mantled Hawk, Black-faced Piping-Guan (most reliable place), Blue-bellied Parrot, Rusty-breasted Nunlet,  Crescent-chested Puffbird, Saffron Toucanet, Helmeted Woodpecker (most reliable place), Slaty Bristlefront, Tufted Antshrike, White-bearded Antshrike, Star-throated Antwren, Scaled Antbird, Squamate Antbird, Such’s Antthrush, Speckle-breasted Antpitta, White-collared Foliage-Gleaner, Pale-browed Treehunter, Grey-capped Tyrannulet, Oustalet’s Tyrannulet, Brown-breasted Bamboo-Tyrant, “Atlantic” Royal Flycatcher, Pin-tailed Manakin, Serra do Mar Tyrant-Manakin, Hooded Berryeater, Cinnamon-vented Piha (common at Carmo), Bare-throated Bellbird (abundant), Brown Tanager, Buffy-fronted and Temminck’s Seedeater, (both abundant when the bamboo is flowering) Red-rumped Cacique and Golden-winged Cacique. 


 

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Barra Grande Road                                                                                                               

Like Carmo Road, Barra Grande Road begins at the central area of the park and ends at São Pedro Nucleus, which is 45 kms from the park's headquaters, only the first 10 km is 2x4 drivable, with a 4x4 car is possible to traverse primary forest for 10 kms (3 km ahead Barra Grande), where  is excellent for birding, especially the first 5 kms. Notable birds include Mantled Hawk, Black-faced Piping-Guan, Rusty-barred Owl, Black-capped Screech-owl Owl, Silky-tailed Nightjar (occasionally seeing), Crescent-chested Puffbird,  Giant Antshrike, Red-ruffed Fruit Crow, Bare-throated Bellbird, Pin-tailed Manakin, Azure-throated Tanager, Golden-chevroned Tanager, and Black-legged Dacnis.

 

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Ribeirão Grande Road

This road which links Ribeirão Grande City to Intervales is also good for species which are not common in the park. Spotted Nothura, Small-billed Tinamou, American Kestrel, White-tailed Hawk, Red-legged Seriema, Burrowing Owl, Short-eared Owl (seen occasionally), White-eared Puffbird, Yellowish Pipit (always on the fence post), Gray Monjita (always on the fence post), Streamer-tailed Tyrant, Grassland Yellow-finch, Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, White-browed Blackbird, Chestnut-capped Blackbird and Yellow-rumped Marshbird are some of the species you are likely to see on the way to the park.

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Saibadela                                                                                                                               

On the low section of the Park we have one of the best birding site, Saibadela Trail offers the chance to see a high range of lowland birds, located at about 200 ft from sea level and surrounded by a well-preserved forest (Primary Growth mainly), different birds not found on the high section of the Park can be found there, such as: Yellow-legged Tinamou, Chanel-billed Toucan, Blue-bellied Parrot , Brown-backed Parrotlet (occasinally seeing), Black-headed Berryeater (commonly seeing), Azure Jay (commonly seeing), Green Honeycreaper among others. This trail is not generally opened to the public but can be accessed by arrangement in advance.

 

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Birding Guides

Local guides 
In order to access all the trails and find those wanted species, Intervales has three excellent local birding guides to accompany the visitors, they were born and raised in the park and have an unrivalled knowledge of the area, they know the calls and the scientific names of all the birds in the region and where to find them.

• Luis Avelino started working with bird researching in 1987, since then Luis has gathered a great experience.
• Betinho Rodrigues began his career working as birding guide in 2002, he is also a good photographer.
• Gerson Rodrigues guiding since 2015
• Renato Paiva guiding since 2015
• Faustino Avelino has been working as birding guide since 2004, leading people from all around the World.

All the trails except the self-guided trail must be accompanied by a birdwatcher guide from the Park.


*We do recommend that you book the guides in advance.

For more information about fees, booking, guide and acommodation contact us:

Phone: 005515 3542 1511 / 005515 3542 1245

jr.intervalesATgmail.com

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Birding Tower

The Birding Tower at Nascentes do Paranapanema State Park has recently been finished and will soon be opened to the public. It is a great infrastructure to support the practice of birdwatching in the park, where there is great potential to be explored yet.

Surrounded by a beautiful Atlantic Forest, most of it Primary Growth, is a unique project in the region and is located along one of the best birding trails of the park.

 

Horned Screamer in Intervales

Horned Screamer is the new species of wetland bird has been seen recently in one of the lakes of the park, during a birding day promoted on Sunday 21st of July. That's is the first report of the species, and have become one of the new atractions of the park.
   

Horned Screamer (Renato Paiva)

The rarest snake in Intervales

Corallus cropanii is considered the rarest snake in the Atlantic Forest, after 60 years with no record, it was found again on February 2017 in a small comunity on the low section of Intervales State Park.

Crested Eagle at Carmo Road again

Foto uiraçu (Morphnus guianensis) por Gerson Rodrigues (Intervales)

Crested Eagle in Intervales

On September 9th a group of birders from the US along with one of the birding guides of the park, reported a Crested Eagle by the Carmo Road. This was in fact the first report of this species at this trail.

The Crested Eagle has a solitary behaviour, with a declining population due to the habitat loss, this species requires a vast area to live, the Paranapiacaba fragment in São Paulo is one the few places in the Atlantic Forest ecosystem, where this species can be found.

Primary Growth Forest

 

 

The upper Carmo River Trail, is one of the trail that runs by Carmo River crossing a very important fragment of the Primary Growth Forest, one of the best places for Whoolly Spider Monkey, Capuchin Monkey and Brown Howler Monkey,  while visiting pay attention on the ground specially on those overgrown parts,  the good status of the forest makes perfect conditions for those big Fer-de-lance Snakes. 

 

Fig Tree by Carmo River 

 

Fer-de-lance Snake

 

Whooly Spider Monkey (by Zachary Baer)

 

Long-tufted Screech-Owl

 

Long-tufted Screech-Owl is one of the new atractions for night birding, this species was reported few years ago by the researchers, but only in 2015 was confirmed by the birding guides, this species is from the South States of Brazil, not commom in São Paulo State and is very similar to Black-capped Screech-Owl.

 

Long-tufted Screech-Owl (by Renato Paiva)

 

 

New birds on the feeders

 

Two new species of birds are now getting used to the feeders and the presence of the visitors, as the forest around the lodges is regenerating, making a proper habitat for species found only deep in the forest, recently a flock of Spot-winged Woodquail and a Variegated Antpitta have become of the new atraction of the park.   

 

Variegated Antpitta (by Renato Paiva)

Spot-winged Woodquail (by Gilberto Rodrigues)

 

 

Southern Muriqui

 

Carmo Road is without doubt the best birding trail in Intervales, the road used for birding cuts through the forest taking birders to Carmo valley crossing different types of vegetation such as: bamboo, secondary and primary growth. Apart from the birds, if you are lucky you can also see the largest primate in America the famous Southern Muriqui, this species lives in groups in those last remnants of the primary growth of the Atlantic Forest left.

 

 

Southern Muriqui (by José Moreira)

 

Feeder for the Red-and-white Crake

 

One of the best birds photographed this year in Intervales was the Red-and-white Crake, normally they are most heard than seen on the marshland in the central area of the park, After placing a feeder in a clearing by the trail, a pair of them are coming daily, they got very used to the birders when placing the food, as in this picture below, thanks for the great effort of our guides.   

 

Red-and-white Crake (by Renato Paiva)

 

Spadebill at Lageado

 

Russet-winged Spadebill is quite common on the low section of the park, 200 ft elevation seen and heard frequently during the summer, specially Saibadela trail, last October some visitors with the birding guide were lucky to photograph this amaizing bird at Lageado trail around 2700 ft elevation, this species can be easily identified by its call, found only in well-preserved forest most in primary growth.

 

Russet-winged Spadebill (by Renato Paiva)

 

Birding & camping

 

This October we had another motorhome birder from France, this is actually the best way to explore a big country where you have a great variety of environment and birds to see, a 4x4 car can also be very helpful during the raining season in the Atlantic Forest taking you to any trail . 

 

Truck Camper (by junior intervales)

 

Another nest

 

Another nest of the Helmeted Woodpecker was found this October/2013 at Carmo Road, this was the fourth nest of this species reported by the birding guides so far, they usually excavate their nests in Nectranda lanceolata or Schizolobium parahyba, commom trees in this region. The bird can be seem all the Carmo Valley. 

 

Helmeted Woodpecker (by Betinho Rodrigues)

 

Roseate Spoonbill in Intervales

 

Roseate Spoon bill visits the central lake of the park this month, this is not a commom species in the region with few reports since the park was created in 1995, this poor photograph was taken by one of the staff during routine walking by the lake.

 

Spoon bill (by José Vieira)

 

Yellow-legged Tinamou

At the first it looks like Solitary Tinamou eggs, (which is more common in the upper part of the park), except for the size, which is smaller, this Yellow-legged Tinamou nest was found by the Park rangers, at Saibadela Nucleus next to Carlos Botelho State Park. Yellow-legged Tinamou are found only on the lower altitudes, specially in Saibadela Nucleus. According to Birdlife, this species is classified as Near Threatened as population is declining.

 

Birding in South America

 

Our friend Claude and his wife came driving his Camper Toyota Hilux from France to South America, birding in Brazil and other countries too, recently they have arrived in Intervales birded for some weeks while stayed in his nice vehicle, after having a great time in the park, they headed to South Brazil expecting a new adventure.   

 

Truck Camper Toyota Hilux (by junior intervales)

 

Solitary Tinamou Nest

This nest of Solitary Tinamou was found by Mirante Trail during a routine walking, theses impressive eggs are a little bit bigger than a chicken egg, the bird has a similar color to the foliage on the ground making difficult to see it while sitting on a nest, the incubation proccess takes around 28 days. 

  

Tapir

The largest brazilian mammal "Tapir" are pretty common in Paranapiacaba range, especially in primary growth forest, this one below was captured by one of our camera trap, at about 02:00, grazing by the Agua comprida river, next to Carmo Road.

  

Silky-tailed Nightjar

The Silky-tailed Nightjar was seen again at Barra Grande Road, after few years without recording, this Nightjar is easily identified by its remarkable song, and it is one of the most sought-after bird by the visitors.