Breakfast is served at 5:30 a.m. At 6:00 a.m., the boat leaves the lodge for Tiê-bicudo Lagoon. There is still little light over the Rio Claro. The guide organizes the binoculars, checks the equipment and leads the outing along the riverbanks. The morning does not begin with a species list. It begins with listening.
Dawn at Tiê-bicudo Lagoon lasts approximately four hours. Navigation continues to the lagoon, through wet environments, and may include a stop at Cabana Trail, where observation shifts from water to forest.
River, woodland and open forest
More than 590 bird species have been recorded at Jardim. This number comes from the variety of environments: the Rio Claro’s riparian woodland, lagoons, buriti palm groves, open forest and observation points near the lodge.
On Jatobá Trail, the outing begins at 6 a.m. It covers three kilometers and approximately three hours of walking through open forest connected to the Bird Lookout and research laboratory. The route is associated with species such as the Orange-cheeked Parakeet, Band-tailed Manakin, Red-crested Cardinal and Ash-browed Spinetail.
One bird depends on many places
The tiê-bicudo (Conothraupis mesoleuca) is associated with wetlands and preserved banks of the Rio Claro. It was rediscovered in 2004 at Emas National Park and first recorded at Jardim in 2008.
Looking for it means more than looking for a rare species. It means moving through the environments that sustain its presence: water, riverside vegetation, lagoons and open areas. Observation becomes a way to understand the landscape more precisely.
The bird is small. What it indicates is vast.
The itinerary continues after dawn
After the morning on the river, the stay can continue through other environments. The Buritizal Boardwalk, a 300-meter path over the buriti palm grove, leads to humid forest near the Rio Claro. Curica Hotspot is in the lodge’s outdoor areas and is freely accessible to guests.
These are different ways of observing the same landscape. The guide helps guests recognize calls, habitats and the best times of day. Animals live freely, and sightings are not guaranteed. What remains is the experience of learning how to look.
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