• Bob Planqué

• Alex Lees & Jeremy Minns

• Luiz F. Figueiredo

Bob Planqué

From November 18 to December I stayed at the new Parque do Zizo, located in the Serra da Paranapiacaba, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. This small, well-preserved park, run by the family Balboni, lies in the heart of the last great remnant of Atlantic Forest that we may still enjoy. The Serra da Paranapiacaba holds arguably the finest rain forest of the once enormous expanse that straddled the eastern coast of Brazil. In this mountain range one may still find most large mammals such as Spider and Howler Monkeys, Jaguars and Tapirs. Parque do Zizo also holds most of these species.

Logistics

Parque do Zizo can be reached from the small town of Sao Miguel Arcanjo, which itself lies about two hours from Sao Paulo. With a four-wheel drive jeep, the leg from Sao Miguel takes about an hour, the last bit of which can be quite adventurous in the rainy season.

Accomodation

There are two main cabins that make up the small camp, with a third just along the road hundred meters away. They are well equipped for a lengthy stay, with hot showers, bunk beds, and clean sheets every three days. There is a proper kitchen with a gas stove and a fire place; big blocks of ice, brought in from the city every week, provide ample cooling to refrigerate meat and fruit throughout. Food was excellent. Breakfast buffets included bread, jam, ham and cheese, coffee and fruit juice. For lunch and dinner, the staple was rice and beans, with an ever-changing assortment of meats, and salades, or pastas with broccoli for instance. An extra oven to bake bread is currently being built.
Parque do Zizo does not have electricity at this moment, but car batteries may be provided. New supplies such as normal batteries may be bought in Sao Miguel Arcanjo. The park guards travel between Zizo and Sao Miguel once or twice a week, so there need not be any shortages of supplies.

The environment

Parque do Zizo's 300 hectares are entirely covered with lush rain forest. The main features include tree ferns, large emergent trees, many large and understory palm species, and plenty of bamboo. With altitudes ranging from around 550 to 700 meters, there are many streams and small rivers, and a number of fine cascades. The terrain is quite wet in places, and there are innumerable frogs and toads, of some 35 species. The paths are well cleared and easy to navigate, but not unnecessarily wide. There are about 10 km of paths to all habitats. Hiking is mildly strenuous.
Weather is temperate to tropical. During my stay I had temperatures between 15 degrees Celsius (on a rainy day) and 30 degrees (on a nice sunny one). I would advise long sleeves and long trousers at most times, and rubber boots, since there are many snakes in the area. Insectlife is abundant but not overly annoying. I mostly wore two shirts - one long-sleeved and one short-sleeved - to keep the horse flies away. The area is full of all kinds of ants, including army ants and leafcutter ants.

Birdlife

I visited Zizo at the start of the rainy season, but was lucky and got only three days of rain and drizzle. This is also the nesting time for many species, which meant birds were very active and there was plenty of singing activity, especially in the sheltered valleys (hardly anything on the more exposed tops). Among the species I saw actively performing courtship displays, building nests, or attending brood were Tawny-browed Owl, Bay-ringed Tyrannulet (two nests), Ochre-collared Piculet, Crested Becard, Red-rumped Cacique, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Yellow-olive Flycatcher and Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper.
Many of the great endemics from the Atlantic Forest can be found in Zizo, such as Sharpbill, Hooded Berryeater, Cinnamon-vented Piha, Black-fronted Piping-Guan, Rufous and Black-cheeked Gnateater, Spotted Bamboowren, and so on. I had wonderful views of two fledgling Tawny-browed Owls, shaking their wings, and mewing to their parents. Cinnamon-vented Piha was quite common at this site, as was Sharpbill with nearly daily sightings. Black-cheeked Gnateater was seen once very well, during a long territorial display. A pair of Spot-billed Toucanets was the first for a long time at this lodge. At camp there is a feeder with which many great birds can be attracted, such as Magpie, Sayaca, Azure-shouldered, Green-headed, Ruby-crowned and Olive-gray Tanagers, Blue Dacnis, Yellow-fronted Woodpecker was very common, as were Saffron Toucanets. There is a nice colony of Red-rumped Caciques at a small pond next to the lodge, which also harbours many flycatchers.
After two and a half weeks of birding and sound recording, I had seen about 160 species. Given my personal lack of experience with the Atlantic Forest, I would expect the total list for this park to grow to around 220 or even 250.

Trip list

Bob Planqué is one of the creators of www.xeno-canto.org, a growing community database of Neotropical Bird's Songs and the records made by Bob Planqué in Parque do Zizo are available in Xeno-canto.          ^

Alex Lees & Jeremy Minns

The Atlantic forest avifauna is a highly endangered community. 68% of the species are rare (Goerck, 1997) and future extinctions seem inevitable, considering that only 7% (>100,000 km2) of the original forest remains. (Brooks et al., 1999; Tabarelli et al., 2005). Protected areas established on private land thus represent an important tool for biodiversity preservation and without effective interaction with private landowners, conservationists will never succeed in protecting biodiversity to the full extent possible. (James, 2002). In Brazil, the establishment of Reservas Particulares do Patrimônio Natural (RPPNs) in areas of high conservation priority are of strategic importance for the implementation of corridors uniting the montane forests of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (the Serra do Mar Corridor). (Conservation International do Brasil et al., 2000; Fonseca et al., 2004).

The Parque do Zizo (lat: 24º00'56'', long: 47º48'44'') is one such example of a working RPPN. It is situated in the Serra de Paranapiacaba between the municipalities of São Miguel Arcanjo and Tapiraí in the south-east of São Paulo state. [Tapiraí is shown on the Guia Rodoviário; it is 63 km north of Juquiá on SP-079.] The park was established by the Balboni family as a memorial to their brother Luiz who was killed in 1969 when he took up arms against the military dictatorship.

The 400ha reserve forms part of a larger agglomeration of protected areas that serve to protect over 37,600ha of Atlantic Forest -- one of the most extensive blocks of forest in the entire region. (Ferraz & Verjabedian, 1999). The park's altitude varies between 500m and 800m, and the region experiences a humid-temperate climate, lacking a demarcated dry season. Mean rainfall throughout this area is approximately 1,720 mm/yr, with the wettest and the driest period of the year between December and March, and July and August, respectively. (São Paulo, 1972). The primary vegetation is tropical submontane closed-canopy rain forest. (Veloso et al., 1991).

The park has only recently been discovered by ornithologists and as such has not been extensively inventoried. This description is largely based on visits by Robert Planqué (November-December 2005), Luiz Fernando Figueiredo and members of the Centro de Estudos Ornitológicos (Jun 2005, Jan and Feb 2006), Minns (Feb 2006) and Minns & Lees (May 2006). These preliminary visits suggest that the avian community is similar to the heavily-inventoried forest at Intervales (50km to the southwest) over corresponding elevations. To date 26 Brazilian endemics have been recorded, including Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius, Dusky-throated Hermit Phaethornis squalidus, Crescent-chested Puffbird Malacoptila striata, Ochre-rumped Antbird Drymophila ochropyga, Squamate Antbird Myrmeciza squamosa, Black-cheeked Gnateater Conopophaga melanops, White-breasted Tapaculo Scytalopus indigoticus, Pale-browed Treehunter Cichlocolaptes leucophrus, Oustalet's Tyrannulet Phylloscartes oustaleti, Hooded Berryeater Carpornis cucullata and Cinnamon-vented Piha Lipaugus lanioides.

Salvadori's Antwren Myrmotherula minor, another Brazilian endemic, also occurs here. We observed a single male accompanying a mixed flock in typically epiphyte festooned riverine forest. This species has a small range and population size and occurs at only a few isolated localities; little habitat exists for it outside the reserves in which it occurs, many of which lack effective protection (Birdlife International, 2000).

Extensive stands of bamboo (Guadua angustifolia, Chusquea sp. and Merostachys sp) provide habitat for bamboo specialists such as Spotted Bamboowren Psilorhanmphus guttatus and White-bearded Antshrike Biatas nigropectus. The later is a Vulnerable restricted range near-endemic with a total occupied range-estimate of just 18,100km2. We found several territories in the extensive bamboo patches at Zizo, which along with Intervales State Park and Itatiaia National Park probably provide strongholds for this species. (BirdLife International, 2000). During our May 2006 visit, Uniform Finch Haplospiza unicolor was abundant; evidently our arrival had coincided with a mast-seeding year for Chusquea meyeriana (Olmos, 1996). We enjoyed several sightings of Mantled Hawks Leucopternis polionota aloft on sunny days: often in the company of one or more Black Hawk-eagles Spizaetus tyrannus.

The immediate vicinity of the pousada provides excellent opportunities for birding. A small feeding station regularly attracted various Tangara tanagers and also small groups of Olive-green Tanagers Orthogonys chloricterus, a species that is effectively endemic to the Atlantic Forest Mountains EBA. Other highlights around this little clearing during our last visit included an obliging Black-billed Scythebill Campylorhamphus falcularius and the ever-impressive Giant Antshrike Batara cinerea.

There is comfortable, if basic accommodation and good food, prepared personally by Francisco Balboni, one of the owners. To visit the park you must reserve in advance by email to Guto at trattoria dot com. Detailed instructions on how to reach it are available on Arthur Grosset's website. The distance from São Paulo is 200 km and takes about three hours. By arrangement Francisco will pick visitors up in Sorocaba or Itapetininga (reachable by bus from São Paulo) or in São Paulo itself. All birding at Parque do Zizo is done on foot. You can learn more about the park at the Parque do Zizo website. [There is a trip report with photos on Charlie's Bird Blog.]

Alexander C. Lees
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Environmental Sciences
University of East Anglia, NORWICH NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom

Jeremy Minns
Rua Itápolis, 1570
São Paulo, Brazil

References

In worldtwitch

BirdLife International (2000). Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International.

Brooks, T., Tobias, JA & Balmford, A. (1999). Deforestation and bird extinctions in the Atlantic Forest. Animal Conservation 2: 211-222.

Conservation International do Brasil, Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica, Fundação Biodiversitas, Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas, Secretaria de Meio Ambiente do Estado de São Paulo, Instituto Estadual de Florestas - MG. 2000. Avaliação e ações prioritárias para a conservação da biodiversidade da Mata Atlântica e Campos Sulinos. Secretaria de Biodiversidade e Florestas and Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Brasília.

Ferraz, L.P.M. & Verjabedian, R. (1999). Evolução histórica da implantação e síntese das informações disponíveis sobre o Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho – São Miguel Arcanjo. São Paulo: SMA – Secretaria do meio ambiente do Estado de São Paulo, 95 pp.

Fonseca, G. A. B. da, L. P. Pinto, and A. B. Rylands. 1997. Biodiversidade e unidades de conservação. Pages 189-209 in Anais do I Congresso Brasileiro de Unidades de Conservação: conferências e palestras. Universidade Livre do Meio Ambiente, Rede Pró-Unidades de Conservação e Instituto Ambiental do Paraná, Curitiba, Brasil.

Goerck, J. M., (1997). Patterns of Rarity in the Birds of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Conservation Biology 11, 112-118.

James, S. M. (2002). Bridging the gap between private landowners and conservationists. Conservation Biology 16: 269–271.

Olmos, F. (1996). Satiation or deception? Mast-seeding Chusquea bamboos, birds and rats in the Atlantic Forest. Rev. Brasil. Biol. 56: 391-401

SÃO PAULO (1972). Atlas pluviométrico do Estado de São Paulo. Secretaria de Serviços e Obras Públicas, São Paulo.

Tabarelli, Marcelo, Pinto, Luiz Paulo, Silva, José M. C., Hirota, Márcia & Bedê, Lúcio (2005). Challenges and Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Conservation Biology 19, 695-700.

Veloso, H. P., Rangel-Filho, A. L. R. & Lima, J. C. A. (1991). Classificação da vegetação brasileira, adaptada a um sistema universal. IBGE, Rio de Janeiro.                                                                                   ^

Luiz F. Figueiredo

Parque do Zizo, whose its avifauna finds itself in initial recognition phase, is situated in a privileged region in a ornithological point of view. It integrates itself in what is called the heart of the Atlantic Forest, in a region where this biome is best preserved in the state of São Paulo, in the Paranapiacaba Mountains.  The avifauna of this region was relatively studied, in part for its location nearby the Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho and Intervales, and also its easy access and stay for the researchers.  It has been registered at least 364 bird species, according to the Centro de Estudos Ornitológicos (Center of Onithological Studies).  Because of its location, nearby these parks, certainly Parque do Zizo should shelter a rich avifauna as the other parks and it’s a challenge for the ornithologists and birdwatchers to see this.

An advantage of Parque do Zizo, for nature lovers and in particular bird lovers, is its complete isolation. When I was there, the impression I had was that it was “the end of the line” and the beginning of what the locals call sertão – blacklands.  On the peak of a hill, in a type of mirante ( a high place where you can have an overlook), I could contemplate kilometers and kilometers of untouched forest, going up and down the ocean hills, in a view that was certainly very similar to the one that was ever first seen. Sitting on this place in a spring morning, putting your hand cup-shaped behind your ears and scanning the forest, for sure it’ll permit you to listen to and identify the voices of tens of bird species.

Zizo also has a great extension of tracks, permitting to go through all the altitudinal gradient of its area, border streams and damp places, get to high points where it’s possible to observe the rainforest canopy, being able to visit all the possible ecological niche of various animals. 

To cut the story short, I would say that Parque do Zizo is 100% ornithological.  During my stay, I didn’t feel unable to make a new register at any moment, as even inside my room, being so close to the forest, it was possible to clearly hear voices of new species.  And while we were having breakfast or lunch, taking advantage of our immobility to get closer, some graceful benedicts, known as woodpeckers, together with some tiê-tingas, were daily fed with bananas.

Luiz Fernando de Andrade Figueiredo Sec. Geral do CEO – Centro de Estudos Ornitológicos                     ^