Local Context

Canguçu Research Center (BIRC) is located in the southwest of Tocantins in the confluence of the Araguaia National Park on Bananal Island. It creates opportunity for various scientific works and dissertations.

Project Description

The work on Canguçu is conducted in partnership with national and international research institutions including the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of São Paulo (IAG/USP), the State University of Tocantins (UNITINS), the Lutheran University of Brazil (CEULP / ULBRA), the Federal University of Tocantins (UFT), and the University of New Hampshire (UEA) among others.

Files for Download

Resume (Portuguese)

“The BIRC offers birders both the Amazonian and Cerrado avifauna, as well as many birds of the Pantanal.

Arriving in Palmas, one has the opportunity for wonderful Cerrado grasslands birding, with species such as Blue-and-Yellow Macaw, Cinnamon Tanager, Red-legged Seriema, Rufous-winged Antshrike, Helmeted Manakin, Coal-crested Finch and Yellow-billed Blue Finch.

Once at the BIRC, you are in the Amazon. One can see Orinoco Goose, Horned Screamer, Great Black Hawk, Red-throated Caracara, Chestnut-bellied and White-crested Guan, Hoatzin, Yellow-collared Macaw, Festive and Orange-winged Parrot, Red-necked Woodpecker, Glossy Antshrike and the very endemic Bananal Antbird. To date 323 species have been seen, but we are sure many more occur here.

In addition, many mammals inhabit the region. In one night in June 2000, prints on a muddy road showed that Jaguar, Puma, Ocelot, Marsh Deer, Brazilian Tapir, Crab-eating Raccoon, Crab-eating Fox and Bush Dog all were active within 100 meters of the BIRC! Pink River Dolphin is regularly seen while boating on the Araguaia River’s eastern branch.”

Douglas Trent, birdwatcher and director at Focus Tours.