Brazil makes it into the category of the planet’s ‘megadiverse’ countries, playing host to between 15 and 20% of the world's biodiversity. It’s no wonder that the country boasts some of the most abundant birdlife and is a prime spot for catching sight of airborne beings. The Amazon alone is home to the greatest diversity of birdlife on the planet, with over 1,300 species (and counting), including the cobalt-blue feathered hyacinth macaw, the fiery-red billed toco toucan and the chocolate-coloured spectacled owl. Brazil’s lesser-visited Atlantic Coast, with its Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest), also offers ample chances to birdwatch, and nestled among the dense foliage you’ll find Atlantic royal flycatchers, white-bibbed antbirds and buff-throated purpletufts.
While the Pantanal may not be as rich as the Amazon in terms of the diversity of birdlife, the open expanse of the flooded outback allows for unrivalled viewing opportunities on Brazil bird watching holidays. Keep your eyes peeled as you travel along the Transpantaneira Highway, which cuts through the Pantanal, for sightings of agami herons, Matto Grosso antbirds and chestnut-bellied guans. Brazil’s birding mecca offers equally astonishing wildlife experiences, with capybaras, jaguars, Brazilian tapirs and giant river otters occupying the landscapes beneath the canopy of birdlife.