Plain Parakeets visiting the Ornithos cam

Winter has just started in Brazil and the cold weather has already arrived in the south and south-east of the country. Temperatures at REGUA never get too cold – lower temperatures will be around 10˚C and in Parana State in Southern Brazil where the Ornithos webcam is located, temperatures will hardly go lower than 7˚C.

The vegetation will stay green during our winter but less food is available for the animals living in the forest and that makes it the best time to watch birds on the webcam feeders.

From big Guans to tiny Dacnises several fruit eaters are now coming to our live feeds. Sometimes you will see six to seven species at once. Big flocks of Maroon-bellied Parakeets (Pyrrhura frontalis) often appear on the REGUA webcam and Plain Parakeets (Brotogeris tirica) flock to the Ornithos feeders.

The Red-billed Curassow is an endangered species and was reintroduced to REGUA in 2007 and now regularly visit the webcam.

Endemic species such as the Black-backed Tanager (Tangara peruviana), Brazilian Tanager (Ramphocelus bresilius), Black-legged Dacnis (Dacnis nigripes) and others are also regulars now – I count about 30 different species on a normal day.

The Marmosets are still jumping onto the REGUA webcam a couple of times a day, and at night we’ve been watching the Great Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus lituratus) attacking the bananas on the Ornithos cam. I think I have also seen the Flat-faced Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus planirostris) make an appearance – I wonder if anyone else has?

I am always keeping an eye out for new or uncommon visitors so if you see something different please send us a screen shot!

You can upload any of your screenshots to our Flickr group.

Watch the WLT wildlife webcamsstreaming live from the Rainforests of South America

On 29 March, butterfly expert Jorge Bizaro fascinated webcam viewers with interesting facts and explained unusual species behaviour, while they watched live footage from REGUA’s wildlife reserve in eastern Brazil.

Jorge is a part-time Research Coordinator at REGUA, World Land Trust (WLT) project partners in Brazil. He caused considerable excitement on the webchat when he told viewers that he had recently identified a butterfly species new to the reserve; a REGUA ranger brought him a specimen of what appeared to be a large skipper, the size of a Painted Lady, with turquoise, white and black stripes. Jorge told viewers: “It’s very beautiful! For me, it’s a new species for the REGUA reserve.”

Although Jorge could not identify the exact subspecies because the butterfly’s antennae were missing, he recognised it as either a Phocides metrodorus (Bell’s Paradise Skipper) or an Elbella azeta (Azete Firetip Skipper) subspecies from the Hesperiidae family. Jorge has found caterpillars of Phocides metrodorus in the area but never the adult butterfly, and has never seen an Elbella azeta at the reserve – not even caterpillars. This is a very exciting new recording for the reserve, home to over 260 species of butterfly.

Jorge also revealed a very interesting fact about butterfly behaviour and how they know when it is going to rain. “Around 20 minutes before it starts raining, butterflies just vanish. Maybe they can detect atmospheric pressure changes”, he speculated. True to form, minutes after Jorge joined the webchat (5pm UK time, 1pm Brazil time) the butterflies vanished and a storm swept in. Yet despite the lack of butterflies, Jorge entertained viewers with his knowledge and passion.

Originally from Portugal, Jorge moved to the Paraná State in south Brazil in 1996 where he completed an MSc and PhD on butterfly systematics: a revision of the South American Emperor butterflies in the Genus Doxocopa Hubner. Ever since becoming acquainted with the southeastern Brazil butterfly fauna, Jorge has mainly researched the biology of immature states (egg, caterpillar, and pupa) and their host plants.

The WLT would like to thank Jorge and Luciano Breves, our multimedia officer in Brazil, for organising such a successful and entertaining webchat. It was great to be joined by so many of our regular viewers, as well as welcoming many new people.

Join us every Tuesday for more lively discussion and exciting wildlife spotting in the heart of Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest.

Morpho helenor marinita: just one of the beautiful butterflies found in the Atlantic Rainforest.

More information about the Wildlife Focus Webchat

View more videos of rainforest butterflies

Join in the discussion every day of the week or just sit back and watch one of our live wildlife webcams

WLT hopes to invite more experts to the webchat in the coming months

The Atlantic Rainforest at REGUA supports the mountainside and prevents flooding and landslides. Photo © Alan Martin

Landslides are not rare in the Atlantic Rainforest. Most of the original forest is on the mountains from north-east to south Brazil and the rain water infiltrates the soil until it reaches the rocks below. When that happens, the water can loosen the soil from the rock causing part of the mountain to slide.

Nowadays it is happening more and more often. In 2008 135 people died in a landslide in Blumenau City in South Brazil. In 2010 50 people died in Agra dos Reis – Rio de Janeiro State – in another landslide. In 2010, 229 bodies were removed from under the dirt in a landslide in Niteroi, also in Rio de Janeiro State.

This time it was even worse. The body count is still increasing and more than 750 have died in 4 cities of Rio de Janeiro State; Nova Friburgo, Petrópolis, Teresópolis and Sumidouro. These cities are all around the Guapi Assu Reserve (REGUA).

Why did the landslides happen?

I will tell you…. it happened because there are no more forests on the mountains! The forest tries to come back but humans continue to cut it down. And why is it important to keep the forests? I will tell you that too…..it is important because the roots of a full grown forest work as a support system to hold the land and the plants and soil absorb much of the water.

Today I was asked if I had landslide problems in the area where I live. The answer? No. I didn’t! The forests in my area have been preserved for more than 50 years. We had more rain than Petropolis and Terosópolis and not a single landslide occurred.

Thanks to the great work of World Land Trust (WLT) and REGUA in restoring the forest in the Guapi Assu Reserve, not a single landslide occurred there either and REGUA is right in the middle of all that tragedy.

I feel really sorry for all those people. I really hope that it will open the eyes of the population and the Government to the importance not only of preservation but also of recovering forests.

How you can help:

If you have the opportunity to help, please do! Plant a tree or several if you can. If you don’t have space to, then help the World Land Trust by making a donation. You will help preserve and recover forests all around the world as well as their wildlife.

A rare and magnificent moment, Roberto Pedraza Ruiz (Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda Technical Officer), describes capturing hummingbirds feasting on agave flowers

Dense forest and high altitude ensures that photographing wildlife in Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve (SGBR) isn’t easy. A narrow miners´ path is the only access to the greatest heights of SGBR. Mounts are covered with pines, oaks, and firs on this sky island, bordered on the west by the semi-desert and on the east by tropical forests.

It was in the month of June when by chance I noticed the large yellow flowers that stood out among the pines and oaks along the main road to the state capital and immediately thought of hummingbirds being attracted to the flowers; so I returned with the camera and lenses to see what I could find.  Although I have visited that area multiple times for many years, each time has been spectacular and has yielded excellent surprises, but in this case it was tremendous.

After 25 minutes of climbing in the jeep by the narrow breach, and already at above 3,000 meters with a cold wind despite it being summer, I found among ancient pines and oaks a magnificent group of agaves in bloom, with stems five meters in height that could scarcely support the weight of the large clusters of flowers – and many hummingbirds!

A lucky birding day

Birding can be quite a tricky activity, but luckily not in this case; after only a few minutes they accepted my presence (I knew from previous experience that hunger can be greater than fear with these birds), and they resumed their activities of attacking the flowers, up to 25 birds of four species feeding at the same time.

That ceremony starts from sunrise and continues until dark, since the rapid metabolism of the hummingbirds and their energy requirements lead them to feed continuously on the nectar from flowers, on which their diet is based, supplemented throughout the winter with small insects.

From the bumble-bee hummingbird, a Mexican endemic and the second smallest bird in the world, to white-eared, blue-throated and magnificent hummingbirds, they gathered for a show that was an unexpected and unique opportunity for photographing them. Although this is a real challenge; they fly at an incredible speed, are aggressive with each other, and do not stop moving from flower to flower. So it depends on good light, a wide aperture, fast shooting speed and a good telephoto lens to capture them and arrest their frantic flight.

Without doubt, this was a unique spectacle that shows one more facet of the Sierra Gorda where we are obliged to undertake every possible effort and activity to protect the unique biodiversity in central Mexico. These birds and many other species are protected in the SGBR in private nature reserves, established with the support of many individuals, or our international partners the World Land Trust.

The Agave Plant

The agave plant has been particularly important in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times, providing a variety of fibers for weaving and rope-making, and its leaves for roofing. It was even used in Aztec religious ceremonies. Nowadays it remains a source of several alcoholic beverages such as mescal, sotol, pulque, and the world-famous tequila. These products would not be available without the work of a variety of pollinators, both insects and birds, particularly hummingbirds.

 Find out more about WLTs work with GESG on the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve Project Page.

More Hummingbird Information;

Watch hummingbird videos on Wildlife Focus

Watch the REGUA wildife webcam

Streaming live footage from the Guapi Assu reserve in south-eastern Brazil, the World Land Trust’s (WLT) new webcam takes you to the heart of the habitat we are helping to protect with our project partners REGUA. Never knowing what will appear on screen next – from an array of hummingbird species, to cartoon-like toucans – the webcam is a glimpse into the life of the rainforest, as it happens. 

Filmmaker and conservationist, Luciano Breves, set up the webcam to capture the wildlife that he is dedicated to protecting. As WLT’s multimedia officer based in Brazil, Luciano is passionate about sharing the wildlife that he sees everyday with the rest of the world. His enthusiasm is certainly rubbing off and the popularity of our weekly webchats has soared. Don’t miss your chance to have all your wildlife questions answered by Luciano who is online all day every Tuesday.

We also have two other webcams; one in Ecuador that has been running for nearly two years and a second in Brazil’s Parana State, which Luciano also set up. You can now watch all three webcams at the same time from the website, so you won’t miss any of the action.

Regular viewers of the webcams will recognise the usual visitors, including the Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Black Jacobin, Brazilian Tanager and the Plain Parakeet. The new REGUA webcam hopes to capture other species, such as the Rusty-margined Guans (Penelope superciliaris), which has become a regular visitor to the reserve now it is Brazil’s summer (British winter). Species vary throughout the year, with the White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) and Maroon-bellied Parakeet (Pyrrhura frontalis) having been spotted at birdfeeders throughout Brazil’s winter months.

Along with a fantastic array of bird species, the REGUA webcam is also visited by Common or White Tufted-ear Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). As its name suggests, this New World Monkey is characterised by the fluffy tuffs of white hair surrounding its ears. All three webcams offer an insight into South America’s wildlife that should not be missed.

Join us on the live webchat every Tuesday or watch the wildlife at your leisure 24 hours a day

Luciano Breves, the World Land Trust’s (WLT) multimedia officer in Brazil, spotted a Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) hummingbird nest on a road bridge just 10km from his back garden. Viewers of our webcams will recognise this species as a regular visitor, but because this was an unusual place to build a nest Luciano stopped for a closer look.

To his surprise he discovered a male hummingbird sitting on the eggs. This is extremely unusual behaviour as male hummingbirds rarely take  interest during nesting; they don’t help in nest building and never share in the incubation or rearing of chicks. There are a few reports of males standing guard at a discreet distance and occasionally darting at an intruder, but females will often drive him away.

Male and female hummingbirds are easily distinguished by their markings and colourings; male Black-throated Mangos are green with a black throat and chest, whereas females are golden green with a white throat and chest that is patterned with a black strip down the centre. This species is found throughout much of South America and is often spotted on our webcams.

Luciano watched the male regularly but unfortunately someone removed the nest before he could discover if the male could successfully raise the chicks. Luciano believes that something must have happened to the female, forcing the male humming bird to take over the rearing.

If you know of any similar cases of unusual hummingbird behaviour or have any other suggestions as to why this may have happened do let us know. Please leave your comments, it would be great to have your help in solving this mystery.

More information

Visit the WLT wildlife Webcams to watch Black –throated Mangos live from the Rainforest

A puma photographed using a camera trap on the Yanacocha reserve, Ecuador © Fundación Jocotoco

Roberto Pedraza, Technical Officer of Grupo Ecológica Sierra Gorda (GESG), WLT’s partner in Mexico, uses camera traps regularly and has captured some amazing moments on camera and discovered useful information about the reserve in which he works. “We have new records of habitats you might never have expected to record a species: for instance Pacas (large rodents similar to Capybaras) above 2000m in a cold cloud forest, which would not be expected, as well as Ocelots!”

Used by many of our partner organisations, camera traps provide an excellent way to capture wildlife on film and are a useful tool for carrying out research and subsequently conservation. They can provide information on species distribution and population density, which ultimately can help conservationists prioritise areas in need of protection.

Roberto explains that the importance of camera trap use now extends beyond research. “Although research was their primary purpose, the images have become powerful tools for education and advertising in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve (SGBR).” GESG carries out educational programmes and works alongside the local community. Using these images is a great way to educate the community about wildlife on their doorstep and the reserve’s importance for their protection.

Capturing species on camera is an art in itself and Roberto is well practiced at choosing a location for a trap “I’m fortunate enough to really know the SGBR well, its wilderness areas and which are favoured by the big cats. So based on that, and reports from local people, I choose where to place the cameras. But it’s a tricky thing where exactly to place a camera.  Pumas and jaguars use large areas of forest to roam and if you have a limited number of cameras you have to make the right choice. Fresh water and ponds, fresh tracks, territorial marks or cattle kills help to choose a new camera site.”  

The results of Roberto’s work show the immediacy of the moment and the beauty of the wildlife. He has two particular favourites: “One is of a Jaguar smelling a camera, obviously attracted by our human scent, and the second one of a big puma male, who passed just two hours before me, it was almost an encounter!”

View WLT’s collection of camera trap images taken on project partners reserves on Flickr.

Users will be able to help each other with species identification, share knowledge and discuss conservation related issues. In addition, in the coming weeks we will be inviting our very own wildlife experts; including webcam creators, staff and project partners to talk about the wildlife that visits the webcam feeders and answer questions about conservation in the tropics and the work of WLT.

If you would like to take part in this new addition to the website all you have to do is sign up for free to the Wildlife Focus website. Please note if you are already using the video uploading feature of Wildlife Focus, then you can use your existing login details for the chat system.

If you would like to be kept informed on when the ‘ask the expert’ live events will take place, then please send an email to wildlifefocus@worldlandtrust.org or follow us on twitter and we will let you know the day and time of an ‘ask the experts’ session.

As part of the resource for Key Stages 1 and 2, we are putting together some animal based educational presentations to be used by teachers in schools. But we have a problem. We are having trouble finding photos of some of our more elusive reserve residentsand in particular getting images of Maned Wolves, Spectacled Bears and Giant Anteaters.

We are asking for photographers who have any high resolution photos of these species (preferably in the wild) to please donate their usage to WLT to support our fundraising efforts. Of course, absolutely no commercial financial gain will be made from the images and the photographer will always be fully acknowledged.

If you have caught any of these animals on camera and would be happy for WLT to use them in our educational material then please contact Kelly Jacobs by Monday 3rd of May: kjacobs*AT*worldlandtrust.org (Please replace *AT* with @ in your email address field.)

As many of you will have noticed there has been an exciting addition to our webcams. The The Atlantic Rainforest webcam was set up by WLT friend Luciano Breves and streams live from the Southern Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil’s Parana state.

Green-headed Tanager: one of the species you may see live on the webcam. © Luciano Breves.

(Centre and above) The two views from the webcam.

Luciano is native to Brazil and currently lives in Parana state. With a background in communication and advertising, Luciano’s interest in birds inspired him to become a wildlife documentary film maker: "I think it really started when I was three years old. The family’s dog caught a Great Kiskadee and my father rescued the bird. Trying to save the Kiskadee, he gave it some water, making it flow slowly from his hand to the bird’s beak. I’ve never forgotten that and since then I’ve always looked for birds."

Attending Communication College took Luciano away from wildlife briefly, but, in 1997 he made a trip by car into the countryside of Brazil, which reignited his enthusiasm. "I saw the forests being burned and the wildlife I thought I was going to see wasn’t there anymore. So I thought it was the time for someone to show the beauty we were missing and I decided to become a wildlife filmmaker".

The webcam idea came from Luciano’s wife 12 years ago, when Luciano was looking for a way of monitoring the preserved areas of the forest without interference. "In 2008 I moved to Morretes city, State of Parana, to be closer to the subjects of my work: the remains of the Atlantic Rainforest and its wildlife. As usual I set up a feeder to attract birds and in a short time a huge number of them flocked to it. So the idea of live cams returned. If I could show those amazing birds to the world maybe people would fall in love with them and understand the importance of preservation."

And where is the webcam that shows all these wild birds? In Luciano’s front yard! "I live in an urbanized area of Morretes City, a small town surrounded by the Atlantic Rainforest, but I hope ultimately that I can install a webcam on my 27 acre reserve in the middle of the biggest continuous area of preserved Atlantic Rainforest in the region, at the base of a mountain range known as Maciço do Murumbi where I’m starting the Ornithos Visitor’s Centre Project." Luciano’s aim is to provide a centre for visiting birdwatchers and to educate children on the importance of the Atlantic Rainforest.

As you can imagine there are always difficulties with taking on such an ambitious project but for Luciano the main challenge was the cost. "As it is the first live cam in Brazil showing some sort of wildlife it’s not easy to find people or companies who believe in the idea and are willing to help or support the project. With some help I’m sure we would be able to show much more."

The webcam has two views which Luciano moves between to capture all the best bird activity. The first view is of a humming bird feeder to catch the variety of hummingbirds found in the area. The second view is of a rooftop where fruit is laid to attract some of the larger bird species.

Luciano’s webcam captures the biodiversity of the beautiful Atlantic Rainforest habitat, including live images of Bananaquit, Jacu, Green-Headed Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Great Kiskadee, Blue-tufted Starthroat, Saw-billed Hermit and Swallow-tailed Hummingbird. But Luciano’s favourite is the beautiful Brazilian Tanager: "With its amazing blood-red colour it is impossible to not stop everything you are doing to take a good look. The rare Black-backed Tanager (Tanagara peruviana) is another of my favorites. A pair of Dusky-legged Guans (Penelope obscura) coming to an urbanizad area is always a good surprise. I also remember a rare visit of a Blue-tufted Starthroat (Heliomaster furcifer) never recorded in the area before."

The Atlantic Rainforest is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet with many endemic species found nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately they are threatened with deforestation, which is occurring at an alarming rate.
Find out how you can help WLT protect the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil »

View Luciano’s webcam »
Follow more of Luciano’s work on YouTube »