Birding Brazil Tours & Nature Photography

Published: November 15, 2012
Text by Andrew Whittaker and Jaqueline Fortuna

Another new Brazilian endemic described this year, the Cipo Cinclodes (Cinclodes espinhacensis) from Minas Gerais where it's range-restricted to the southern Espinhaço mountains from 1,100-1,500 meters. These mountains are also home to another two endemics, the magnificent Hyacinth Visorbearer (Augastes scutatus) and Cipo Canastero (Asthenes luizae). Morphologically the new Cinclodes differs from its closest sister species Long-tailed Cinclodes (C. pabsti) in having a darker back, richer yellowish brown underparts and its smaller size. The Cinclodes is only known from 9 localities with an estimated range of approximately 490 km² and is already listed as Endangered. Click on the photo of the Cipo Cinclodes singing to enlarge.