HELICONIA RESERVE
BRAZIL
LOCALE
| Altitude (m): | 96 |
| # Species: | 480 |
| # Excl Vagrants: | 478 |
| # Endemics: | 1 |
| # Near Endemics: | 2 |
| Habitat: Amazon Rainforest | |
ABOUT THE BIRDING
Heliconia Reserve is located along the lower Rio Javari in the northwest triangle of Brazil bordering on Colombia and Peru. It is quite accessible by flying into Colombia and then to the border town of Leticia. This region home to an unusual mix of species from both the western and southern Amazon River Basin. Several species are difficult or impossible to find elsewhere in the Amazon Basin, and new species are still being discovered. The foremost specialty of the region is the Gray Wren, a poorly known species known only from the NW Amazon. The best time to visit is June-October during dry season, and especially during August-September when water levels have dropped signficantly. The rainiest season is from February-May. Like other parts of the Amazon, birding is by boat along river channels and through Varzea forest and along trails through Terra Firme forest.
LOCATION OF SITE
The Heliconia Reserve is reached by flying from Bogota Colombia to Leticia on the Colombia-Brazil border. From there it takes 2-hours by fast boat or 3+ hours at a birding pace to reach the reserve.