State of Rio Grande do Norte

Rio Grande do Norte, literally ‘Large River of the North’; the Potenji River. It is one of the twenty-seven states of Brazil, which is located in the northeastern part of the country, on the edge of the South American continent. To the west lies the state of Ceara and to the south the state of Paraiba and to the north and east is the Atlantic Ocean. It covers an area of approximately 52,800 square kilometres over 20,000 square miles and has a population of slightly less than three point five million people, many of whom live in its largest city and state capital is Natal – there are 1.5 million people in its metropolitan area.

Apart from tourism, the main economic activity in the state is petroleum extraction, and the state is the second largest producer in Brazil. It also has considerable agriculture, particularly fruit growing and mining, with sea salt production being another significant activity.

Rio Grande do Norte is dominated by its coastline. Its 410 kilometres (254 miles) of sand, much sun, coconut palms and lagoons are responsible for the fame of its beaches, such as the secluded white sandy shores of Praia de Cajueiro, Genibapu (to the north of Natal), with sand dunes reaching 50 m (164 ft) high. The beach of Baía Formosa, the prettiest of the south coast, has falésias, stretches with reefs and very popular for surfing. To the south, the beach of Sagi, a little more rustic, has clear waters and small dunes. In Natal, beside beaches, there are other tourist attractions, such as the fortress of Reis Magos and the Parque das Dunas, the second largest urban park in the country. There are also many mangroves in the state, and the deep interior is dominated by rainforest. Rocas Atoll (the only atoll in the south Atlantic Ocean), 260 km Northeast of Natal, also belongs to the state of Rio Grande do Norte.

Natal Dunes State Park – ©Andrepimentasc CC BY-SA 3.0 Wikimedia Commons

According to NASA, the air is the second-cleanest in the world after Antarctica. Two climates predominate: humid tropical, in the oriental littoral, and semi-arid, in the remaining (most part) of the State (including the North coast). The rainforest which once covered most of Brazil’s coast had its northern end in the south of Rio Grande do Norte; the area north of Natal, the capital, is under dunes, a kind of formation associated with semi-arid climate. That semi-arid climate is characterised not only by tits low level, but also the irregularity of rainfall; some years can go by with no, or very little rain; most of the interior of the State is part of the Polygon of Droughts (an area which receives special attention from the federal government).

Birding Rio Grande do Norte

The state offers three biomes rich in birdlife, albeit to a lesser extent than some other northeast coastal states. These are the Atlantic Forest, Caatinga dry forest and coastal wetlands all of which can be accessed within a few hours’ drive. Three such different biomes in Rio Grande do Norte; the Atlantic Forest of the southern coast; the Caatinga of the interior and the coastal wetlands such as estuaries, salt pans and mangroves, create a bird diversity out of all proportion to the size of the state. The Caatinga is exclusively Brazilian habitat and holds endemic species. The best time to visit runs from the end of the rainy season onward (March to July), when the interior turns green and breeding activity peaks. The salt pans of Galinhos and Macau concentrate shorebirds and migrants; the area around Pico do Cabugi and the Apodi region hold the Caatinga endemics.

Chapadão Pipa RN – Universos Paralelos de Can! CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Top spots include Pipa and Tibau do Sul, which are located south of Natal, these coastal areas feature patches of Atlantic Forest with high biodiversity. Then there is Pico do Cabugi, an isolated volcanic peak surrounded by dry Caatinga scrubland, ideal for its unique species. Chapada do Apodi is a flat tableland which has a mix of species. On the coast Fernando de Noronha is an oceanic archipelago, a part of the state featuring island endemics like the Noronha elaenia and Noronha vireo.

White-naped Jay Cyanocorax cyanopogon – Shanthanu Bhardwaj CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Some target species include Red-cowled Cardinal Paroaria dominicana, a striking Caatinga endemic; White-naped Jay Cyanocorax cyanopogon also found in the dry interior as is Caatinga Parakeet Eupsittula cactoru, which is common in the arid scrublands. There are also many seabirds and waders that can be easily observed along the extensive coastal wetlands, beaches and dune sustems.