Home ≫ World Birding ≫ South America ≫ Brazil ≫ Ceará

State of Ceará

Araripe Manakin Antilophia bokermanni ©Elis Simpson Website

Ceará is one of the 27 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast covering an area of 146,348 km2 (56,505 square miles). It is the 17th Brazilian State by area and the eighth-largest by population with around nine million people. It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba, on the south by Pernambuco state, and on the west by Piauí. The state is also one of the main tourist destinations in Brazil. The state capital is the city of Fortaleza, the country’s fourth most populous city with almost four million people living in its metropolitan area.

Ceará has a varied environment, with mangroves, caatinga, jungle, scrubland and tropical forest. There is an extensive coastline with around 600 kilometres of sandy beaches.

Aguas Belas Beach – ©Ygor Coelho, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

There are also mountains and valleys producing tropical fruits. To the south, on the border of Paraíba, Pernambuco and Piauí, is the National Forest of Araripe. The higher ranges intercept considerable moisture from the prevailing trade winds, and their flanks and valleys are covered with a tropical forest which is typical of the region, gathering species from tropical forests, caatinga and cerrado. The less elevated areas of the plateaus are either thinly wooded or open campo. Most of the region at the lower altitudes is characterised by scrubby forests called caatingas, which is an endemic Brazilian vegetation. The sandy, coastal plain, with a width of between 20k and 30k, is nearly bare of vegetation, although the coast has many enclaves of restingas (coastal forests) and mangroves.

Cocó River – ©David Moraes de Andrade CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The rivers of the state are small and, with one or two exceptions, become completely dry in the dry season. The largest is the 350 mile-long Jaguaribe, which flows entirely across the state in a northeast direction. Others include the Timonha, Ceará, Cocó, Pirangi, Choró, Figueiredo, Acaraú and Bababuiú and manyn more.

The climate of Ceará is hot almost all year. The temperature in the state varies from 22 to 36 °C. The year is divided into a rainy and dry season, the rains beginning in January to March and lasting until June. The dry season, July to December, is sometimes broken by light showers in September and October.

Birding Ceará

The state is a great birding destination because of its unique blend of arid Caartinga scrubland and the lush islands of forest, which host incredible state endemic species and many of the Brazilian endemics. Some of the top spots include Mariço de Baturité, which is a lush, mountainous, humid forest that rises out of the dry lowlands and is famous as the primary refuge for the critically endangered endemic Grey-breasted Parakeet.

Other great spots include Chapada do Araripe, which is a striking plateau that is a vital oasis in the southern part of the state. It is renowned as the only place one can find the endemic Araripe Manakin.

Another good spot is Quixadá. This dramatic semi-arid region is characterised by its striking rock formations, and because it is ideal for finding dry country endemics and specialities such as nightjars.

Quixadá – ©Fábio Barros, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Apart from those already mentioned, other sought-after specialities are the endemic Ceará Gnateater (split from Rufous Gnateater), the Ceará Woodcreeper, Ceará  Leaftosser and Buff-breasted Tody-tyrant, all local specialities sought for in the humid mountain zone. Although the Gnateater is easier to find in the understory.

Top Sites

  • Araripe

    Satellite View
    This is the mecca for the Araripe Manakin Antilophia bokermanni. In the town of Barbalha ask for the Nascente do Farias, a swimming and picnic spot about 10km west of the town. The manakins are in the trees along the two streams that flow from the spring at the foot of the hill.

  • Baturité

    Satellite View
    These 800m high hills south of Fortaleza have some interesting birds. In the private forest behind the Hotel Remanso can be found Gould's Toucanet Selenidera gouldii, Buff-breasted Tody-tyrant Hemitriccus mirandae and the newly split Ceará Gnateater Conopophaga cearae.

  • Parque Nacional de Ubajara

    Satellite View
    The national park with a cable car to a waterfall at the bottom is spectacular. The park and in the forest remnant behind the IBAMA headquarters (between Ubajara and Tianguá) there have been Hooded Gnateater Conopophaga roberti and Buff-breasted Tody-tyrant Hemitriccus mirandae. There is good caatinga west of Tianguá, near the Piauí border, where one can find the normal specialities of this habitat, including Broad-tipped Hermit Phaethornis gounellei and Great Xenops Megaxenops parnaguae.
Contributors

  • Jeremy Minns

    São Paulo | jeremyminns@uol.com.br

Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 578

    (As at August 2026)
Endemics

  • Number of endemics: 3

    Grey-breasted Parakeet Pyrrhura griseipectus Araripe Manakin Antilophia bokermanni Ceará Gnateater Conopophaga cearae
Checklist

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in Ceará , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.

  • Wikipedia

    Checklist
    This list of birds of Ceará includes species documented in the Brazilian state of Ceará.

  • eBird

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.
Museums & Universities

  • Universidade Federal do Ceará

    Website
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • NP Ubajara National Park

    InformationSatellite View
    It is the smallest of the 35 national parks of Brazil and is known for the Ubajara grotto. The park adjoins the 1,592,550 hectares (3,935,300 acres) Serra da Ibiapaba Environmental Protection Area to the west. Protected species in the park include the oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), cougar (Puma concolor), Maranhão red-handed howler (Alouatta ululata), and the variable antshrike.

  • NR Reserva Mãe-da-Lua

    WebsiteSatellite View
    RPPN is located in the municipality of Itapajé in Ceará, 120 km from Fortaleza. It includes a large part of the east and north sides of the Serra das Vertentes (approximately 400 hectares of the reserve) and plain in the south of the mountain (360 hectares).
Sightings, News & Forums
Guides & Tour Operators

  • BirdQuest

    Tour Operator
    ULTIMATE NORTHEAST BRAZIL – the most comprehensive itinerary for Brazil’s most endangered endemics

  • Birdfinders

    Tour Operator
    Today we will make the drive inland to Guaramiranga via Serra da Aratanha in the Serra do Baturité. Species we hope to see here include Spot-winged Wood-quail, Gould’s Toucanet, Ochre-backed Woodpecker, Grey-breasted and Cactus Parakeets, Ceara Gnateater, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, Moustached Woodcreeper, Grey-headed Spinetail, Buff-breasted Tody-tyrant, Pectoral Sparrow and Variable Oriole...

  • Birding Ecotours

    Tour Operator
    Birding Tour Northeastern Brazil: The Finest Brazilian Endemics

  • Ciro Albano - NE Brazil Birding Guide

    Tour Operator
    I’m a ornithologist, bird photographer and birdwatching guide from NE Brazil. I hope you like the photos and decide to come birding in NE Brazil – the land of the contrasts.

  • FieldGuides

    Tour Operator
    From beautiful beaches to barren badlands, our tour is a quest for specialties of the endangered caatinga, chapada, and Atlantic Forest habitats.

  • Nature Travel Birding

    Tour Operator
    North-East Brazil Birding tour

  • Ornis Birding Expeditions

    Tour Operator
    Offering a chance for 100+ endemics (more than any other region in Brazil) from what is certainly one of the most threatened avifaunas in the world, this incredible tour targets many superb species such as Lear’s Macaw, Giant Snipe, Araripe Manakin, Hooded Visorbearer, Great Xenops, Slender Antbird, Fringe-backed Fire-eye, Banded Cotinga, and more.

  • Rockjumper

    Tour Operator
    Brazil - Northeast - Mega Birding

  • Tropical Birding Tours

    Tour Operator
    This tour covers a huge amount of ground, but that is unavoidable as the endemics are spread out over an enormous area...

  • Zoothera Birding

    Tour Operator
    ...Our tour is devoted to seeing many of the regions spectacular endemics and highly sought-after species such as the incredible Araripe Manakin, Lear’s Macaw, Great Xenops, Scarlet-throated Tanager, Slender Antbird, Hooded Visorbearer, Banded Cotinga and Pink-legged Graveteiro...
Trip Reports

  • 2019 [03 March] - Marcelo Barreiros

    Report
    The state of Ceará was also great, starting with great views in Guarapiranga, such as Ochraceous Piculet, Ceará Gnateater, Buff-Breasted Tody-tyrant and the great star of that place, the colorful Gray-breasted Parakeet.

  • 2021 [01 January] - Michael Hurben

    Report
    After completing the São Paulo leg, we arrived in Fortaleza at 2:30 AM. We started mid-day on the following day with ornithologist Ciro Albano.

  • 2023 [08 August] - David Blair

    PDF Report
    ...In the gardens and grounds we see Buff-breasted Tody-Tyrant, Ochraceous Piculet, Guianan Tyrannulet, Gray-headed Spinetail, Campo Oriole, Variable Antshrike (possible split) and Glitteringbellied Emerald, before we get just fleeting glimpses of Gould’s Toucanet and finally a Ceara Woodcreeper...

  • 2024 [02 February] - Eduardo Patrial

    PDF Report
    The Ornis Northeast Brazil tour started on January 17th in the afternoon, after the group met at the airport of Fortaleza, capital of Ceará state. From there we travelled about three hours southwest to reach the town of Sobral by dusk. Excited, we attempted for the rare Buff-fronted Owl at two different sites at Serra da Meruóca, but unfortunately with no luck this evening. Overnight in Sobral...

  • 2025 [02 February] - Bradley Davis

    PDF Report
    We covered the major habitat zones of the North-east, starting in Fortaleza in the north and working our way south. A day and a half spent birding humid forests atop the Serra de Baturité kicked things off with Gould’s Toucanet, Graybreasted Parakeets and Band-tailed Manakins...

  • 2025 [02 February] - Eduardo Patrial

    PDF Report
    The tour started in Fortaleza, capital of Ceará, in the afternoon with a first time visit to a Jandaya Parakeet breeding site in the town. This gorgeous Brazilian endemic opened the trip, and we enjoyed great views of a few pairs. Other cool birds found at the site were White Woodpecker, Caatinga Parakeet, Band-tailed Hornero and Great Antshrike.

  • 2025 [08 August] - Gilles Delforge

    PDF Report
    Serra da Meruoca we saw most of our targets : Ochraceous Piculet, Planalto Slaty-Antshrike, Black-capped Antwren, Black-bellied Antwren, Hooded Gnateater, Gray-headed Spinetail, Ochre-cheeked Spinetail, Variegated Flycatcher, Gray-eyed Greenlet, White-naped Jay, Moustached Wren, Pectoral Sparrow ( the most important being Hooded Gnateater, as Sobral is the only site on the itinerary where this species is possible)...

  • 2026 [02 February] - Bruno Rennó

    PDF Report
    ...We departed Fortaleza heading west along the Atlantic coast. Our driver, Mr. Raimundo, picked me up to meet our group of six South Africans, and the very first birds of the trip appeared: Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Palm Tanager, and Sayaca Tanager...

Fatbirder - linking birders worldwide...

Skip to content