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State of Espírito Santo

Giant Antshrike Batara cinerea ©Dubi Shapiro Website

Espírito Santo is one of the twenty-seven states of Brazil, often referred to by the abbreviation ‘ES’. It is in the southeastern and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the state of Bahia to the north, Minas Gerais to the northwest and Rio de Janeiro to the south. One of the smaller states, it covers an area of 46,077 km2 (17,790 square miles) and has a population of around four million people, making it one of the more densely populated. Its capital is Vitória but the largest city is Vila Velha, a satellite of Vitória. The metropolitan area around these two has around half of the state’s inhabitants. The name of the state literally means ‘holy spirit’ after the Holy Spirit of Christianity.

With an extensive coastline, the state has some of the country’s main ports, but the beaches are the most significant tourist attractions. Vitória, the capital, is on an island, next to Guarapari, well known for its sands. In the extreme north is the district of Itaúnas, part of the municipality of Conceição da Barra, famous for its sand dunes and forró. Coastal cuisine is another attraction with moqueca capixaba and other local seafood dishes.

Pontões Capixabas Natural Monument – ©KarlaFPaiva CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Inland, there are many natural attractions such as the national parks of Pedra Azul and Caparaó, and the Italian and German colonies. It has a variety of habitats including coastal planes, lakes, mountainous forests, mangroves and many others. The volcanic islands of Trindade and Martim Vaz, 715 kilometers east of Vitória in the southern Atlantic Ocean, also belong to Espírito Santo state.

Caparaó National Park – ©Leticia P Alves CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Its main river is the Doce (Sweet River). Other important river basins include the Santa Maria River Basin, the northern branch of rivers which join the sea at Vitória, and the Jucu River Basin which flows into the sea at roughly the same place. One of the most important lake districts in Brazil lies on the banks of the Doce River. The area contains some 26 large lakes, the biggest of which is called Juparanã Lake.

Espírito Santo’s climate is tropical along the coast, with dry winters and rainy summers. North of Doce River is generally drier and also hot. In the mountainous regions in the south and southwest of the state, the tropical climate is strongly influenced by altitude, and the average temperatures are lower.

Birding Espírito Santo

Like some of the neighbouring birdwatching destinations, the main attraction to birders is the Atlantic Forest with its endemic species. The rarely seen Cherry-throated Tanager has only been seen here, and many Atlantic coast specials are also seen inn the state such as Red-billed Curassow, Red-browed Amazon and Weid’s Tyrant-Manakin. Key birding areas include Santa Teresa; a renowned spot on the birding circuit with over 380 recorded species; the Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve and locations like the Vita Verde Inn, which boast high biodiversity and many hummingbird species drawn to feeders.

Reserva Natural Vale, Linhares – ©MTur Destinos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Linhares County offers excellent access to protected forest remnants, making it ideal for birds typical of the area. Its lakes, sandbanks and preserved remnants of Atlantic Forest with bromeliads and endemic orchids are attractive to birds and birders. The village Regência, at the mouth of the Doce River is good for shorebirds. The Reserva Natural Vale covers 22,000 hectares of forest and is home to 438 species of birds!

Pedra Azul State Park in the Capixaba mountains, has stunning scenery, and is good for higher altitude birds.

Parque Estadual Paulo César Vinha – ©Leonardo Merçon CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Parque Estadual Paulo César Vinha protects an area of dunes, lagoons and marshes along the Atlantic shore. It has a visitor centre and trails and holds birds typical of the restinga habitat.

Top Sites

  • Conceição do Castelo

    InformationSatellite View
    The only way to see what appears to be the last surviving population of six Cherry-throated Tanagers Nemosia rourei is to visit the Fazenda Pindobas IV with the two biologists employed there, Ana Cristina Venturini and Pedro Rogério de Paz. They charge US$200 per day plus expenses, and will pick you up at Vitória airport. Write to them at originalisnatura@originalisnatura.com.br The tanagers are becoming increasingly difficult to find. So far most people have seen the birds on the first day, one group saw them on the second, and in January 2001 we didn't see them at all. There are a number of other interesting Atlantic Forest species in these forest remnants, particularly Cinnamon-vented Piha Lipaugus lanioides.

  • Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi - Alta Lombardia

    InformationSatellite View
    The reserve is a good place to see Wied's Tyrant-manakin Neopelma aurifrons, from which the Serra do Mar Tyrant-manakin Neopelma chrysolophum has recently been split…

  • Reserva Natural da Vale do Rio Doce

    InformationSatellite View
    Since the CVRD was privatised it has invested heavily in this reserve. There is a magnificent visitors centre, a hotel and more than 100km of good tracks through the forest. You need to get permission to enter the reserve (which is off limits to normal hotel residents).Birding is better at Linhares than Sooretama because of the much better access to the forest and because poachers are kept out. In three visits to Sooretama I have never seen the Red-billed Curassow Crax blumenbachii but heard it on one and saw it on another of the four days I spent recently at Linhares.
Contributors

  • Jeremy Minns

    São Paulo | jeremyminns@uol.com.br

Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 814

    (As at August 2026)
Endemics

  • Number of endemics: 1

    Cherry-throated Tanager Nemosia rourei
Checklist

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in Espírito Santo , 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.

  • 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 Esp

    Website
Organisations

  • Clube de Observadores de Aves do Espírito Santo

    Website
    Organização cujo o objetivo principal é a observação de aves e a sensibilização ambiental em todas as suas formas.
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • BR Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi - Alta Lombardia

    InformationSatellite View
    It holds dense rainforest of the Atlantic Forest biome.

  • IBA Fazenda Pindobas IV e Arredores

    InformationSatellite View
    In Pindobas IV Farm, the rare tracheid Nemosia rourei (disappeared) has been rediscovered in 1998. The area is home to one of only two known populations of this critically endangered species that until its rediscovery had been found only in the locality -type and in two other locations in the center-south of Espírito Santo.

  • NR Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve

    InformationSatellite View
    The reserve is mostly covered in dense rainforest, with many species of flora, some of which are rare. The terrain is rugged, with altitudes ranging from 90 to 1,100 metres (300 to 3,610 ft). Streams rising in the reserve flow into the Doce, Timbuí and Piraqueaçú rivers. Protected birds in the reserve include the red-browed amazon (Amazona rhodocorytha), white-necked hawk (Leucopternis lacernulatus), Atlantic black-breasted woodpecker (Celeus torquatus tinnunculus), rufous-brown solitaire (Cichlopsis leucogenys), purple-winged ground dove (Claravis godefrida), black-bellied thorntail (Discosura langsdorffi), Salvadori's antwren (Myrmotherula minor) and brown-backed parrotlet (Touit melanonotus).

  • NR Reserva Natural Vale

    InformationSatellite View
    The Vale Natural Reserve is one of the largest continuous preserved areas of Atlantic Forest in Brazil.

  • SP Rio Doce State Park

    InformationSatellite View
    It protects a large remnant of Atlantic Forest, and includes a system of lagoons rich in species of native fish.
Sightings, News & Forums
Guides & Tour Operators

  • Agami Nature Tours

    Tour Operator
    Land of the Cherry-throated Tanager

  • AvesFoto

    Tour Operator
    After lunch we will drive to Aracruz city to visit the Augusto Ruschi Marine Biological Station to enjoy the hummingbirds feeders, with chances to see the Rufous-breasted and Minute Hermit, Black-throated Mango, Ruby-topaz Hummingbird, Blue-chinned Sapphire, Stripe-breasted Starthroat, Versicolour and Glittering-throated Emerald, White-chinned Sapphire and the amazing Red-legged Honeycreeper. Drive to Linhares city and check in at the VALE Natural Reserve hotel. Dinner and check list.

  • Bird Finders

    Tour Operator
    Brazil is a country of many endemics and we will explore the Atlantic rainforest, the Cerrado and the Caatinga in search of many of them including some threatened and very range-restricted species: Brazilian Merganser, Ocellated Crake, Red-billed Curassow, Blue-eyed Ground Dove, Outcrop Sabrewing, Cipo Canastero, Sao Francisco Sparrow and Cherry-throated Tanager.

  • BirdQuest

    Tour Operator
    The most comprehensive Atlantic Forest Endemics itinerary

  • BirdingnEcotours

    Tour Operator
    Birding Tour Brazil: Espirito Santo & Minas Gerais Birding Tour

  • Brazil Birding Experts

    Tour Operator
    Welcome to Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais! On this trip, we will begin concentrating on a few rarities of the Southeastern Atlantic Coastal Lowland Forest (in Linhares) before going after other rarities of the Espirito Santo Atlantic Forest, such as the ultra-rare Cherry-throated Tanager.

  • FieldGuides

    Tour Operator
    The fantastic center of avian endemism in eastern Brazil, particularly well endowed with hummingbirds, cotingas, antbirds, and beautiful scenery. Part I: North of the Tropic; Part II: South of the Capricorn.

  • Ornis Birdingn Expeditions

    Tour Operator
    This tour explores one of the most beautiful and diverse areas on Earth, the threatened Atlantic Forest of South-East Brazil. Taking you to the best corners available to find close to 100 Brazilian endemics and 200 Atlantic Forest specialties, this is certainly one of South America’s most rewarding birding tours.
Trip Reports

  • 2023 [08 August] - Mayumi Green

    Report
    Birding trip photo documentary in Espiritu Santo

  • 2024 [11 November] - Eduardo Patrial

    PDF Report
    Welcome back to Brazil, this time to the most notorious Atlantic Forest trip, the classic Southeast Tour, a journey filled with endemics and rarities in the busiest zone of the country. Exploring mainly the rich forests of Serra do Mar (Atlantic Hills) and coastal areas from Espirito Santo...

  • 2025 [04 April] - Gabriel Bonfa

    PDF Report
    This trip through the state of Espírito Santo once again followed our standard “Land of the Cherry-throated Tanager” loop, showcasing the surprising biodiversity of Brazil’s 4th smallest state.

  • 2025 [11 November] - Eduardo Patrial and Diego Calderón-Franco

    PDF Report
    This adventure began on October 30th at Vitória airport (VIX), where the group arrived in the late morning...
Blogs

  • José Silvério Lemos - Jornal das Aves

    BLOG
    Reports of birdwatching in Brazil by José Silvério Lemos

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