Even before appearing, the song reveals its presence. In the silence of the Atlantic Forest, wings move, species hide and others cross the canopy, forming a symphony that reveals the richness of Carlos Botelho State Park, in São Miguel Arcanjo (SP).
Amid the preserved forest, 414 bird species have already been recorded, 25 of which are threatened with extinction, according to eBird data updated until August 2026.
Among the threatened species is the jacutinga, classified as “Critically Endangered”. The park also brings together 121 species endemic to the Atlantic Forest, which represent 29.2% of the bird fauna recorded in the conservation unit.
To g1, Nathália Zandomenegui, manager of the Carlos Botelho State Park by Fundação Florestal, explains that the area is strategic for the survival of birds because it protects a large continuous block of well-preserved forest.
"In addition, it is inserted in the Paranapiacaba forest continuum, contributing to the maintenance of connectivity between different protected areas and the conservation of biodiversity on a regional scale", he details.
The current number of species recorded in the park represents an increase in relation to the survey carried out for the Management Plan, which counted 342 species in 2008. According to Nathália, the growth does not necessarily mean that new species have started to live in the park, but that the advance may be related to increased knowledge about the unit's avifauna.
"The list is also consolidated from seven hotspots in the park, showing that knowledge about birdlife continues to be expanded."
Among the most emblematic birds are the jacutinga, the macuco, the araponga, the pavó, the cica thrush, the green-billed toucan and the monkey hawk, as well as other species of forest hawks. The park also has environmental characteristics that favor diversity. The area brings together continuous and preserved forests, different altitudes, rivers and streams, large trees and a wide variety of plants, fruits, seeds and insects.
“This variety of conditions creates different ecological niches and allows for the occurrence of a great diversity of bird species”, explains Nathália.
The relief also influences the composition of the birdlife. Higher altitude regions have different characteristics than lower areas, with changes in vegetation and, consequently, in the species found.
"Carlos Botelho is home to a significant number of species endemic to the Atlantic Forest. There are 121 species endemic to the biome, corresponding to 29.2% of the recorded birdlife. This characteristic reinforces the importance of the park for the conservation of birds associated with the forests of the Atlantic Forest", highlights Nathalia.
For those who participate in birdwatching activities at Carlos Botelho, encountering animals does not always happen before their eyes. This is because, in practice, hearing a bird also counts as recording. This is what environmental guide Aelson Apolinário explains, who accompanies visitors on fauna observation activities in the park.
"Bird watching goes beyond seeing the bird, hearing the bird counts. Every bird watcher usually comes with a list of species they want to observe that day and records them in applications that have this purpose. So, just the vocalization counts. There is a species called corocochó, which is easy to hear, very characteristic, but we can't see it, but we know it's there because of the song", he explains.
According to Aelson, on a four to five hour trail aimed at the general public, it is possible to identify between 40 and 60 species of birds. Records can be made through specialized applications, such as Merlin. Even exclusively sound recordings can be considered.
The profile of visitors also changes depending on the objective of the activity. Aelson explains that the park receives both tourists who just want to have contact with nature and people who arrive specifically to watch birds. The observer usually comes equipped with a camera and other equipment and often arrives at the park with a list of the species they want to find.
“It comes with this already more organized demand”, he says. For this audience, the activity can last several hours and even go into the night, when owl observations are made.
For visitors who have no experience with bird watching, the activity works more like an ecotourism experience. In addition to presenting the animals, the monitor explains characteristics of the species and their importance for the environment.
“In addition to having contact with the bird, the guide is always translating a series of information there: about the life of that bird, how important it is in the ecosystem, why it has little, why it has a lot”, points out the monitor.
According to Aelson, this type of tourism has grown in recent years, also driven by the search for activities in contact with nature, short-distance trips and experiences that bring visitors closer to the known place.
Among the 25 threatened species registered in the park, 12 are classified as Vulnerable. Another five are in the Endangered category: southern jaó, cinnamon-faced woodpecker, barbudinho, pixoxó and southern leafhopper. The jacutinga is in the most serious category, Critically Endangered.
The jacutinga also plays an important role in the forest. The bird works to disperse seeds and contributes to the regeneration of the Atlantic Forest, including species such as the juçara palm.
"By feeding on the fruits and transporting the seeds, it contributes to the regeneration and dynamics of the forest. The species is considered Critically Endangered and has suffered important historical population reductions, mainly due to hunting and habitat loss and degradation", points out the manager.
For the Fundação Florestal, the diversity of birds also helps to showcase the environmental quality of the park. The unit can house everything from more generalist species to specialized birds, which depend on mature forests.
“These are birds that depend, to different degrees, on extensive areas of forest, complex plant structure and adequate availability of resources”, says Nathália.
Despite the good state of conservation, the park's birds are still subject to threats, such as hunting, illegal removal of the juçara palm, degradation of forest edges and loss of connectivity around the unit.
Climate change can also alter the distribution and behavior of species. Variations in temperature and rainfall can modify reproduction periods and the supply of fruits and insects, as Nathalia explains.
"Species that are more specialized and associated with montane environments may be particularly vulnerable, because they have less availability of suitable areas to follow these changes", he points out.
To increase the chances of finding birds, you also need to consider the animals' behavior. According to Aelson, the periods of greatest activity tend to be early in the morning, until approximately 9 am, and in the late afternoon, between 4 pm and 6 pm.
For Nathália, bird conservation is directly linked to the preservation of the forest itself. "The maintenance of large continuous areas of Atlantic Forest allows species with different environmental needs to find food, shelter and conditions for reproduction, also maintaining ecological processes essential for the functioning of the ecosystem", concludes the manager.
