Welcome to Guapi Assu Bird Lodge
Guapi Assu Bird Lodge is a birding and wildlife lodge situated in the heart of the Atlantic Forest, or Mata Atlântica, in south-east Brazil. Part of the REGUA project, Guapi Assu Bird Lodge was opened in 2004 to provide high quality accommodation for visitors to the reserve. The lodge is non-profit making, with all income generated going towards our conservation work.
The lodge is beautifully situated on a small hill at the edge of the restored wetlands, overlooking the forested Serra dos Órgãos mountains. Guests have access to low and high altitude forest and the reserve wetlands and we run excursions to a variety of other habitats for species not found at REGUA.
The Atlantic Forest is one of the most threatened biomes on earth with only 7% of the forest remaining. Classified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area and Endemic Bird Area, the Atlantic Forest supports about 680 of Brazil´s 1,700 or so bird species and contains some of the highest endemism of any biome on earth, with around 160 bird species found nowhere else.
To date over 430 bird species have been recorded at REGUA including 63 Brazilian endemics and many more Atlantic Forest endemics. Species present include White-necked and Mantled Hawks, Golden-tailed Parrotlet, Blue-bellied Parrot, Saw-billed Hermit, Crescent-chested Puffbird, Spot-billed Toucanet, White-bearded Antshrike, White-bibbed Antbird, Black-cheeked Gnateater, Slaty Bristlefront, Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant, Russet-winged Spadebill, Bare-throated Bellbird, Pin-tailed and Eastern Striped Manakins and Long-billed Wren. Local specialities include Masked Duck, Giant Snipe and the rare Shrike-like Cotinga.
Mammals found here include Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth, Brown Howler, Brown Capuchin and Southern Woolly Spider Monkeys, Crab-eating Fox, South American Coati, Tayra, Southern River Otter, Ocelot, Puma and Capybara. Broad-snouted Caiman can be seen at the wetlands and there are many species of butterflies, moths, wildflowers and trees in abundance.