We arrive a little after 8:00 a.m. at the small landing stage near Garganta del Diablo. The morning still feels untouched. No visitors, no voices, only the wide murmur of the river and the humid air rising from the forest. A lone Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata) stands on the railing of the walkway, as if it owns the place. I take out my two Nikon F5 bodies. One carries the 35–105 mm lens sealed in an Ewa-Marine waterproof bag, the other is already mounted on the heavy Nikon Nikkor AF-S 4.0/500, wrapped carefully in camouflage rain protection. Despite the early hour, the boatman ferries us across without hesitation. The crossing is quiet and quick.
It feels like a privilege to step onto the walkway before anyone else arrives. The light is soft and golden filled from humidity out of the “Devil’s Throat”. The kingfisher remains on the railing long enough for several photographs before flying off downstream. Across from the walkway, a small group of White-eyed Parakeets (Psittacara leucophthalmus) sits in a tree, chattering restlessly while the rising sun illuminates their green plumage. A Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) glides across a deep blue sky. Soon after, a Yellow-billed Cardinal (Paroaria capitata) appears briefly among the branches. The morning already feels productive. Then something unexpected moves in the vegetation along the riverbank.
At first I notice two birds moving slowly through the shrubs of White Sarandí (Phyllanthus sellowianus), a riparian plant that grows along the Iguazú River close to the walkways leading toward the Devil’s Throat. The birds move calmly and deliberately through the foliage, occasionally pausing on exposed branches. For a moment they share the general area with a loose group of Chestnut-capped Blackbirds (Agelaius ruficapillus), locally called Garibaldi or – depending of the country – Varillero. The two species are not interacting, simply using the same stretch of vegetation.
Through the lens the birds reveal their features clearly. Their body size is roughly comparable to that of a medium-sized flycatcher. The face appears distinctly black, contrasting with a pale, slightly horn-colored bill that immediately reminds me of the bill shape typical of species in the genus Ramphocelus, another Neotropical group of tanagers. The upperparts are grayish, while the breast shows a warm cinnamon tone that gradually fades toward white underparts. The combination of these field marks becomes unmistakable.
The birds are Cinnamon Tanagers (Schistochlamys ruficapillus).
Both individuals continue moving quietly through the riverbank shrubs, occasionally hopping into open view before disappearing again into the foliage. Their behavior is unhurried, almost methodical, as they search among the branches and leaves. For several minutes they remain visible enough for careful observation and documentation.
From an ornithological perspective, this encounter is notable. The Cinnamon Tanager is primarily associated with open and semi-open habitats in central and eastern South America, especially the Brazilian cerrado and adjacent regions. In Argentina the species is considered rare and highly localized. The Field Guide to the Birds of Argentina and the Southwest Atlantic by Mark Pearman even mentions that there would be only “unconfirmed” observations. Most references describe only scattered records, mainly in the extreme northeast of the country, particularly in the province of Misiones where subtropical forest edges and riverine habitats may occasionally host wandering individuals.
Documented sightings in Argentina remain scarce. A small number of observations have been reported near the Paraná and Iguazú river systems, often involving single birds or small groups appearing irregularly. Because the species is not known to maintain stable populations in the country, each observation adds useful information to the understanding of its range limits and dispersal patterns. Modern birding databases and regional field reports confirm that records in Argentina are sporadic and widely spaced in time.
Seeing two individuals together along the Iguazú River therefore stands out as an especially interesting occurrence. Whether these birds represent temporary dispersers from nearby populations in Brazil or part of a small, overlooked movement along the river corridors remains uncertain. What is clear is that the early morning silence, the empty walkway, and the calm riverbank vegetation create the perfect conditions for noticing such a subtle but remarkable moment.
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