In our upcoming Northeast Brazil webinar, Rockjumper Tour Leader Rob Williams will take us on a virtual journey through one of South America’s most exciting and endemic-rich birding regions. From the white-sand beaches and humid Atlantic Forests of Bahia to the cactus-studded Caatinga and dramatic plateaus of Ceará, Northeast Brazil offers an extraordinary diversity of habitats and an equally impressive array of birds. Along the way, Rob will introduce the region’s most sought-after specialties, including several of the world’s most Critically Endangered birds such as the dazzling Araripe Manakin, Banded Cotinga, Cherry-throated Tanager, Bahia Tapaculo, Alagoas Tyrannulet and Orange-bellied Antwren. Northeast Brazil is also home to a suite of Endangered species like Lear’s Macaw, Grey-breasted Parakeet, Red-billed Curassow, Pinto’s Spinetail, and White-collared Kite while other cracking endemics include Pink-legged Graveteiro, Ceará Gnateater, Hooded Visorbearer, Seven-colored Tanager, Slender Antbird, Pygmy Nightjar and Great Xenops. Rob will also explore the importance of the Atlantic Forest strongholds of Pernambuco and Alagoas, where some of Brazil’s rarest and most threatened endemic birds still survive. With more than 100 endemic species possible across the region, Northeast Brazil stands among the world’s premier destinations for birders seeking exceptional diversity, rarity, and unforgettable scenery.

Rob is an experienced tropical ecologist and birder who specializes in the New World tropics. He lived in South America for 15 years, first in Ecuador and later in Peru, before returning to the United Kingdom. Over the course of his career, he has guided birding tours on all seven continents and has observed more than 7,000 bird species worldwide.

A lifelong naturalist with a passion for both birds and mammals, Rob studied zoology before completing a PhD in conservation ecology focused on Long-eared Owl population dynamics in Europe. Since 1997 he has worked with leading conservation organizations including RSPB International, BirdLife International, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. He is the author of four books on birds and birding, as well as numerous scientific publications.