The Brazilian bird photography website, WikiAves, is an excellent example of how citizen science is adding to our knowledge of natural history. Bird photography has grown rapidly in Brazil in recent years. Photographers adding their photos to WikiAves enter the precise location of the record, building a highly accurate Brazilian distribution map for each species.

In the last few years, nine bird species have been photographed that are new to Rio de Janeiro (RJ) state, and these have now been added to the RJ state list (click on the link to view photos of the actual birds):

Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus, Cabo Frio, 1 February 2012
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus, Rio de Janeiro, 29 March 2013
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus, Cabo Frio, 21 July 2013
Tawny-throated Dotterel Oreopholus ruficollis, Angra dos Reis,  22 May 2012
Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica, Rio de Janeiro, 16 January 2015
Pearl Kite Gampsonyx swainsonii, Açu Lagoon, Campos dos Goytacazes, 7 September 2014
Pearly-bellied Seedeater Sporophila pileata, Resende, 31 October 2009

These additions bring the RJ state list up to 769 bird species. An updated list can be download from the Táxeus website.