The Grey-winged Cotinga Tijuca condita, previously known from a single specimen collected in 1942, was rediscovered near the type-locality in the coastal hill ranges of Rio de Janeiro state, south-eastern Brazil, in November 1980. Fieldwork at two sites in November/December 1980 and November 1981 revealed the presence of 10 individuals: one calling male and one female in cloud-forest at 1,320 m in the Serra do Tinguá; and six calling males, one female and one unsexed bird in cloud-forest at 1,830-2,000 m in the Serra dos Órgãos. Two females were netted, and two calling males were seen well in the field. The plumage of calling males resembled that of females, but was brighter with more grey on the face. The voice was described as an explosive sooee-wheee. The calling posture was similar to that of pihas Lipaugus, and there was no indication of any lekking behaviour. The species appears to have a very restricted distribution, but there is no indication that it is under threat at the present time.

O cotingídeo Tijuca condita, previamente conhecido de um único indivíduo coletado em 1942, foi redescoberto próximo a sua localidade tipo nas montanhas da costa do estado do Rio de Janeiro, no sudeste do Brasil, em novembro de 1980. Observações no campo em duas localidades em novembro/dezembro 1980 e novembro 1981 revelaram a presença de 10 indivíduos: um macho cantando e uma fêmea em uma floresta de neblina a 1,320 m na Serra do Tinguá; seis machos, uma fêmea e um individuo de sexo não determinado em uma floresta de neblina a 1,830–2,000 m na Serra dos Órgãos. Duas fêmeas foram capturadas em rede e dois machos foram bem observados no campo. A plumagem dos machos assemelha-se a das fêmeas, contudo mais brilhante e acinzentado na face. O canto foi descrito como um explosivo sooee-wheee. A postura de canto foi semelhante à de outros cotingídeos Lipaugus e não há indícios de comportamento de leque. A espécie parece ter uma distribuição muito restrita, mas não ha indícios de que essa espécie esteja ameaçada no momento.

The montane forests of western Cameroon are well known for their endemic birds. The most northerly such forests probably occur on Mt Tchabal Mbabo, where a preliminary survey of the avifauna in 1990 found 12 montane species, of which six represented significant range extensions, among them the threatened Ploceus bannermani. Given the increasing human pressures on other montane forests in Cameroon, Mt Tchabal Mbabo may be attractive for future conservation because of its comparative lack of human disturbance. Densities of indigenous people are low and there is a lack of significant hunting and firewood-gathering, the precipitous nature of the northern slope makes human intrusions difficult, and the lack of human disturbance may mean that local animal populations are stable.

Les forêts d'altitude de l'ouest du Cameroun sont bien connues pour leurs populations endémiques d'oiseaux. Les forêts les plus au nord sont celles du Mont Tchabal Mbabo, où un recensement préliminaire de la faune aviaire en 1990 a révélé 12 espèces, dont six avaient une aire de répartition relativement grande, y compris l'espèce menacée Ploceus bannermani. Etant donné l'accroissement des pressions humaines sur les autres forêts d'altitude au Cameroun, le Mont Tchabal Mbabo pourrait se réveler intéressant pour des programmes de conservation futurs, compte tenu d'une perturbation humaine relativement inexistante. Les densités de population indigène y sont faibles, et la chasse ainsi que le ramassage du bois pour les besoins domestiques ne sont pas significatifs. Les pentes abruptes du nord rendent difficile toute intrusion humaine, et l'absence de perturbations dues à l'homme pourrait signifier la stabilité des populations animales locales.

Serra da Capivara National Park covers an area of about 1,300 km2 in south-eastern Piauí, north-eastern Brazil. The park's vegetation is the endemic caatinga, with a few remnants of semi-deciduous forest in some canyons. The area has a reasonable diversity of plants, with 615 catalogued species. Since 1986, 208 bird species have been observed in the park and its buffer zone, including 10 threatened or near-threatened species, plus two recently extinct in the area. Other species are regionally rare and have declined over parts of their distribution. The park also harbours several threatened mammals and caatinga endemics. Despite having been created in 1979 the park remains effectively unprotected and unmanaged. Current levels of poaching and habitat destruction prejudice the future of several species, including some that have already vanished from other parts of the caatinga.

O Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara abrange uma área de aproxidamamente 1,300 km2 no sudeste do Piauí, nordeste do Brasil. A vegetação do parque é a caatinga, com alguns enclaves de mata semi-decíua. A área possui uma razoável diversidade de plantas, com um total de 615 espécies já catalogadas. Desde 1986, um total de 208 espécies de aves foram observadas no parque e sua zona-tampão, incluindo 10 consideradas ameaçadas ou quase-ameaçadas, além de duas recentemente extintas na área. Outras espécies são regionalmente raras ou tern declinado em parte de sua área de distribuição. O parque também abriga diversos mamíferos ameaçados, e endemismos da caatinga. Apesar de ter sido criado em 1979, o parque ainda não foi consolidado e é pouco mais que um parque de papel. Com os presentes niveis de caça clandestina e destruição de habitats, diversas espécies se extinguirão, incluindo algumas já desapareddas de outras partes da caatinga.

The Andean páramo and puna zones may once have been densely dotted by woodlands, mainly of Polylepis, but human impact has now led to a highly disjunct distribution of this habitat. Because of the habitat fragmentation, many specialized woodland birds now show relictual distributions. Speciations to the Polylepis zone took place in Peru and Bolivia during cold/arid climatic periods, as Polylepis-dominated woodland refuges were isolated away from the humid cis-Andean zone and the pre-Andean scrub-forest in Bolivia. An efficient protection of biodiversity in a minimum of well-managed areas could be achieved, if efforts were concentrated in highlands near the proposed Pleistocene woodland refuges: 55% of all endemic and 67% of all threatened and near-threatened landbirds of the high Andean zone of Peru and Bolivia were recorded within three 10 x 10 km study plots near Cochabamba in Bolivia and east of Abancay and on the east slope of Cordillera Blanca in Peru. The biological basis for the efficiency of this approach is discussed.

Los páramos y punas Andinas pueden haber estado densamente poblados de bosques, principalmente de Polylepis, pero el impacto humano ha causado una distribución muy esparcida de este habitat. Debido a la fragmentatión del habitat, muchos pájaros especializados al bosque, ahora muestran distribuciones rudimentales. La diferenciación de las espeties en la zona de Polylepis se dió en Perú y Bolivia durante períodos climáticos fríos/aridos, al igual que los refúgios de bosques dominados por Polylepis fueron aislados de la zona húmeda cis-Andina y de la zone chaqueña en Bolivia. Se podría lograr una protección efitiente de la biodiversidad en un mínimo de áreas bien manejadas, si se concentrasen los esfuerzos en las sierras cerca de los refúgios propuestos de bosque Pleistocenico. Así es, que un 55% de los pájaros endémicos y 67% de todos los especies en peligro de extintión de la zona alto-Andina de Perú y Bolivia fueron registrados dentro de tres áreas de estudio de 10 × 10 km, cerca de Cochabamba en Bolivia, y al sureste de Abancay y en la vertiente oriental de la Cordillera Blanca en Perú. El artículo diserta los processos básicos.

The Anjouan Scops Owl Otus capnodes, not recorded with certainty since about 1886, was rediscovered in June 1992. It has usually been treated as a race of Madagascar Scops Owl Otus rutilus but, judging from plumage and especially voice, it is a distinct species. It is found only in the remaining patches of upland forest (above 800 m) on Anjouan (Ndzuani), Comoro Islands, where the population is estimated to be at least several tens of pairs, probably between 100 and 200 pairs. The species is highly endangered by accelerating forest clearance and capture for food by the huge and increasing human population. Long-term environmental programmes are essential but may be too late to save this and other endangered species on Anjouan. Species-specific actions are needed: for the owl, a translocation to the neighbouring island of Moheli should be investigated.

La chouette Scops d'Anjouan Otus capnodes, qui n'avait pas été observée avec certitude depuis environ 1886, a été redécouverte en juin 1992. Elle était habituellement considérée comme appartenant à la race des chouettes Scops de Madagascar Otus rutilus, mais à en juger par son plumage et surtout par sa voix, c'est une espèce différente. Elle n'existe que dans les restants de forêts d'altitude (plus de 800 mètres) en Anjouan (Ndzuani), dans les lles Comores, où la population est estimée à au moins plusieurs dizaines de couples, probablement entre 100 et 200 paires. L'espèce est fortement menacée par l'accélération de la déforestation et la capture de ces oiseaux pour l'alimentation d'une population humaine très nombreuse et croissante. Des programmes de conservation de l'environnement à long terme sont essentiels, mais arriveront peut-être déjà trop tard pour sauver cette espèce et d'autres espèces menacées en Anjouan. Des actions spécifiquement centrées sur chaque espèce sont nécessaires: pour la chouette, la possibilité d'un transfert sur l'île voisine de Mohéli devrait être examinée.

Fieldwork conducted in Veracruz and Chiapas, Mexico, between July and December 1991 indicates that the genus Hylorchilus merits retention and that the two forms, H. (sumichrasti) sumichrasti and H. (s.) navai, are good species, based chiefly on this study's discovery of their very different voices. Both are, however, ground-level feeders on invertebrates gleaned from limestone outcrops under closed-canopy forest, and both are at risk from habitat loss. Despite the very restricted range of H. navai and threats to its habitat the population is partially protected and so it is recommended it be allocated IUCN status “Rare”, while H. sumichrasti merits the existing classification “Vulnerable/Rare”.

Los trabajos de campo realizados en Veracruz y Chiapas, México, entre Julio y Diciembre de 1991 indican que el género Hylorchilus merece ser mantenido, y que las dos formas, H. (sumichrasti) sumichrasti y H. (s.) navai, son especies válidas, en base a las diferencias de voz descubiertas en este estudio. Ambas especies se alimentan a nivel del suelo, a base de invertebrados que capturan sobre rocas calizas en áreas de selva cerrada, y ambas están amenazadas por la pérdida de su hábitat. A pesar de que H. navai tiene un área de distribución muy pequeña y de que su hábitat está amenazado, la población está parcialmente protegida y por lo tanto se recomienda que se le considere en la categoría de amenaza “Rara” de la UICN, mientras que H. sumichrasti debe continuar como “Vulnerable/Rara”.