Observations of the Horned Curassow Pauxi unicomis in Amboro National Park, depto. Santa Cruz, Bolivia, allowed us to assess the status of a species whose habits in the wild were virtually unknown. Vocalizations, including call notes and the deep booming song, are described. Density was estimated by counting booming birds in the breeding season using a three-hide triangulation method. The study showed birds to be aggregated in one part of the study area. A nest of was found and the incubating female was observed for nine days: the individual incubated alone, left the nest at night, and returned at first light.

Observaciones de la Pava Copete de Piedra (Pava Crista Azul) Pauxi unicomis en el Parque Nacional Amboró, depto. Santa Cruz, Bolivia, nos permitió evaluar el estado de una especie cuyo comportamiento en el ambiente silvestre es prácticamente desconocido. Se describen vocalizaciones, que incluyen notas de llamada “call notes” y el profundo canto de estampida “deep booming song.” Se estimó la densidad de las aves por conteo de los sonidos de estampida “booming birds” durante la estacion reproductiva, usando un método de triangulación con tres puestos de observatión. Este estudio mostró que las aves se agregaban en una parte del área del estudio. Se encontró un nido de Pauxi unicomis y al hembra fue observada durante nueve dias durante la incubación; la hembra incubaba sóla, dejaba el nido por la noche y regresaba a las primeras horas del amanecer.

The island of Buru in Maluku province, Indonesia was visited in November and December 1989. Using a point count method, we assessed the conservation status of the island's restricted-range lowland birds by examining their abundance and habitat associations. Thirteen of Buru's 19 lowland restricted-range species were recorded during the fieldwork. Of these we assign nine (White-eyed Imperial Pigeon Ducula perspicillata, Moluccan Red Lory Eos bornea, Bum Racquet-tail Prioniturus mada, Black-tipped Monarch Monarcha loricatus, White-naped Monarch Monarcha pileatus, Dark-grey Flycatcher Myiagra galeata, Flame-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrothorax, Bum Yellow White-eye Zosterops buruensis and Black-faced Friarbird Philemon moluccensis) to IUCN's Safe/Low risk category of threat, on the basis of their large populations, widespread occurrence on Bum and association with non-pristine habitats. We recommend that the remaining six of the recorded species remain Data-deficient but some of these (e.g. Blue-fronted Lorikeet Charmosyna toxopei and Bum Cuckoo-shrike Coracina fortis) may be Vulnerable. While data on the birds which we did not record are obviously needed, we suggest that the amount of forest remaining, the abundance of many species and their tolerance of selectively logged forests bodes well for the immediate future of the bulk of Buru's lowland avifauna.

The avifauna of a pristine lowland Atlantic forest in south-east Brazil was studied over 2 years. A total of 234 species was recorded, of which 190 species (81.54%) occured in forested habitats. Thirty one species are listed as threatened or near-threatened and information on habitat and abundance is described for each species. The Parque Estadual Intervales holds one of the last pristine lowland Atlantic forests and it is one of the few reserves that encompasses a large altitudinal gradient. In the past few years the protection of the reserve has been threatened by palm harvesting, hunting, dams and mining.

A avifauna de uma regiao de Mata Atlântica de baixada no sudeste do estado de São Paulo foi estudada por um periodo continuo de 2 anos. Foram observados um total de 234 espécies de aves sendo que 190 espécies (81,54%) ocorreram predominantemente em ambientes florestais primários e perrubados. Trinta e uma espécies São consideradas ameaçadas ou vulneráveis e informações sobre hábitat e abundância são fornecidas. Nos últimos anos a proteção da reserva está ameaçada pelo corte do palmito, caça, construções de hidroéletricas e mineração.

We correct the limits of the range and analyse the geographical variation of the Moustached Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes falcirostris, an endemic species of north-eastern Brazil. A single, undated specimen of Moustached Woodcreeper from Posse, Goiás, in the Paranā River Valley was probably collected somewhere on the left bank of the Sāo Francisco River. Analysis of the plumage variation and five body measurements indicates that it is not always possible to separate the populations of the Moustached Woodcreeper into the two subspecies currently recognized. In spite of this, given the importance of this bird as an indicator species for conservation, we suggest that the current recognition of the subspecies be maintained until genetic studies provide a definitive answer to this taxonomic question. Moustached Woodcreepers are particularly associated with patches of dry forest growing on rich soils, in north-eastern Brazil. In the past decades, this type of vegetation has been drastically modified by human activities. Only an urgent plan to establish a network of reserves for tropical dry forests in north-eastern Brazil can prevent the complete destruction of this habitat and of its poorly known biological resources.

Nós corrigimos os limites da distribuiçāo e analisamos a variaçāo geográfica do Cochi-do-nordeste Xiphocolaptes falcirostris, uma espécie endêmica do Nordeste brasileiro. Um único espécime sem data de X. falcirostris coletado em Posse, Goiás, no vale do rio Paranā, foi provavelmente coletado em algum lugar na margem esquerda do vale do rio Sāo Francisco. Análise da variaçāo da plumagem e de cinco medidas do corpo indicam que nāo é sempre possivel separar as populaçōes de Cochi-do-nordeste em duas subespécies, tal como é feito atualmente. Apesar disso, em consideraçāo à importância desse arapacu como espécie indicadora, nós sugerimos que o Cochi-do-nordeste ainda seja considerado uma espécie com duas subéspecies, até que essa questāo taxonômica seja resolvida definitivamente através de estudos genéticos. Cochis-do-nordeste sâo particularmente associados com manchas de florestas secas crescendo sobre solos ricos no Nordeste brasileiro. Nas ultimas décadas, este tipo de vegetaçāo tem sido drasticamente modificado por atividades humanas. Nós sugerimos que somente um piano urgente visando o estabelecimento de um sistema de reservas para as florestas tropicais secas no nordeste do Brasil possa prevenir a completa destruiçāo desse habitat e de seus pouco conhecidos recursos biológicos.

In May 1996 the authors carried out surveys of Harwood's Francolin Francolinus harwoodi, a threatened and restricted-range species, within the upper reaches of the Abay Basin, North Shoa Administrative Region, Ethiopia. The species is known from a small range in the Abay Basin but has not been reliably recorded away from a single site in the Jema Valley since 1930. Harwood's Francolin was found in the Jema Valley and valleys of adjacent river systems and, according to local reports, its range extends northwards into Southern Wello Administrative Region, a northerly extension of its previously known range. The species was found to be locally abundant, with transect counts giving a maximum density estimate of 92 birds/km2.

Typha beds had been considered a crucial element in the species's habitat, but our observations suggest that although Typha beds are sometimes used they are not an essential requirement. The main threat to the species's survival appears to be from clearance of thorn scrub rather than from clearance of Typha beds. Additional threats come from hunting for food and for sale at market, and collection of eggs.

Observations of courtship and mating in May and local reports of eggs in October indicate an earlier start to the breeding season than previously reported (first egg dates in December). The species may have two broods or have an extended, non-synchronous breeding season, timed to coincide with the rainy season and early dry season (May-December). Birds were observed to be highly gregarious and observations of courtship suggest that the species may be polygamous.

Recommendations are given for the conservation of the species, including further survey work and collaboration with local communities to identify and protect key areas of habitat.

In 1986 a single Norfolk Island Boobook Owl Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata remained. As part of a re-establishment programme, two male New Zealand Moreporks N. n. novaeseelandiae were introduced, one of which survived to pair with the female in the wild and breed successfully. By 1995 the population numbered 12 or 13 individuals of which seven were second generation (F2). However, there were only two breeding pairs. As the 11 hybrids could not be sexed using morphometrics we developed a molecular method based on a recently described avian polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based sexing technique. The population was found to contain six females and five males. A scarcity of mature males was established as the main factor slowing the recovery effort.

During a tourist cruise with M.V. Academik Shokalski from Cairns (Australia) to Chuuk (Micronesia) between 20 March and 3 April 1996 we visited a number of seabird islands in Micronesia described by Nelson (1978). On these and other islands visited, we asked local people for further information on breeding seabirds. After the cruise H.M. visited Ant Atoll at Pohnpei.

This note presents the results. Time did not allow us to undertake real counts so we provide only rough estimates of numbers of breeding pairs, in orders of magnitude.

In 1991 a survey was conducted in the Marquesas Islands to determine the current range and population size of the Ultramarine Lory Vini ultramarina. A total of 313 birds were counted, restricted to one island, Ua Huka. A translocation program was initiated to capture and relocate birds to a less disturbed island. Fatu Hiva, an island within the historical range of the species, was chosen to establish a second population. This island still supports suitable habitat and does not have a resident population of Rattus rattus, which may have contributed to the decline of the species on Nuka Hiva and Ua Pou. Increased agriculture, grazing herbivores, bees, and banana plant disease may have also contributed to the decline.

Since our paper on the efficiency and biases of 20-species lists (Poulsen et al. 1997) went to press we have recognized a further two biases in the method, after discussions with C. Rahbek. We remarked in our paper that the abundance curves were behaving rather strangely and that “the importance of these phenomena needs to be investigated in more detail”. The behaviour may be due to the method setting constraints on the highest possible frequency, namely the number of times a species occurs in 20-species lists. This could affect the calculation of the expected abundances and hence the a-index. Another bias must be the indirect way of determining the relative abundances, ignoring the true number of individuals. A species with many individuals will be given the same relative abundance as a species with very few individuals if both species occur in the same number of 20-species lists. We do not know the importance of these constraints but recommend that the method is not used until the results of a current computer modelling study examining its efficiency (S. Herzog and M. Kessler pers. comm.) are known.