COTINGA 1 Neotropical News Neotropical News Brazilian Merganser in Argentina: If the survey’s results reflect the true going, going … status of Mergus octosetaceus in Argentina then there is grave cause for concern — local An expedition (Pato Serrucho ’93) aimed extinction, as in neighbouring Paraguay, at discovering the current status of the seems inevitable. Brazilian Merganser Mergus octosetaceus in Misiones Province, northern Argentina, During the expedition a number of sub­ has just returned to the U.K. Mergus tropical forest sites were surveyed for birds octosetaceus is one of the world’s rarest — other threatened species recorded during species of wildfowl, with a population now this period included: Black-fronted Piping- estimated to be less than 250 individuals guan Pipile jacutinga, Vinaceous Amazon occurring in just three populations, one in Amazona vinacea, Helmeted Woodpecker northern Argentina, the other two in south- Dryocopus galeatus, White-bearded central Brazil. Antshrike Biata s nigropectus, and São Paulo Tyrannulet Phylloscartes paulistus. Three conservation biologists from the U.K. and three South American counter­ PHIL BENSTEAD parts surveyed c.450 km of white-water riv­ Beaver House, Norwich Road, Reepham, ers and streams using an inflatable boat. Norwich, NR10 4JN, U.K. Despite exhaustive searching only one bird was located in an area peripheral to the species’s historical stronghold. Former core Black-breasted Puffleg found: extant areas (and incidently those with the most but seriously threatened. protection) for this species appear to have been adversely affected by the the Urugua- The Black-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis í dam, which in 1989 flooded c.80 km of the nigrivestis has been recorded from just two Río Urugua-í. Apart from causing direct adjacent volcanoes, Volcán Pichincha and flooding of habitat, suitable areas in the Volcán Atacazo, in north-west Ecuador, upper reaches of the rivers flowing into the where it seems to be confined to temperate dam now appear to hold higher densities of zone ridge-top vegetation: the species is other fish-eating birds, especially Neotropic poorly known and highly threatened2. Since Cormorants Phalacrocorax olivaceus. This 1950, the only confirmed records were of cormorant now breeds in large numbers in three birds on Cerro Pugsi (on the north the dam basin and some appear to travel slope of Pichincha) in 19801. upstream to feed in the rivers Urugua-í and Uruzú, and may actively compete with From 27 February to 1 March 1993 a Mergus octosetaceus. Rivers not draining search for Eriocnemis nigrivestis was into the dam, including the Piray-miní where crowned with success: an adult male and the sole bird was recorded, exhibited a much two females were observed, and documenta­ lower density of cormorants. Additional tion was obtained by netting and photo­ threats include deforestation and the subse­ graphing a female, from which a blood sam­ quent increase in turbidity in rivers used by ple for DNA sequencing was obtained. This Mergus octosetaceus, as well as human dis­ bird, which weighed 3.95 g, appeared fairly turbance and hunting. fresh-plumaged and was not moulting. All 8 COTINGA 1 Neotropical News three pufflegs were found at 3,300 m on nigrivestis on Pichincha, and search for the Loma Gramalote near Hacienda Yanacocha species on Atacazo (R. Phillips pers. comm.) (00°06'S 78°35–36'W), an old collecting site — hopefully these studies will provide some for the species. They were found in habitat answers to the best way of protecting the similar to that on Cerro Pugsi in 1980 as bird and its habitat. described by Bleiweiss and Olalla1, i.e. dense ericaceous ridge-crest scrub adjacent to R eferences mixed humid forest. During three feeding 1. Bleiweiss, R. & Olalla, P., M. (1983) Notes in the ecology of the Black-breasted Puffleg on Volcán Pichincha, Ecuador. Wilson Bull. 95: 656–661. 2. Collar, N. J., Gonzaga, L. P., Krabbe, N., Madroño Nieto, A., Naranjo, L. G., Parker, T. A. & Wege, D. C. (1992) Threatened birds of the Americas: the ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book. Cambridge, U.K.: International Coun­ cil for Bird Preservation. NIELS KRABBE, M. J. BRAUN, M. JÁCOME, M. B. ROBBINS, S. SCHJØRRING AND F. SORNOZA M. Casilla 17-21-791, Quito, Ecuador Ivory-billed Woodpecker feared extinct in Cuba A three month survey carried out in eastern Cuba, in the area where an Ivory-billed Woodpecker Campephilus principalis was Black-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis observed in 1987, failed to find any evidence nigrivestis Volcán Pichincha, Novem ber of the species. The team, consisting of 1993 (M.J. Braun) ornithologists from the Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales, Cuba and the bouts the species was seen probing apical Netherlands, also searched the only other (red) shoots of Disterigma sp. (Ericaceae) piece of suitable habitat remaining on the without flowers, but whether it was fooled island, but again found no evidence of the by the flower-like red shoots or was extract­ bird. The last confirmed sighting of ing insects is not known. Other food plants Campephilus principalis in the United noted were Palicourea cf. huigrensis States was made in the early 1970s and it (Rubiaceae), Psychotria sp. (Rubiaceae), now seems certain that the species is ex­ Macleania rupestris (Ericaceae), and Vallea tinct. stipularis (Elaeocarpaceae), the latter be­ Source: WorldBirdwatch [1993] 15(2). ing a small pink-flowered tree not amongst the 13 food plants used during feeding bouts Stability in Dominica observed in September 1980, when the tree Spring 1993 surveys in Dominica showed no may not have been flowering1. significant change in the populations of the two threatened Amazon parrots endemic to This hummingbird is seriously threat­ the island: the Imperial Amazon Amazona ened by habitat clearance for pasture and imperialis is stable at c.80–100 birds, with firewood, and immediate steps for its pro­ c.500 Red-necked Amazons A. arausiaca tection should be taken. In response to this still present. Population monitoring of other urgent cry for action, the Ecuadorean NGO birds on the island has shown that certain CECIA has developed a proposal to study E. rainforest species such as Forest Thrush 9 COTINGA 1 Neotropical News Cichlherminia lherminieri, Ruddy Quail- population has increased from 500 in the Dove Geotrygon montana and Red-necked mid-1970s to around 15 000. Several ducks Pigeon Columba squamosa, badly hit dur­ may lay in a single nest that may contain ing the hurricanes of 1979 and 1980, are more than 80 eggs. Eggs are removed by the continuing to show a healthy recovery. villagers to supplement their diet. Villagers Source: P. G. H. Evans in litt. 1993 also recently prevented local farmers from draining the wetlands for pasture. Re-introduction of Plain Pigeons in Source: American Birds [1993] 47(2). Puerto Rico The Plain Pigeon Columba inornata is en­ First Nature Reserve in French Guiana demic to the Greater Antilles where it is d eclared threatened from hunting and habitat loss. At the end of 1992, the L’île du Grand A captive breeding programme for the Puerto Connétable, an island some 18 km off the Rican subspecies C. i. wetmorei (which num­ Guiana coast was declared a nature reserve; bers fewer than 300 in the wild) has now the first gazetted in French Guiana. The raised more than 100 birds. The first eight island is a breeding site for several species of were released in April 1993 in the east- seabird, including 5% of the Caribbean popu­ central part of the country, and two of the lation of the Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata five still surviving appear to have found magnificens. wild mates. Source: BirdLife International Pan Source: Re-introduction News [1993] 6. American Bull. [1993] 8(2). Fall raptor migration in Veracruz, Fears for survival of Grey-headed War­ M exico bler in Venezuela Possibly the world’s largest migration of A recent visit to Cerro Negro, north-eastern diurnal raptors has recently been reported Venezuela, by Jon Curson and David Bea­ from Veracruz, Mexico. Each fall, tens of dle provided evidence that the Grey-headed thousands of migrant raptors pass through Warbler Basileuterus griseiceps is now criti­ the state, and in the fall of 1992, 2.5 million cally endangered. Only two birds were birds were seen from vantage points be­ found in a 1–2 km2 patch of forest, which tween Cardel inland to Jalapa. Over 1 may be the last suitable patch of forest on million Turkey Vultures Cathartes aura, Cerro Negro despite being within El 900 000 Broad-winged Hawks Buteo Guácharo National Park. The only other platypterus and 450 000 Swainson’s Hawks known site for the species is Cerro B. swainsoni were counted, including Turumiquire, from where there is no infor­ 435 000 raptors on 30 September. Raptor mation on its status. counts in this area have been carried out by Source: WorldBirdwatch [1993] 15(2). teams from Hawkwatch International and the Mexican conservation organization Tourist developments threaten Ramsar Ecosfera. site in Venezuela Source: Raptor Watch [1992] 7(1): 5. The Venezuelan Ministry of Tourism is seek­ ing a loan from the Interamerican Develop­ Sustainable use of Whistling-Duck eggs ment Bank to build several large hotels in El Salvador inside the buffer zone of the country’s only Villagers from Jocotal in southern El Salva­ Ramsar site, the Cuare Wildlife Refuge. dor have provided more than 480 nest boxes This is a very important feeding site for the for Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks only population of Greater Flamingo Dendrocygna autumnalis in response to a Phoenicopterus ruber in the southern Car­ decline in the population following clear­ ibbean and one of the few known sites for ance of trees used for nesting and over­ Plain-flanked Rail Rallus wetmorei.