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WorldTwitch 2 - 1992

Somalia: A new species of bush-shrike, the Bulo Burti Boubou, Laniarus liberatus, was captured in an isolated patch of disturbed acacia scrub at Bulo Burti, central Somalia in January 1989, taken to Germany for study in captivity, and returned to Somalia and released at a different site in March 1990. It was described as a new species on the basis of DNA studies of its blood and a few feathers. (E.F.G. Smith, et al., Ibis 133:227-235 (1991)).

Gabon: Loango Weaver, Ploceus subpersonatus, has been found to be fairly common in a narrow band of coastal scrub, mainly in the southern half of the country. Trips this year to Lekoni, in the far southeast, have produced sightings of Finsch's Francolin, Fracolinus finschi, Black-collared Bulbul, Neolestes torquatus, Congo Moor-Chat, Myrmecocichla tholloni (common), Salvadori's Eremomela, Eremomela salvadorii, and up to eight individuals of Black-chinned Weaver, Ploceus nigrimentum. Other recent reports include the second and third records for Gabon of the little-known Sandy Scops-Owl, Otus icterorhynchus, in the Gamba area (southwest). African River-Martin, Pseudochelidon eurystomina, is a common breeder in Gamba during September to November only. A brief survey of the previously unexplored vicinity of the Rabi oil field (central southwest), found several Black Spinetails, Telacanthura melanopygia (probably breeding), and Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Melichneutes robustus, proved to be fairly common. (D. Sargeant).

Ivory Coast: Nick Gardner writes of his first visit to Ivory Coast in ten years, that he was pleasantly surprised to find a road network around Abidjan unparalleled in the rest of West Africa, and a great deal of English now spoken. Birds found in one weekend included White-necked Rockfowl, Picathartes gymnocephalus, at Lamto, 140 km west of Abidjan, and Black-collared Lovebird, Agapornis swindernianus, Yellow-billed Turaco, Tauraco macrorhynchus, Ahanta Francolin, Francolinus ahantensis. Nkulengu Rail, Himantornis haematopus, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Smithornis rufolateralis, and Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, Platysteira blissettiat at Yapo, 40 km north of Abidjan.

South Africa: Southern Africa Bird Line now offers a national rare bird alert and six regional tapes. Calls are charged by the minute, as in the U.K. The telephone number for the directory and general information, which can be called only from within South Africa, is (087) 20-010-90.

Madagascar: A drake Madagascar Pochard, Aythya innotata, was captured by a fisherman in August 1991 along the northwest shore of Lac Alaotra and now is in captivity at the Botanical Garden in Antananarivo. H.G. Young writes "It is probable that this species survives away from Alaotra at one or more as yet unidentified smaller lakes and now rarely visits the area where it was once considered endemic." See Oryx 26:73 (1992); Dodo 26:17-34 (1989).

Bhutan: Three Rufous-necked Hornbills, Aceros nipalensis, and two to four Rufous-headed Parrotbills, Paradoxornis ruficeps, were observed 15 km below Namning in October 1991. (C. & T. Inskipp, OBC Bull. 15:43 (1992).

Bangladesh: In mid-winter, the annual waterfowl and wader counts in the eastern coastal zone produced the second highest mid-winter total of Spoon-billed Sandpipers, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, with c. 100 in two general areas, Urir Char and Dhal Char. (P. Thompson et al., OBC Bull. 15:43 (1992)).

Thailand: Phil Round reports that the recent closure of overnight accommodations in Khao Yai NP, while inconveniencing birders, has had the unintended consequence of greatly reducing local visits to the Park. Silver Pheasants, Lophura nycthemera, are crossing the road again, and a Tiger has been seen regularly in daylight. Elsewhere, recent reports include two Chinese Egrets, Egretta eulophotes, on 2 April at Krahi (P.D. Round), Black-necked Stork, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, on 1-3 April at Hat Chao Mai National Park (Prinyakosu Voravan et al.), and two Purple Cochoas, Cochoa purpurea, and several Green Cochas, Cochoa viridis, in late March at Doi Inthanon NP (many observers). Two pairs of Baikal Teals, Anas formosa, the first confirmed for Thailand, were seen at Kasetsart University, Kamphaengsaen, Nakhom Pathom in January. (A. Kasem, OBC Bull. 15:46 (1992)).

Vietnam: Two White-shouldered Ibises, Pseudibis davisoni, were observed at Nam Bai Cat Tien NP, Dong Nai, in December 1991. A group of Pin-tailed Parrotfinches, Erythrura prasina, in the same vicinity may be only the second record for Vietnam. Flocks of Black-hooded Laughingthrushes, Garrulax milleti, were recorded in January 1992 at Ho Tuyen Dam, near Da Lat and near Di Linh, Lam Dong. (C. Robson et al., OBC Bull. 15:46 (1992)).

Philippines: Rob Timmins saw a pair of possible Cebu Flowerpeckers, Diceaum quadricolor, long believed extinct, in a narrow strip of forest near Tabanan on Cebu in February 1992. Also recorded were Black Shama, Copsychus cebuensis, Blue-crowned Raquet-tail, Prioniturus discurus, and Colasisi, Loriculus philippensis. OBC Bull. 15:10-11 (1992). A survey of forests on Negros, Siquijor and Mindoro by the Cambridge Philippines Rainforest Project (T. Evans et al.) in the summer and fall of 1991 came up with a number of interesting findings, including Negros Bleeding-heart, Gallicolumba keayi, at Mambucal/Wasay, Mt. Canlaon NP and in the Guintubdan area in the south-west of the national park, Philippine Cockatoo, Cacatua haematuropygia, at Lino-an, Siquijor, and on Mindoro at Mt. Ilong, Calapan and near Calintaan, just outside Iglit-Baco NP. Mindoro Imperial Pigeons, Ducula mindorensis, and Mindoro Scops-Owl, Otus mindorensis, were heard calling at Mt. Hinundunang near Roxas/Tanga River. Mindoro Bleeding-hearts, Gallicolumba platenae, were reported from Mt. Hinundunang and near Calintaan, and two were seen at the Sablayan Penal Colony by Rob Timmins in December, after the survey. Black-hooded Coucals, Centropus steerii, were recorded near Calintaan and at Sablayan. Also, Blue-winged Racquet-tails, Prioniturus verticalis, and Sulu Hornbills, Anthracoceros montani, were observed by Frank Lambert on Tawi-Tawi in September 1991 in forest on the north coast. OBC Bull. 15:45-46 (1992).

Sabah: On Mount Kinabalu in January 1992, a male Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher, Terspiphone atrocaudata, and a singing male Siberian Rubythroat, Luscinia calliope, were new records for Borneo. (C. Robson, OBC Bull. 15:45 (1992)).

Indonesia: In February 1992, the endemic Carunculated Fruit-Dove, Ptilinopus granulifrons, was recorded between 40 and 550 m elevation in scrubby coastal areas with scattered tall trees and also in primary forest. Local people reported that Moluccan Woodcocks, Scolopax ruchussenii, were regularly flushed from forest above 500 m elevation. (F. Lambert, OBC Bull. 15:44 (1992)). In October 1989, at least six Sumba Buttonquails, Turnix everetti, were found in sparse grassland at Yumbu, 5 km east of Watumbaka in East Sumba. (S. Marsden et al., OBC Bull. 15:24-26 (1992)).

Australia: A three-year study of Red Goshawk, Erythrotriorchis radiatus, monitored breeding birds in 14 territories in tall open forest and gallery forest in the Northern Territory and near Kimberly, Western Australia. The main threats to this rare species, which was found to be quite tolerant of human activity in the vicinity of nest trees, are habitat destruction in Queensland and egg collecting in northern Australia. (T. Aumann & D. Baker-Gabb, RAOU Report No. 75 (1991)). S.J.S. Debus, who has been studying Masked Owl, Tyto novaehollandiae, in New South Wales, suggests that birders should critically examine "Barn Owls" in forest and wooded farmland for the feathered legs and large feet of the Masked Owl. (Australian Birds 24:29-36 (1990), three more detailed papers by the same author are about to go to press).

Midway Island: Two Short-tailed Albatrosses, Diomedea albatrus, were present on Midway in 1991. Pacific Seabird Group Bulletin 19(1):25 (1992).

Mexico: A new species of swift (White-fronted Swift, Cypseloides storeri) has been described from specimens collected in the mountains of Michoacán and Guerrero. (A. Navarro et al., Wilson Bull. 104:55 (1992)). A recent trip following the route suggested by Steve Howell in his article in Birding 24:87-91 (1992) recorded Short-crested Coquette, Lophornis brachylopha, White-fronted Swift and White-tailed Hummingbird, Eupherusa poliocerca. (J.F. Clements et al.)

Guatemala: Recent reports include the first Guatemalan record of Short-tailed Nighthawk, Lurocalis semitorquatus, at the Biotopo Chocon Machaca, El Golfete, Dpto. Izabal, at least 6-8 Keel-billed Motmots, Electron carinatum, on Cerro San Gil in February 1991, and the first Guatemalan record of Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Picoides scalaris, near Magdalena Milpas Altas, Dpto. Sacatepéquez, in December 1990. (S.N.G. Howell et al., Bull.B.O.C. 112:42-49 (1992)).

Honduras: Recent reports include up to 10 Masked Ducks, Oxyura dominica, at Lake Yojoa, Dpto. Cortés, and up to three Uniform Crakes, Amaurolimnas concolor, the first Short-tailed Nighthawks, Lurocalis semitorquatus, in Honduras, and up to 8 Keel-billed Motmots, Electron carinatum, at Lancetilla, Dpto. Atlantida. (S.N.G. Howell et al., Bull.B.O.C. 112:42-49 (1992)).

Ecuador: Highlights of a June 1992 trip included rediscovery of Giant Antpitta, Grallaria gigantea, on the eastern slope of the Andes in western Napo, and confirmation of the existence of a population of Southern Pochard, Netta erythrophthalma, in the Bahia de Caraquez area of Manabi, perhaps the only remaining population in western South America. (R.S. Ridgely).

Bolivia: An expedition to the eastern foothills of the Andes in the upper Rio Saguayo valley of Amboró National Park, Dpto. Santa Cruz, rediscovered Bolivian Recurvebill, Simoxenops striatus, previously known from four specimens collected by Carriker. Ashy Antwren, Myrmotherula grisea, also was observed daily. (T.A. Parker et al., Wilson Bull., 104:178-181 (1992)).

Brazil: Since IBAMA has taken over administration of the Pedra Talhada reserve in Alagoas in 1991, it has become difficult for birders to obtain access. (D. Willis). Meanwhile, IBAMA has been selling blank permits to timber companies, and a corruption inquiry has been cut short. BBC Wildlife 10(5):57 (1992).