Most research on cockatoos Cacatua outside Australia has focused on species that figure significantly in the pet trade. Here, we examine the status of Blue-eyed Cockatoo Cacatua ophthalmica, an extremely poorly known species endemic to the island of New Britain, in three lowland forest types: primary forest, forest that had been commercially logged of selected large trees in the previous eight years, and forest gardens (small-scale mixed agroforests or “homegardens” tended by indigenous people). During fieldwork at two lowland study sites on New Britain between December 1998 and April 1999, groups of C. ophthalmica were recorded in all forest types (maximum group size = 40), but the species was largely absent from non-forested areas. Estimated cockatoo density in selectively logged forest (64 individuals per km2) was similar to that in primary forest but densities in forest gardens at both sites (6 and 28 per km2) were considerably lower than those in primary forest (27 and 73 per km2). Most active nests found were in large trees in primary forest and the paucity of nests in logged forest, and particularly in forest gardens, is cause for concern given ongoing forest alteration on the island. While we predict that the Blue-eyed Cockatoo population on New Britain is declining, the species remains numerous and the current low levels of trapping and the large area of suitable forest remaining on the island indicate that the taxon is currently of “Least Concern”. In a wider context, C. ophthalmica is considerably more common than most of the traded cockatoos, but the tendency for cockatoo densities to be highest in primary forest, intermediate in human-altered forests and lowest in non-forest areas holds for traded and untraded species alike.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, south-west Uganda, supports 24 of 37 restricted-range bird species of the Albertine Rift Mountains Endemic Bird Area (EBA). In common with other montane forest fragments in the EBA, Bwindi's structure and ecology have been substantially modified by human activities, the impact of which on its birds is difficult to gauge in the absence of quantitative information on their habitat use and abundance. During October 1999, habitat associations of nine restricted-range species and of 12 species with which they were commonly associated, were measured at Ruhija, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between habitat, topography, altitude and species occurrence. Population densities of 19 species were estimated using distance sampling, at survey points visited between dawn and midday. Although the detection rate declined during the morning, observations made towards midday helped to improve precision, without lowering density estimates. Eight habitat and topographical features significantly associated with restricted-range species are described. Few of the features measured were significantly associated with more than one species, underlining the importance of maintaining a diverse forest structure. Two restricted-range species were among the commonest birds in the study area, while a further four species were at least as abundant as their more widespread congeners.

Olrog's Gull Larus atlanticus is an endemic species of the Atlantic coast of southern South America. It is one of six globally threatened gull species in the world, and is classified as Vulnerable. We studied age-related differences in the diet and foraging behaviour of this species in Mar Chiquita Lagoon during the non-breeding season. Diet was assessed by analysis of regurgitation casts, prey carcasses and direct observation, while foraging behaviour was quantified by focal observations. Grapsid crabs were by far the main prey in frequency of occurrence, followed by fish and snails. Some differences in diet were found between ages, particularly in spring when mature birds start to feed on the eggs of ovigerous females of the crab Cyrtograpsus angulatus. Foraging behaviour was similar between ages which is attributed to large resource availability, foraging strategies and social factors.

We studied the distribution of birds along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 800 m to 1,400 m on two slopes of the Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Ornithological surveys were conducted over transects covering open (cerrado, campo rupestre) and forested (gallery and Atlantic forest) habitats from 1994 to 2000. We found 273 bird species belonging to 51 families. Twenty-two species were restricted to higher elevations and 84 species were detected on only one slope, depending on the vegetation type they inhabited. We recorded 104 species occurring on both slopes, while 61 species were considered altitudinal generalists. Six species, including Hyacinth Visorbearer Augastes scutatus and Cipó Canastero Asthenes luizae were restricted to the highest parts of Serra do Cipó, a fragile habitat important to endemic birds of the Espinhaço Range. In the past 10 years, the Serra do Cipó region has suffered human impacts on a large scale, and conservation action must be developed to protect the fauna and flora confined to the area.

Black-billed Parrot Amazona agilis and Yellow-billed Parrot A. collaria are endemic to Jamaica and are restricted to remnant patches of mid-elevation wet limestone forest. Cockpit Country is the stronghold of Black-billed Parrot and is the only region where these two species occur sympatrically in significant numbers. In northern Cockpit Country, Black-billed Parrots nested commonly in degraded and regenerating edge habitat, where natural nesting cavities did not appear to be limiting. Yellow-billed Parrot nests were less abundant in the study area. Black-billed Parrots produced clutches of 3 or 4 eggs and incubation was approximately 24 days. Nestling growth and development were characteristically slow and the nestling period prolonged. Nesting success of both species was low for non-excavating, cavity-nesting species, but successful nests were prolific. Black-billed Parrot nestling mortality was highest during the first four weeks of the nestling period, the primary cause being predation, followed by “dead-in-nest, possible hypothermia”. Many aspects of Black-billed and Yellow-billed Parrot nesting behaviour may be related to predation. The majority of predation events were attributed to the endemic and Vulnerable yellow boa Epicrates subflavus. Such predator-prey dynamics will challenge Jamaica's natural resource managers to develop a more comprehensive attitude away from single-species conservation towards multiple species and their interactions in a complex habitat.