The killing of birds for scientific reference causes debate and dispute whose intensity is in inverse proportion to its relevance as a conservation issue, with similar degrees of heat being generated only by such momentous things as the standardization of vernacular bird names. Doubtless this is because these are seemingly simple, black-and-white issues over which many people feel they have sufficient personal clarity and power to achieve a resolution. Really important matters – global warming, intransigent debt arrangements for developing nations, exponential human population growth, obliteration of habitats for short-term human gain, scandalous abuses of biocide in agriculture, saturation-level corruption and incompetence in state conservation agencies, all of which are poised to degrade the ornithological environment beyond recognition – belong to another dimension altogether in which most of us are simply sleepwalking towards doomsday. It is important, then, to get the collecting issue into reasonable perspective as soon as humanly possible.

Monitoring of nests of the Visayan Tarictic Hornbill Penelopides panini panini on the Philippine island of Panay revealed thus far undescribed information on the breeding biology of this species. Females occupied nest holes in March–April, after which two or three eggs are laid. Although cooperative breeding is suspected for the genus, at two nests no helpers were recorded. Nest-concealment behaviour was observed in the adult male. After a nestling period of 55–58 days, the adult female and one juvenile left the nest simultaneously. Immature birds resemble their respective sex. Nest site characteristics of 24 nests of the Tarictic Hornbill and two of the Writhed-billed Hornbill Aceros waldeni, respectively, were recorded on Mt Balabag, Panay Mountain Range. Tarictic Hornbill nests were situated in living as well as dead trees, at an average height of 11 m. Cavity compass direction was uniformly distributed around the circle. Nests are aggregated within the habitat, with a mean nearest-neighbour distance of 190 m. Writhed-billed Hornbills may require larger trees for nesting than Tarictic Hornbills. Nest density was calculated to be around three Tarictic Hornbill nests and 0.2–0.3 Writhed-billed Hornbill nests per square kilometre. Given a total amount of suitable hornbill habitat on Panay of 225–450 km2, about 750–1,000 Tarictic Hornbill breeding pairs and 60-100 Writhed-billed Hornbill breeding pairs may remain on Panay.

The Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus, among the world's most poorly known falcons, is sparsely distributed in Neotropical forests from south-east Mexico or Guatemala to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Details of distribution and population size are poorly known throughout the species's range. From 1992 to 1997 we studied this species at 19 nest sites in Guatemala and Belize. Occupancy and productivity rates remained stable for this northernmost population over this six-year period. Sparse data on historical distribution preclude a full assessment of possible changes in population status in the Mesoamerican portion of the species's range. Today the species appears restricted to forested areas in conjunction with large nesting cliffs. No breeding record is known for any Mesoamerican nation except Belize and Guatemala. Mean number of fledglings per successful nesting was significantly higher in areas of predominantly forested mosaic habitat (2.11, n = 18) than at sites with uninterrupted mature forest (1.36, n = 11); proportion of sites occupied and of pairs fledging young did not differ between these two habitats. Based on historical and current distribution records and distribution of potential nesting habitat, we conclude that the Guatemala/Belize opulation of Orange-breasted Falcons is disjunct from the species's main range in South America, is perhaps the only local population (at best one of a small number) in Mesoamerica, and is tightly linked to the existence of suitable nesting cliffs combined with large forested areas.

A rocky area in Lamto, Ivory Coast, which is partly surrounded by plantations, was searched for nests of the White-necked Picathartes Picathartes gymnocephala. A total of 34 nests was found of which 10 were only remnants, 12 old and 12 rather new. One nest contained two chicks. It is suggested that ecotourism might be a suitable means to help to protect the species, but care has to be taken to avoid any further disturbance.

Three forest and woodland sites were surveyed in the lowlands of the East Usambara mountains, Tanzania, from August to October, 1996. Bombo East I and II Proposed Forest Reserves (PFR) and Bombo West FR were previously unknown biologically. Our fieldwork revealed several records of conservation interest. Four species of global conservation concern (Amani Sunbird Anthreptes pallidigaster, Southern Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus fasciolatus, Fischer's Turaco Tauraco fischeri and Plain-backed Sunbird Anthreptes reichenowi) were recorded, with a further seven species of regional concern. These sites were not as rich in bird species as other East Usambara lowland forests. Bombo East I PFR had the highest richness, which included the presence of three montane species that were most likely cold-season visitors. The Endangered Sokoke Scops Owl Otus ireneae, otherwise known from similar woodland habitat in Kenya as well as lowland forest in the East Usambaras, was apparently absent at these sites. It is also clear from our survey that at least four threatened mammals and one possibly endemic snake inhabit the Brachylaena woodlands and mixed dry forest. Thus, our results indicate that the previously unexplored Brachylaena woodlands and mixed dry forest in north-east Tanzania are an additional habitat to some fauna of threatened status and do, therefore, merit conservation attention. The Brachylaena tree is highly favoured for charcoal production and the enormous demand for this product is increasing the degradation of these woodland patches. Larger tracts of unprotected Brachylaena woodland should receive immediate conservation attention.

The Faunal Reserve of the Lobéké area of south-eastern Cameroon is an important area for forest conservation. One day, it is hoped, it will be part of an international unit, in association with two protected areas in neighbouring countries (Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central African Republic and Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Congo). With a view to assessing the status of its avifauna in particular, 24 days were spent in three short surveys from 1997 to 1999. The main forest type is semi-evergreen, with an open canopy; the only natural savannas are small saline swamps. The total of 305 species of bird recorded includes a forest nightjar not yet identified (but more likely to be the rare Itombwe Nightjar Caprimulgus prigoginei than a new species) and the Dja River Warbler Bradypterus grandis. The latter is a species confined to Rhynchospora swamps and had not been re-located in Cameroon since it was first collected in 1914 west of the Dja river; the extent of suitable habitat in Lobéké makes this site the most important to date for its conservation. Other rare or little-known forest species recorded include Olive Ibis Bostrychia olivacea, Sandy Scops Owl Otus icterorhynchus, Zenker's Honeyguide Meligomon zenkeri, Tessmann's Flycatcher Muscicapa tessmanni and Yellow-capped Weaver Ploceus dorsomaculatus. Barred Owlet Glaucidium capense is locally common in open-canopy forest: this population was only recently discovered in central Africa and its taxonomic relationships have yet to be determined. We include a brief comparison with the avifauna of adjacent Dzangha-Ndoki National Park and Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park. A feature of the Lobéké avifauna is the presence of a few species normally associated with forest at higher altitudes (such as White-headed Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus bollei, Uganda Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus budongoensis, Black-throated Apalis Apalis jacksoni), and perhaps absent from lower-lying Nouabalé-Ndoki.

A study was made of the feeding behaviour of Olrog's gull Larus atlanticus in winter. Although feeding mainly on crabs they also, contrary to previous observations, made use of discarded offal, much as other species of gull. Such generalist feeding habits are likely to be beneficial to the conservation of the species.

This section, ‘News and Notes’ is intended to provide a forum for up-to-date information on threatened species, on-going conservation work and other issues related to bird conservation. It includes pieces abstracted from other publications. Please send any contributions to BCI News and Notes Editor, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, or email them to robsrw@interactive.net.ec