[Bull.Brit.Orn.Cl.

1984 104(3)] no

Some noteworthy records of birds from Bolivia

by Theodore A. Parker, III and Rose Ann Rowlett

Received 23 January 1984
While conducting a natural history tour in central and northwest Bolivia in
October 1983, we observed several unusual bird species including one species not
previously recorded in the country.

Comb duck Sarkidiornis melanotos. On 3 October 1983 we observed one

individual, probably a female because of its small size and lack of a "comb", on a
small pond 8 km east of Montero, (17 20'S, 63 15'W) along the road to
Okinawa, Dpto. Santa Cruz. The bird was in the company of 24 Brazilian Ducks
Amazonetta brasiliensis. Dott (1984 — see back in this issue) records this duck as
an irregular visitor. It is a widespread species and it has been found in the
lowlands of adjacent Peru (where it is very rare), Brazil and Argentina (Blake
l 977)-
Black-and-white hawk eagle Spizastur melanoleucus. On 21 October 1983
we watched 3 adults of this rare raptor at they circled over tall, lower montane
cloudforest of Serrania Bellavista, about 48 km by road north of Caranavi (15
46'S, 6y° 36'W) Dpto. La Paz, at 1100 m. In addition to their immaculate white
underparts and very dark upperparts, we noted their long wings and relatively
short, narrow and indistinctly barred tails; in all 3 birds the leading edge of the
wing was white and contrasted strikingly with the dark upper surface. Previous
records for Bolivia are summarised by Remsen & Ridgely (1980). This is apparen-
tly the first record for Dpto. La Paz.
Yellow-breasted crake Porzana flaviv enter. On 3 October 1983 we found
one individual of this diminutive rail in a marsh 8 km east of Montero, Dpto.
Santa Cruz. On several occasions from 13:00 to 14:30 the bird hesitantly emerged
from tall, dense cover of a Typha reed bed, and briefly walked along the mud
bordering a small pond, at times passing within a few centimetres of 2 Ash-
throated Crakes Porzana albicollis also present in the reeds. All 16 observers
present noted its very small size (in direct comparison with the conspicuously
larger P. albicollis), uniformly buff-coloured underparts and superciliary, pale-
streaked back, and black-and-white barred flanks. This is the first record of this
species for Bolivia; it was previously known primarily from northern, eastern and
southern South America, occurring as close to Bolivia as Tucuman, Argentina
(Blake 1977).
Paint-billed crake Neocrex erythrops. The Bolivian records of this enigmatic
species were recently summarized by Remsen & Traylor (1983), but little has been
published on its habitat requirements or behaviour. On 3 October 1983 we heard
3 Neocrex erythrops singing (see later) at dusk from dense, shrubby thickets
bordering the marsh 8 km east of Montero, Dpto. Santa Cruz. The birds were
apparently on dry ground under shrubs averaging about 2m in height, within a
few metres of water. They could not be enticed to leave the impenetrable cover
through tape playbacks. Their songs are unlike those of any other rallid known to
us and consisted of a long, gradually accelerating and descending series of up to 36
staccato notes delivered in a continuous sequence, followed by 3-4 short, chur-
ring notes that drop noticeably in pitch, the last of which is usually given as a
protracted flat trill of about 3 seconds. Occasionally a shorter vocalization was
 Ill [Bull.Brit.orn.cl.1984 104(3)]

given, consisting of an introductory staccato note followed by the churring trill

described above, in rhythm and quality somewhat reminiscent of the song of the
Straight-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus picus, which occurs in the same
habitat. We first learned the songs of N. erythrops on 26 October 198 1, when we
discovered one of these rails on the ground in well-shaded, damp secondary
woodland (of slender trees averaging 7-10 m in height) bordering a clearing on the
outskirts of Puerto Maldonado, Dpto. Madre de Dios, southeastern Peru. The
bird on that occasion responded to playbacks of its own song by cautiously
walking back and forth in a semi-circle, while remaining about 2 m from us.

Upland sandpiper Bartramia longicauda. This migrant from North America

was previously known in Bolivia only from Dptos. Beni and Pando (Gyldens-
tolpe 1945). On 25 October 1979, R. A. R. and Robert Ridgely saw one bird on a
high plain (3700 m) near Lago Uru-Uru (i8°S, 67°W) Dpto. Oruro. R. A. R. also
observed several groups of 3-4 Bartramia near Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Santa Cruz
city) Dpto. Santa Cruz, on 2 October 1982. We saw 4 in grassland about 8 km
southwest of the same city, along the road to Villa Montes, on 2 October 1983; at
least 8 were noted in pasture land 5-10 km north of the city on 3 October 1983
and several were also heard 8 km east of Montero on the same day. This species is
apparently a regular autumn migrant through the Santa Cruz area.

Buff-breasted sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis. Gyldenstolpe (1945) repor-

ted October records of this migrant from North America for Dptos. Beni and
Pando, at that time the only records for Bolivia. On 3 October 1982 R. A. R.
found 2 on a grass-covered sandbank along the Rio Grande, northeast of Santa
Cruz de la Sierra. On 3 October 1983 4 were seen in very short grass growing on a
recently dried out small pond 8 km east of Montero. They were in close proximity
to other migrants: Tringa solitaria (8), T. flavipes (12), Actitis macularia (2) and
Calidris melanotos (30+).

Hudsonian godwit Limosa baemastica. On 4 October 1983 we found 2

individuals of this unmistakable species at the now unused sewage ponds on the
northeast outskirts of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Both birds were in the uniformly
grey basic plumage. They were resting amidst a group of 30+ Wattled Jacanas
Jacana jacana, close to other North American migrants: Tringa solitaria (6), T.
flavipes (20), Actitis macularia (3), Calidris melanotos (20) and Phalaropus tricolor
(1). The only previous record of L baemastica for Bolivia is of one photographed
at Lago Uru-Uru, Dpto. Oruro, on 12 September 1972 (Pearson 1975).

Black skimmer Rhynchops nigra. The few records of this species for Bolivia
are from Dptos. Beni (Bond & Meyer de Schauensee 1942) and La Paz (Nietham-
mer 1953). On 25 October 1979 R. A. R. and Robert Ridgely found 2 at the north
end of Lago Uru-uru (3700 m), Dpto. Oruro. We observed one along the sandy
shore of the Rio Piray, north of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, on 3 October 1983. These
records represent a substantial southerly range extension.

Sand-coloured nighthawk Chordeiles rupestris. On 12 October 1983 we

observed at least 10 individuals along the Rio Chapare at Villa Tunari, Dpto.
Cochabamba. It was previously known in Bolivia only as far south as Dptos. Beni
and La Paz (Niethammer 1953).

White-throated antpitta Grallaria albigula. This rare species was known

only from 2 specimens collected at Samaipata, Dpto. Santa Cruz (Bond & Meyer
de Schauensee 1942) and 7 specimens from Santo Domingo, Dpto. Puno, Peru
[Bull.Brit.Orn.Cl.1984 104(3)] II2

(Chapman 1923, Bond 1950). On 13-14 October 1983 we heard at least 5 different
individuals between 1575 and 1700 m in humid cloudforest about 52 km by road
west of Villa Tunari, Dpto. Cochabamba. One pair was observed when they
responded to playbacks of their songs, which consisted of 2 mellow whistled
notes, the first shorter and lower-pitched than the second. The birds hopped
about on the ground in and near a narrow ravine well-shaded by a canopy of
epiphyte-laden trees averaging about 10 m in height. The undergrowth, which
contained only small, scattered thickets of Chusquea bamboo, was light to mode-
rately dense.

White-naped xenopsaris Xenopsaris albinucha. On 3 October 1983 we saw

one in the crown of an Acacia tree in cut-over second-growth near the old sewage
ponds on the northeast outskirts of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. This solitary bird
made short upward sallies to glean Acacia leaves and twigs. The species was
previously known to Bolivia only from one specimen collected at Orion, Dpto.
Beni (Gyldenstolpe 1945) and from a record from Chatarona, Dpto. Beni (Meyer
de Schauensee 1966).

Pale-footed swallow Notiochelidon flavipes. Recent records of this little

known species were summarized by Parker & O'Neill (1980) and Parker et al.
(1981). In addition at least 20 were seen over Siberia cloudforest (17 54'S, 64
29'W), Dpto. Santa Cruz, on 18 October 1979 (R. A. R. and Robert Ridgely). We
saw 1-2 groups of 10-15 over Siberia cloudforest at 3000 m, on 8 October 1983;
10+ over Chapare cloudforest at 3200 m, along the new Cochabamba-Villa
Tunari Road, Dpto. Cochabamba, on 11 October 1983; and 4 over Chapare
cloudforest at 2570 m (same road), on 14 October 1983.

Bank swallow Riparia riparia. This migrant from North America has been
reported from Bolivia only in Dpto. Santa Cruz (Meyer de Schauensee 1966). On
3 October 1982 R. A. R. saw one with a flock of Hirundo rustica northeast of
Santa Cruz de la Sierra. We saw one with a group of 10+ H. rustica over a small
pond 8 km east of Montero, on 3 October 1983. 1-2 were also noted with many
Notiochelidon cyanoleuca and several H. rustica over a pond about 1 km north-
west of San Isidro (18 03'S, 64 25'W), Santa Cruz, on 8 October 1983. One was
seen at Lago Uru-Uru, Dpto. Oruro at 3700 m, on 16 October 1983, with an
apparently migrating flock of H. rustica.

Cliff swallow Hirundo pyrrhonota. Remsen & Taylor (1983) reported the
first record of this North American migrant for Bolivia, a specimen collected in
Dpto. Chuquisaca. J. V. Remsen, Jr. had seen this species nearly every day, 23
Nov-5 Dec 1976, from as few as 5 to as many as 200 per day, at Estancia
Inglaterra, along the Rio Yata, Provincia Yacuma, Dpto. Beni; none was seen
there 6-24 December. Remsen had also seen 5 others over Cochabamba city,
Dpto. Cochabamba on 1 November 1976. R. A. R. saw a flock of 30+ about 5 km
south of San Isidro, Dpto. Santa Cruz on 5 October 1982. We observed 2 about 1
km northwest of San Isidro on 9 October 1983. R. A. R. and Robert Ridgely saw
2 at Lago Uru-Uru, Dpto. Oruro, on 25 October 1979; we saw 2 in the same
locality on 16 October 1983. We noted several with a group of H. rustica, H.
andecola, and Notiochelidon cyanoleuca at a small pond about 8 km north of the
city of Oruro on 16 October 1983.
 ii3 [Bull.Brit.Orn.Cl.19S4 104(3)}

The following sight records obtained during our trip were the first for their respective
Departments (J. V. Remsen, Jr., M. A. Traylor, Jr., and Gatson Bejerano, unpubl. data).
Dpto Santa Cruz:- (Santa Cruz city area, 2-5 October 1983). Egretta ibis, Strcptoprocne
zonans, Chaetura brachyura, Chaetura andrei and Passer domesticus; (Tambo School area,
east of Comarapa, 6-S October 1983) Vultur gryphus, Circus cinercus, Geranoaetus melano-
leucus; (Siberia cloudforest, 8—9 October 1983) Columba fasciata, Amazona mcrcenaria,
Aeronautes anciecolus, Ensifera ensifera, Synallaxis axarae, Pscudocolaptcs boissonneautii,
Grallaria erytbrotis, Sntalopus unicolor, Octboeca cinnamomeiventris, Phyllomyias uropy-
gialis, Conirostrum sitticolor and Poospiza crythrophrys. Dpto. Cochabamba:- (Villa Tunari
area, 11-13 October 1983) Sterna superciharis, Forpus xanthopterygius, Myiopagis caniceps,
Tersma viridis; (Chapare cloudforest, between Villa Tunari and Cochabamba) Oroaetus
isidori, Grallaria guatimalcnsis [RAR], Scytalopus umcolor, Scytalopus femoralis. Dpto. La
Paz:- Aeronautes montivagus.
Acknowledgements. We thank the following members of our tour group for making our
Bolivian trip possible and for helping us find and verify many of the records reported above:
Alan and Liz Chambers, Charles and Mary Jane Greene, Norman Hill, Robert Jeffrey,
Hank and Irma McCall, Fred and Naomi Loetscher, Cliff Pollard, Phoebe Snetsinger and
Ed Thayer. We also thank J. V. Remsen, Jr. and Robert Ridgely for allowing us to
incorporate their previously unpublished records.
References:
Blake, E. R. 1977. Manual of Neotropical Birds. Vol. 1. Univ of Chicago Press: Chicago.
Bond, J. 1950. Notes of Peruvian Formicariidae. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 102:
1-26.
Bond, J. & Mever de Schauensee, R. 1942. The Birds of Bolivia. Part 1. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci,
Philadelphia 94: 307-391.
Chapman, F. 1923. Descriptions of proposed new Formicariidae and Dendrocolaptidae.
Amer. Mus. Novit. No. 86.
Gyldenstolpe, N. 1945. A contribution to the ornithology of northern Bolivia. K. Sven.
Yctenskapsakad. Handl. Ser. 3, 23.
Mever de Schauensee, R. 1966. The Species of Birds of South America. Livingston: Narberth,
Pennsylvania.
Niethammer, G. 1953. Zur Vogelwelt Boliviens. Bonn. Zool. Beitr. 4: 195-303.
Parker, T. A. Ill & O'Neill, J. P. 1980. Notes on little known birds of the upper Urubamba
Valley, southern Peru. Auk 97: 167-176.
Parker, T. A., Ill, Remsen, J. V. Jr. & Heindel, J. A. 1980. Seven bird species new to Bolivia.
Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 100: 160-162.
Pearson, D. L. 1975. Range extensions and new records for bird species in Ecuador, Peru,
and Bolivia. Condor yy: 96—99.
Remsen, J. V. Jr. & Ridgely, R. S. 1980. Additions to the avifauna of Bolivia. Condor 82:
69-75.
Remsen, J. V., Jr. & Traylor, M. A. Jr. 1983. Additions to the avifauna of Bolivia, part 2.
Condor 85: 95-98.

Address. Theodore A. Parker, III, Museum of Zoology, Louisana State University, Baton
Rouge, Louisiana 70803-3216, USA; Rose Ann Rowlett, P.O. Box 33008, Austin,
Texas 78764, USA.

(C) British Ornithologists' Club 1984.

Specimens of Calandrella obbiensis and

Sarotbrura ayresi in Milan Museum

by N. J. Collar & C. G. Violani

Received 14 February 1984

Specimens of the Obbia Lark Calandrella obbiensis and White-winged Flufftail

Sarothrura ayresi being rare in collections, we report here on 2 of each that have
recently come to light in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Milan (MSNM).
Parker, Theodore A. and Rowlett, R A. 1984. "Some noteworthy records of
birds from Bolivia." Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 104, 110–113.

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