Biology subjects

Mittermeier, J. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Mittermeier, J. C..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Lost to science for 126 years: Indigenous Knowledge and Camera Trapping Document the Critically Endangered Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon Otidiphaps insularis

We combined questionnaires collecting local ecological knowledge with passive and directed camera trapping and bird surveys to scientifically document the Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon Otidiphaps insularis for the first time since 1896. This species is endemic to Fergusson Island, in eastern Papua New Guinea, and is New Guineas most endangered terrestrial bird species. Indigenous subsistence-based hunters who participated in this research as informants had high levels of local bird knowledge and helped direct camera trapping for one of two successful camera trap captures. Local participants also shared traditional ecological knowledge about the Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon, including legends, chants, and a local name for this taxon, Auwo. The scarcity of observations over the course of a month-long expedition, its obscurity to the majority of local respondents interviewed, and prevalent threats from habitat destruction and introduced alien species further support its current Red List status (CR). Our results provide a case study for leveraging local ecological knowledge in combination with standardized survey techniques and may be an especially effective strategy for determining the status of other undocumented or data-deficient species in the southwest Pacific.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

An ornithological survey of Fergusson Island, D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago, Papua New Guinea, reveals new island records and noteworthy natural history observations

Fergusson Island lies off the southeastern end of New Guinea and is the largest landmass in the DEntrecasteaux and Trobriand Island Endemic Bird Area. We conducted audiovisual and camera trapping surveys in eastern Fergusson in September 2022 and recorded 97 bird species, documenting breeding and vocalizations for several of the EBAs endemic taxa. Notably, we provide the first confirmed documentation of the "lost" insularis subspecies of Pheasant Pigeon Otidiphaps nobilis (often recognized as a distinct species, Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon), in 126 years, observations of eight bird species not previously recorded from Fergusson, and nesting of Goldies Bird-of-Paradise Paradisea decora and the endemic crookshanki taxon of Capped White-eye Zosterops fuscicapilla (or Oya Tabu White-eye). Our new distributional records were mostly either migratory species or species found in open habitats, highlighting the value of surveying across seasons and habitats. We summarise our results and provide comments on distributional records, breeding behaviour, and vocalizations.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Distribution, ecology, and natural history of the recently rediscovered and critically endangered Santa Marta Sabrewing

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is a critically endangered (CR) hummingbird endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Prior to 2022, there were only three documented sightings of the sabrewing since it was described in 1879, including only one record between 1946 and 2022. As a result, this "lost" species has long been one of the most poorly-known birds in Colombia. We located a resident population of Santa Marta Sabrewing along the Guatapuri River near the Chemesquemena and Guatapuri villages in July 2022, and at its type locality, San Jose, in January 2023. Based on historical data and newly-collected field observations, we assess the species status and describe aspects of its natural history and ecology. Our review indicates the species has been frequently misidentified in the past, and that to date, documented evidence of its presence is limited to five localities, almost all of them restricted to the south-eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, along the mid Guatapuri river basin. Consequently, this bird appears to represent a case of microendemism. Following IUCN criteria, our data suggest that Santa Marta Sabrewing should remain listed as CR. Field observations indicate that the species is highly associated with watercourses, where males hold year-round territories and form leks. We obtained records of males in mid-elevation habitats (1,150-1,850 m) for 16 consecutive months between July 2022 and October 2023, suggesting that the species might not be an elevational migrant, as previously speculated. More information is needed to understand the species ecology so that effective conservation actions can be designed in collaboration with the indigenous communities with which the species coexists.

ecology↗