Entre los países andinos, Perú ha sido objeto del más prolongado y sostenido interés en estudios ornitológicos (Stephens and Traylor, 1983). Estos estudios tuvieron su inicio en el noroeste peruano, más precisamente en Trujillo, gracias al interés y diligencia de un obispo del siglo XVIII, Baltazar Jaime Martínez Compañón y Bujanda, obispo de Trujillo entre 1779 y 1788, que fue muy conocido por su obra social y humanística (Macera, 1997), pero casi desconocido en el campo de las Ciencias Naturales. Sin embargo, fue él quien realizó la primera recopilación sistemática de información sobre las aves peruanas (Franke, 1997).

Celso Hernando De Macedo Ruiz nació en Lima el 16 de marzo de 1925 en la familia formada por don Celso De Macedo Pastor y doña Aurora Ruiz de De Macedo. Fue el mayor de tres hermanos, dos de los cuales, Humfredo y Elia, le sobreviven. Fue nieto del médico Dr. Carlos Molares Macedo, segundo Director del Museo de Historia Natural (1938 a 1946) y también catedrático de Biología General en la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Aguilar 1998b).

Peter Joseph Hocking Weeks, or Pedro Hocking as he was known in Lima, was born in Pucallpa on July 7, 1938 and died in Lima on October 31, 2022. Pedro Hocking did not have a scientific background, but he was recognized as a naturalist for his contributions to the knowledge and documentation of Peruvian birds. Pedro Hocking was part of a generation passionate for biodiversity, for whom each locality visited was a new world that contained unknown species and that did not have field guides or current technological resources to identify in situ those that were already known. It was a time when the collection of specimens was the basic tool to know the biodiversity of a locality and the main activity of the expeditions. Although his main interest was birds, his contributions were not limited to them but included other groups of fauna as well.

Entre los países andinos, Perú ha sido objeto del más prolongado y sostenido interés en estudios ornitológicos (Stephens and Traylor, 1983). Estos estudios tuvieron su inicio en el noroeste peruano, más precisamente en Trujillo, gracias al interés y diligencia de un obispo del siglo XVIII, Baltazar Jaime Martínez Compañón y Bujanda, obispo de Trujillo entre 1779 y 1788, que fue muy conocido por su obra social y humanística (Macera, 1997), pero casi desconocido en el campo de las Ciencias Naturales. Sin embargo, fue él quien realizó la primera recopilación sistemática de información sobre las aves peruanas (Franke, 1997).

Celso Hernando De Macedo Ruiz nació en Lima el 16 de marzo de 1925 en la familia formada por don Celso De Macedo Pastor y doña Aurora Ruiz de De Macedo. Fue el mayor de tres hermanos, dos de los cuales, Humfredo y Elia, le sobreviven. Fue nieto del médico Dr. Carlos Molares Macedo, segundo Director del Museo de Historia Natural (1938 a 1946) y también catedrático de Biología General en la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Aguilar 1998b).

We report observations of albino individuals in three species of Peruvian birds, Great Grebe (Podiceps major), Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) and Bar-winged Cinclodes (Cinclodes fuscus). These were all three mostly white partial albinos, apparently adult birds that showed normal behavior among normal conspecific individuals. Survival after several months was confirmed for the Peruvian Pelican and the Bar-winged Cinclodes. Since published information on albinism in Peruvian birds is very scarce, a revision was made and records for nine other species were compiled and are also presented.

Reportamos observaciones de individuos albinos en tres especies de aves peruanas, el Zambullidor Grande (Podiceps major), el Pelícano peruano (Pelecanus thagus) y el Churrete cordillerano (Cinclodes fuscus). Los individuos eran albinos parciales casi totalmente blancos, aparentemente adultos, que mostraron un comportamiento normal entre sus conespecíficos. La supervivencia después de varios meses pudo ser comprobada para el Pelícano peruano y el Churrete cordillerano. Debido a que la información publicada sobre albinismo en aves peruanas es muy escasa, se realizó una revisión y se recopilaron registros para otras nueve especies que son también presentados.

The relict forests of the west slopes of the Andes of northern Peru and southern Ecuador form part of the Tumbesian Endemic Bird Area (characterized by dry forests) and at higher altitudes the Southern Central Andes Endemic Bird Area (characterized by cloud forests and paramo). The Tumbesian Region is recognized for its high level of endemic birds, many of which are threatened and also for the high level of deforestation and fragmentation of its natural habitats. This article presents an overview of the state of conservation of these birds and forests, with recommendations for improving the conservation of the last forests of the western slope.

The relict forests of the west slopes of the Andes of northern Peru and southern Ecuador form part of the Tumbesian Endemic Bird Area (characterized by dry forests) and at higher altitudes the Southern Central Andes Endemic Bird Area (characterized by cloud forests and paramo). The Tumbesian Region is recognized for its high level of endemic birds, many of which are threatened and also for the high level of deforestation and fragmentation of its natural habitats. This article presents an overview of the state of conservation of these birds and forests, with recommendations for improving the conservation of the last forests of the western slope.

The black-chested fruiteater, Pipreola lubomirskii, is a cotinga reported as rare and of local distribution in the Northern Andes. Before the present report it only had been registered for the eastern slope of Peru and Ecuador, and in the southern Andes of Colombia. The present report extends its distribution to the montane forests of the Pacific slopes of Peruvian Andes, having been found in the cloud forests of the Zaña valley, in the department of Cajamarca (6º50’-6º52’ latitude S, 79º10’-79º07’ longitude W).

The black-chested fruiteater, Pipreola lubomirskii, is a cotinga reported as rare and of local distribution in the Northern Andes. Before the present report it only had been registered for the eastern slope of Peru and Ecuador, and in the southern Andes of Colombia. The present report extends its distribution to the montane forests of the Pacific slopes of Peruvian Andes, having been found in the cloud forests of the Zaña valley, in the department of Cajamarca (6º50’-6º52’ latitude S, 79º10’-79º07’ longitude W).

The Peruvian Plantcutter, Phytotoma raimondii Taczanowski, 1883, is a restricted-range species endemic to coastal northern Peru. Historically its range is given from Tumbes in the extreme north-western Peru, south to the northern part of Lima Department. Although an increasing amount of information on the Peruvian Plantcutter exists, from historical records to new locations, it has remained dispersed, sometimes unverified, not systematized, and largely unpublished. A careful revision of museum collections as well as published and unpublished records results in a total of 53 sites where the species has been recorded and that represent the present knowledge of the distribution of the species.

In this article, we present an update on the conservation statuts of the Peruvian Plantcutter. We find little presence of the species within its distribution area we catalog threats to the remaining populations. From Tumbes to Ancash only six sites have been identified with populations of more than 10 individuals and only three sites where the species is known to reproduce. Results indicate that the current total population is less than 500 individuals. These sites where the species is found contain floral species typical of the Peruvian desert scrub, several of which are threatened. Sites are very small (between 5 to 150 ha), highly fragmented and are under immediate threat of destruction due to agriculture, urban expansion, illegal logging, livestock foraging, and the introduction of exotic plant species.

The Peruvian Plantcutter, Phytotoma raimondii Taczanowski, 1883, is a restricted-range species endemic to coastal northern Peru. Historically its range is given from Tumbes in the extreme north-western Peru, south to the northern part of Lima Department. Although an increasing amount of information on the Peruvian Plantcutter exists, from historical records to new locations, it has remained dispersed, sometimes unverified, not systematized, and largely unpublished. A careful revision of museum collections as well as published and unpublished records results in a total of 53 sites where the species has been recorded and that represent the present knowledge of the distribution of the species.

En este artículo presentamos una actualización del estado de conservación del “cortarramas peruano”, indicando su escasa presencia dentro del área de distribución de la especie y sus amenazas. Desde Tumbes hasta Ancash se han identificado solo seis lugares donde existen poblaciones de más de 10 individuos y tres sitios en los que se reproduce. Los resultados indican que en total la población actual sería inferior a 500 individuos. Estos sitios contienen especies de flora representativa del matorral desértico peruano, varias de las cuales están amenazadas. Los sitios son muy pequeños (entre 5 y 150 ha), están muy fragmentados y se encuentran en inminente peligro de destrucción debido a la expansión urbana y agrícola, tala ilegal, sobre pastoreo e introducción de especies vegetales exóticas.