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| The Indonesian island of Flores hosts a remarkable avifauna that is
both highly endemic and highly threatened. Nevertheless, basic knowledge of
these birds is incomplete. Here we present new distributional information for 18
of the island’s bird species obtained during 2011; these include endemics such as
Leaf Lorikeet Trichoglossus weberi and rarely recorded residents like Oriental Dwarf
Kingfisher Ceyx erithaca. Our records of all Flores endemics are summarised, and we
present new information on the habitat tolerance of two additional range-restricted
species. Most significant is the discovery of the little-known and Endangered Flores
Scops Owl Otus alfredi at three new localities in the hills of far-western Flores, more
than doubling the known altitudinal range of this endemic, which was previously
considered to be strictly montane. We report new information regarding the owl’s
habitat preferences, vocalisations and sympatric occurrence with the other two
Otus scops owls on Flores. | |
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