A NEW SPECIES OF SMOKY HONEYEATER (MELIPHAGIDAE: MELIPOTES) FROM WESTERN NEW GUINEA

Auk, The, Jul 2007 by Beehler, Bruce M, Prawiradilaga, Dewi M, de Fretes, Yance, Kemp, Neville

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Given that we conducted surveys over relatively limited elevational spans (100-900 m and 1,150-1,850 m, with attention primarily focused at 100, 350, and 1,650 m) and in only one part of the range, we believe that further field work may reveal additional exciting ornithological discoveries in the Fojas. It is apparent from Diamond's work and ours that the end of the calendar year is the nonbreeding "quiet" season for birds. Field work undertaken in August-September may thus encounter more avian song and breeding activity and potentially reveal certain retiring species that have been overlooked by Diamond and us.

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Our field work in the Foja Mountains further validates Diamond's (1985) suggestion that these mountains represent a significant biodiversity resource that merits large-scale conservation. The Fojas are currently designated as a wildlife sanctuary (suaka margasatwa), but this remains in essence a "paper park." We suggest that the entire mountain range merits a management plan and that additional research should be invested in delineating the distribution of all globally restricted-range species inhabiting the Fojas. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, Conservation International is working with indigenous forest-dwelling communities inhabiting the fringes of the Fojas to delineate a long-term comanagement plan for this important forest block. We believe that these communities are the local stewards of one of New Guinea's most remarkable natural resources.

Acknowledgments

We thank the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), the Local Forestry Offices (BKSDA) in Papua, the Department of Forests, Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation, and the Ministry of Interior, for permission to conduct fieldwork in Indonesian New Guinea. We gratefully thank D. Darnaedi, Director of the Research Center for Biology of LIPI, for his strong support of the scientific collaboration between the Conservation International team and his Indonesian scientific team. We thank Conservation International Indonesia for abundant assistance and support of our field expedition, especially J. Supriatna, I. Budiningrum, and the Mamberamo field team. Our field work in the Foja Mountains could not have proceeded without the hospitality and partnership of the people of Kwerba and Papasena villages, especially P. I. Tawani and P. T. Kawena. HeliMission made its helicopter available to us, without which our montane survey could not have taken place. We salute S. Richards, co-leader of this expedition, for all that he did to ensure its success. We thank R. C. Banks, J. M. Diamond, K. Helgen, M. LeCroy, R. Pasquier, P. Rasmussen, D. Wilcove, and two anonymous reviewers for technical and editorial suggestions that improved this paper. The project was generously supported by grants from the Swift Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the National Geographic Society, and the Global Environment Project Institute.

LITERATURE CITED

BEEHLER, B. M., T. K. PRATT, AND D. A. ZIMMERMAN. 1986. Birds of New Guinea. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

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A NEW SPECIES OF SMOKY HONEYEATER (MELIPHAGIDAE: MELIPOTES) FROM WESTERN NEW GUINEA

Auk, The, Jul 2007 by Beehler, Bruce M, Prawiradilaga, Dewi M, de Fretes, Yance, Kemp, Neville

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