| Summary: | <div>We present significant new information on the distribution and status of 138 species</div><div>of birds from the Andean East Slope of Colombia, based upon fieldwork between</div><div>1990 and 2000 at 28 sites from central Dpto. Boyacá south to the Ecuador border.</div><div>The first Colombian specimens of two species (Campylopterus villaviscensio, Napo</div><div>Sabrewing; Myrmotherula spodionota, Foothill Antwren) are reported. Three other</div><div>taxa (Ocreatus underwoodii addae, Piculus leucolaemus leucolaemus and</div><div>Myiophobus p. phoenicomitra), the first two sometimes considered species distinct</div><div>from known Colombian forms, represent first reports from Colombia based upon</div><div>sightings or photographs; we add several more sightings of two species (Pipreola</div><div>chlorolepidota, Iridisornis analis) previously known from single sight records. In</div><div>all, we report 35 species from the Andean East Slope of Colombia for the first time,</div><div>southward range extensions on this slope for 47 species, northward extensions for</div><div>21, upward or downward altitudinal extensions for 19, filling in of major discontinuities</div><div>in distribution for 22; for ten of the latter, known from very few reports, new information</div><div>indicates a continuous distribution and far greater abundance than previously</div><div>supposed. Range extensions and previously undiscovered populations of several</div><div>restricted-range, Vulnerable, Near-threatened and Threatened species help to</div><div>emphasize the importance of implementing conservation measures in the face of the increasing colonization pressures and insecurity. Based on our observations, we</div><div>present several recommendations for setting conservation priorities in this rich but</div><div>still relatively poorly known region.</div>
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