Pearly-breasted Cuckoo Coccyzus euleri is a rare South American forest cuckoo and almost nothing is known concerning its breeding biology. It is considered to be a rare austral migrant in northern South America. In French Guiana, it was first documented in 2009 in Nouragues Nature Reserve. We detail seven new records in northern French Guiana in 2010–15, including a pair breeding. We provide information on the nest, nest site and behaviour. The breeding attempt failed during incubation, presumably due to predation. The new records were obtained in primary or old secondary forests contiguous to the primary forest block, between 9 August and 17 September. Most birds were spontaneously vocalising and strongly reacted to playback. These observations, and other known breeding records, raise questions as to the species' status in northern South America.

Melanism is generally defined as an increase of dark pigment in the plumage, resulting in a blackish appearance. Furthermore, melanism is often associated with mutations of one gene that encodes the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a protein involved in regulating melanin pigmentation. However, there is often no increase of pigment and melanism does not necessarily involve dark pigment alone. Also, many different mutations in many different genes promote melanism, which may explain why it is the commonest colour morph in birds. In the past, melanistic birds were sometimes mistakenly named as new species. Ironically, it now appears that melanistic birds do indeed differ from their normalcoloured conspecifics in more than just colour.

We report the discovery of a resident population of Savannah Sparrows Passerculus sandwichensis wetmorei in grassland on a high plateau of the Sierra Los Cuchumatanes in western Guatemala. We observed a nest containing a nestling, and 11 fledglings of other breeding pairs in July 2016, which represent the first confirmation of the species nesting south-east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, c.700 km from the nearest known breeding locality in central Mexico. We provide the first description of juvenile plumage for this subspecies. Furthermore, we describe the song of P. sandwichensis wetmorei for the first time, which is similar in structure and signal characteristics to that of northern populations. Based on transects, we estimate a population density of 0.7–4.3 adults / ha in the study area, in the Parque Regional Municipal Todos Santos Cuchumatán, which is similar to published data from the USA and Canada. This is the first documentation of P. sandwichensis wetmorei since the type specimens were collected more than 100 years ago.

We conducted an ornithological survey of the Colombian slope of Cerro Tacarcuna, the highland region adjacent to the ‘Darién Gap’ on the Colombia / Panama border, and one of the most poorly known and threatened regions in the world. We present novel data on distribution, habitat, breeding biology and vocalisations for 27 species, including the first confirmed records in Colombia of Ochraceous Wren Troglodytes ochraceus and Beautiful Treerunner Margarornis bellulus, and the first records in the Darién highlands of Black-headed Antthrush Formicarius nigricapillus, Scaly-throated Foliage-gleaner Anabacerthia variegaticeps, Yellow-throated Chlorospingus Chloropingus flavigularis hypophaeus and, based on previously overlooked specimens, report the first confirmed records for Colombia of Sooty-faced Finch Arremon crassirostris. In addition, we collected the first Colombian specimens of Violet-capped Hummingbird Goldmania violiceps, Bareshanked Screech Owl Megascops clarkii, Tacarcuna Tapaculo Scytalopus panamensis and Varied Solitaire Myadestes coloratus. For several subspecies endemic to the region, we collected the first or second specimens for Colombia. Finally, we discuss the elevational ranges of Darién endemic species and subspecies, which are mostly concentrated above 600 m. The Darién highlands remain poorly studied and threats to their conservation are increasing. Therefore, effective measures are needed, particularly in Colombia, where the sole protected area in the region currently covers forests only below 600 m.

Three species, River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis, Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius and Plain Nightjar Caprimulgus inornatus, are further documented as occurring in Djibouti, via observation and specimen records obtained during two brief surveys in 2014 and 2016. Two specimens of River Warbler represent the first records in Djibouti. These reports underscore the need for more detailed and long-term surveys of this ornithologically under-studied part of the Horn of Africa.

Dr William Hughes James (1852–76), commonly known as Dr James, was an American citizen, originally from Virginia, USA. He travelled with William Macleay's Chevert Expedition to New Guinea in 1875, assuming dual roles as the ship's surgeon and as a collector / taxidermist. The expedition collected in northern Queensland, the Torres Strait Islands and New Guinea. At the conclusion of the expedition Dr James returned to New Guinea and continued collecting, and while doing so he was murdered by natives. While many of his specimens were never recorded against his name, at least 99 birds, three mammals and some invertebrates were. They are now in the Natural History Museum, Tring, and the Macleay Museum, Univ. of Sydney. Very little has ever been published about Dr James despite his participation in an important and historic international expedition. This paper presents what is known based on published and unpublished sources.