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Recent studies have shown the importance of Myanmar for the conservation of three 'Critically Endangered' vulture populations. From November 2022 to March 2023, we carried out rapid surveys on vulture nests and nesting tree characteristics in Ke Hsi Township, Shan Highlands. We recorded 10 nests of White-rumped Vultures, Gyps bengalensis, on five nesting trees from four different localities. Six nests were active, and six nestlings were observed; four nests were inactive or abandoned. Most of the nests were recorded on Ficus spp. and the mean nest height was 13.6 m (SD ± 4.1) above ground. This represents the first confirmed record of the breeding success of Whiterumped Vultures from Shan Highlands and confirms the ongoing presence of the species in Shan States. The population of G. bengalensis in Shan Highlands is small, but the confirmed breeding is significant in the wider context for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hkakabo Razi Landscape, in northern Kachin, Myanmar, is one of the largest remaining tracts of intact forest in South-east Asia. In 2016, we undertook a survey in its southern margins to assess bat diversity, distribution and ecology and evaluate the importance of the area for global bat conservation. Two collecting trips had taken place in the area in 1931 and 1933, with four bat species reported. We recorded 35 species, 18 of which are new for Kachin. One species, Murina hkakaboraziensis, was new to science and three, Megaerops niphanae, Phoniscus jagorii, Murina pluvialis, were new records for Myanmar. Our findings indicate high bat diversity in Hkakabo Razi; although it comprises only 1.7% of Myanmar's land area, it is home to 33.6% of its known bat species. This emphasizes Hkakabo Razi's importance for conserving increasingly threatened, forest-interior bats, especially in the families Kerivoulinae and Murininae. There is also a high diversity of other mammals and birds within the Hkakabo Razi Landscape, which supports its nomination as a World Heritage Site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the ornithology in northern Myanmar using Kachin State as geographic reference. The authors of the study conducted a search on ornithological literature regarding northern Myanmar using various hard-copy and online bibliographic databases, searched for major museum records, and sought the help of museum curators. Results identified several important geographic areas including Chimili pass, central Kichin, and the Hponkan Razi Wildlife Sanctuary.

The article presents a study which aims to make a basic inventory of the birds in the Hkakabo Razi region, Myanmar. The study's authors conducted five explorations in the area and used observation, mist netting, and selective specimen collection and preservation to gather information on the birds in the region. The study's authors identified 413 species of birds and identified a new species of scimitar-babbler, Jabouilleia Naungmungensis and a new subspecies of Tesia olivea.

The article discusses a study which describes three muscicapid species in first basic plumage discovered at Naung Mung in the Putao district of Kachin State, Myanmar. The specimens were obtained using mist netting in an expedition of the study's authors in September 2005. Results show that these specimens were immature members of white-tailed robin (myiomela leucura), large blue flycatcher (cyornis magnirostris), and rufous-gorgeted flycatcher (ficedula strophiata).

The article presents a study which explores on the observations of the Naung Mung Scimitar-Babbler, Jabouilleia naungmungensis, in Myanmar. It mentions that researchers surveys the bird visually, with mist-nets, and after obtaining a tape recording of the song of birds through microphones and netted the birds with four-shelf nylon nets. As a result of the study, researchers collected additional two individuals of Jabouilleia naungmungensis, one of which is male from the same locality near Naung Mung and the other is of unknown sex captured near U Ring Ga.

We classified land cover in the Northern Forest Complex in Myanmar using satellite imagery (MODIS/NDVI) and field surveys carried out in 2001, 2004 and 2005. Using Landsat TM/ETM+ images from 1991 and 1999 we determined deforestation rates. The c. 22,000 km² Northern Forest Complex, including the Hkakabo Razi National Park in northern Kachin State, is characterized by tropical to subtropical pristine forests with low human impact. The area studied, which includes land beyond the boundaries of Hkakabo Razi National Park, is of special conservation importance because it provides a refuge for many rare plant and animal species. Less than 1.4% of the area is affected by humans (excluding hunting) and deforestation rates are low at <0.01% annually. We observed several bird and mammal species that are considered threatened elsewhere. Based on our data, those of previous surveys, and the fact that >10 new vertebrate species have been described in the region since 1999, it is likely there are still undescribed vertebrate species to be discovered. We recommend extending the boundaries of Hkakabo Razi National Park to the south and west, connecting it to Hpongkan Razi Wildlife Sanctuary, and/or adding an additional sanctuary in the Naung Mung area, to protect the vast yet still pristine rainforest habitats that are home to many of the most important aspects of the region's biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian malaria and related haemosporidians (genera Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon) infect most clades of bird. Although these parasites are present in almost all continents, they have been irregularly studied across different geographical regions. Despite the high bird diversity in Asia, the diversity of avian haemosporidians in this region is largely unknown. Moreover, anthropogenic changes to habitats in tropical regions may have a profound impact on the overall composition of haemosporidian communities. Here we analyzed the diversity and host association of bird haemosporidians from areas with different degrees of anthropogenic disturbance in Myanmar, revealing an unexplored diversity of these parasites (27% of newly-discovered haemosporidian lineages, and 64% of new records of host–parasite assemblages) in these tropical environments. This newly discovered diversity will be valuable for detecting host range and transmission areas of haemosporidian parasites. We also found slightly higher haemosporidian prevalence and diversity in birds from paddy fields than in individuals from urban areas and hills, thus implying that human alteration of natural environments may affect the dynamics of vector-borne diseases. These outcomes provide valuable insights for biodiversity conservation management in threatened tropical ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]