Not only has Nicaragua been largely overlooked in studies of avian distribution and ecology, general information on species richness is scarce and often outdated. Countrywide species lists range from 644 to 695 10,20 , much lower than for neighbouring countries 13,27 . A recent study added three new country records, Green Ibis Mesembrinibis cayennensis, Purple-throated Fruitcrow Querula purpurata and Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus, and made important distributional records of several species 31 . In addition, Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii was reported for the first time in Nicaragua, when 41 individuals were sighted on southbound migration in 2001 and 19 individuals in 2002, along with incidental observations of Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus 4 . During habitat surveys in several areas of Nicaragua, we confirmed ten species not previously reported in the peer-reviewed literature. In addition, we report nine sightings of a species whose current range is reported as Costa Rica south to eastern Brazil. All locations mentioned are included in Fig. 1. Elevations are stated as metres above sea level. We cite observers by their initials, and the initials of observers other than the authors are given in the Acknowledgements. Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor There are no published reports from Nicaragua (though see Zolotoff & Lezama 33 ). The species is common, even abundant, at several localities. D. bicolor even appears in a species list posted at www.bio-nica.org/Biblioteca/BibliAves.htm (Kjelden, October 2005). We made several observa- tions at Lake Moyuá in central Nicaragua: five, 13 March 1998 (JKM, JU); five, roosting near ten Black-bellied Whistling Ducks Dendrocygna autumnalis and c.30 Neotropic Cormorants Phalacrocorax brasilianus, 11 September 1999 (LJL, JKM); more than 1,500 during a survey of the lake and Tecomapa, Charco and Playitas, other Cotinga 29 102 New avian sight records for Nicaragua, with notes on abundance, distribution and habitat use Jeffrey K. McCrary, Wayne J. Arendt, Salvadora Morales, Joseph T. Arengi and Lorenzo J. López Received 25 July 2006; final revision accepted 15 February 2007 Cotinga 29 (2008): 102–107 Reportamos diez nuevas especies de aves para Nicaragua que no habían sido publicadas en revistas de revisión científica. Para algunas especies contamos con evidencia fotográfica: Dendrocygna bicolor, Sula granti, Limnodromus scolopaceus, Charadrius wilsonia, C. alexandrinus, Limosa fedoa, Calidris alba, C. bairdii, Larus delawarensis y Tangara gyrola. También estamos registrando observaciones adicionales de Conopias albovittatus, la expansión del rango de distribución más al norte de Tangara gyrola y la expansión del rango sur de distribución invernal de Limnodromus scolapaceus. La información acerca de la distribución de las aves de Nicaragua continua siendo deficiente, incluso registros de varias especies que probablemente se han registrado en el país no han sido publicados. Figure 1. Map of Nicaragua depicting locations cited in the text, with elevations in metres. (1) Cosiguina and Los Farallones (13°06’N 87°40’W; 0 m); (2) Lake Moyuá and associated lakes (12°36’N, 86°03’W; 450 m); (3) Marina Chiltepe (12°12’N 86°17’W; 45 m); (4) Granada wetlands (12°00’N 85°53’W; 35 m); (5) Sébaco (12°36’N 86°03’W; 450 m); (6) Mateare wetlands (12°14’N 86°23’W; 45 m); (7) río La Palma, Los Guatusos (11°03’N 84°54’W; 35 m); (8) Chacocente (11°33’N 86°09’W; 0 m); (9) Padre Ramos estuary (12°47’N 87°29’W; 40 m); (10) Puerto Momotombo (12°25’N 86°34’W; 45 m); (11) Lake Xiloá (12°14’N 86°20’W; 55 m); (12) San Miguelito (11°25’N 84°54’W; 35 m); (13) km 51 Puerto Cabezas–Siuna highway (14°06’N 83°51’W; 50 m); (14) Mombachito (12°25’N 85°36’W; 866 m); (15) Rama (6 km west) (12°11’N 84°20’W; 50 m); (15) El Jaguar (13°22’N 86°00’W; 1,350 m); (16) Finca Lindos Ojos (13°06’N 86°11’W; 1,100 m); (17) El Rosario–Murra (13°44’N 86°01’W; 900 m); (18) Wawa Bar (13°54’N 83°27’W; 0 m). Cotinga29-080304.qxp 3/4/2008 10:50 AM Page 102