Niels Krabbe

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  Niels K. Krabbe with chick of Imperial Snipe

Niels Kaare Krabbe (born 1 July 1951) is an ornithologist and bird conservationist for many years based at the Vertebrate Department of the Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen and tutored by Jon Fjeldså. His research interests include various aspects of ornithology, especially bioacoustics, conservation, and systematics and altitudinal replacements of Scytalopus tapaculos. He has spent many years in the Andes, especially Ecuador, and wrote the passerine section of Birds of the High Andes (1990) and the accounts of most Andean species in Threatened Birds of the Americas (1992). Since 1998 he has worked with Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco on conservation of Ecuadorian birds, paying special attention to the Pale-headed Brush-Finch (Atlapetes pallidiceps), for which he had searched for several years, finally finding a small population of in 1998. The species was then on the verge of extinction with only 10-22 pairs remaining, but owing to conservation efforts, it is now recuperating, with ca. 100 pairs counted since 2009, when the reserve became saturated with territories. He has authored or coauthored several bioacoustic publications and peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.

Bird species described by or with Niels Krabbe

• Choco tapaculo (Scytalopus chocoensis) (1997)
• Chusquea tapaculo (Scytalopus parkeri) (1997)
• Ecuadorian tapaculo or El Oro Tapaculo (Scytalopus robbinsi) (1997)
• Jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria ridgelyi) (1999)
• Brown-backed antwren or Yasuni Antwren (Myrmotherula fjeldsaai) (1999)
• Foothill elaenia (Myiopagis olallae) (2001)
• Magdalena tapaculo (Scytalopus rodriguezi) (2005)
• Stiles's tapaculo (Scytalopus stilesi) (2005)

Bird subspecies described by or with Niels Krabbe

• Slender-billed miner (Geositta tenuirostris kalimayae) (1992)
• Black-striped sparrow (Arremonops conirostris pastazae) (2008)
• Paramo tapaculo (Scytalopus opacus androstictus) (2010)
• Amazilia hummingbird (Amazilia amazilia azuay) (2010)
• Koepcke's screech-owl (Megascops koepckeae hockingi) (2012)

Some ornithological taxonomic changes by or with Niels Krabbe

• Andean Siskin (Sporagra spinescens capitanea) (1994)
• Trilling tapaculo (Scytalopus parvirostris) (1997)
• Long-tailed tapaculo (Scytalopus micropterus) (1997)
• Bolivian white-crowned tapaculo (Scytalopus bolivianus) (1997)
• Northern white-crowned tapaculo (Scytalopus atratus) (1997)
• Santa Marta tapaculo (Scytalopus sanctaemartae) (1997)
• Chiriqui tapaculo (Scytalopus chiriquensis) (1997)
• Nariño tapaculo (Scytalopus vicinior) (1997)
• Mérida tapaculo (Scytalopus meridanus) (1997)
• Caracas tapaculo (Scytalopus caracae) (1997)
• Spillmann's tapaculo (Scytalopus spillmanni) (1997)
• White-browed tapaculo (Scytalopus superciliaris) (1997)
• Zimmer's tapaculo (Scytalopus zimmeri) (1997)
• Puna tapaculo (Scytalopus simonsi) (1997)
• Vilcabamba tapaculo (Scytalopus urubambae) (1997)
• Neblina tapaculo (Scytalopus altirostris) (1997)
• Ancash tapaculo (Scytalopus affinis) (1997)
• Paramillo tapaculo (Scytalopus canus) (1997)
• Pale-bellied tapaculo (Scytalopus griseicollis) (1997)
• Dusky tapaculo (Scytalopus fuscus) (1997)
• Tschudi's tapaculo (Scytalopus acutirostris) (1997)
• Blackish tapaculo (Scytalopus latrans) (2001)
• Kalinowski's tinamou (Nothoprocta kalinowskii) (2005)
• Dusky starfrontlet (Coeligena orina) (2005)
• Rufous-vented whitetip (Urosticte ruficrissa) (2006)
• Santa Marta foliage-gleaner (Clibanornis rufipectus (2008)
• Paramo tapaculo (Scytalopus opacus) (2010)
• Riparian antbird (Cercomacra fuscicauda) (2014)
• Taczanowski's brush-finch (Atlapetes taczanowskii) (2015)
• Chocó brush-finch (Atlapetes crassus) (2015)

Publications authored or coauthored by Niels Krabbe

Books:

Fjeldså, J. & Krabbe, N. 1990. Birds of the high Andes. Copenhagen: Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen, and Svendborg, Denmark: Apollo Books.

Collar, N. J., Gonzaga, L. P., Krabbe, N., Madroño Nieto, A., Naranjo, L. G., Parker III, T. A. & Wege, D. C. 1992. Threatened birds of the Americas. Cambridge, U.K.: International Council for Bird Preservation.

Krabbe, N. K. & Schulenberg, T. S. 2003. Families Formicariidae (ground antbirds) and Rhinocryptidae (tapaculos). Pp. 682 – 731 and 748 – 787 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott and D. Christie, eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 8. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions.

Bioacoustic publications:

Krabbe, N., Barnett, J. M., Sureda, A. L. & Lacci, A. 2001. Sonidos de Aves de Calilegua. [Audio cassette and booklet]. Buenos Aires: Literature of Latin America.

Krabbe, N., Moore, J. V., Coopmans, P., Lysinger, M. & Ridgely, R. S. 2001. Birds of the Ecuadorian Highlands. [4 Audio CDs with 2 booklets]. San, José, California, U.S.A.: John V. Moore Nature Recordings.

Jahn, O., Moore, J. V., Valenzuela, P. M., Krabbe, N., Coopmans, P., Lysinger, M. & Ridgely, R. S. 2002. The birds of northwest Ecuador. Vol II. [2 Audio CDs with booklet]. San, José, California, U.S.A.: John V. Moore Nature Recordings.

Krabbe, N. & Nilsson, J. 2003. Birds of Ecuador. Sounds and Photographs. [DVD-ROM]. Westernieland, The Netherlands: Bird Songs International.

Coopmans, P., Moore, J. V., Krabbe, N., Jahn, O., Berg, K. S., Lysinger, M., Navarrete, L. & Ridgely, R. S. 2004. The birds of southwest Ecuador. [5 Audio CDs with booklet]. San, José, California, U.S.A.: John V. Moore Nature Recordings.

Lysinger, M., Moore, J. V., Krabbe, N., Coopmans, P. Lane, D. F., Navarrete, L., Nilsson, J. & Ridgely, R. S. 2005. The birds of eastern Ecuador: the foothills and lower subtropics. [5 Audio CDs with booklet]. San, José, California, U.S.A.: John V. Moore Nature Recordings.

Krabbe, N. 2008. The Birds of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (2 CD set). San, José, California, U.S.A.: John V. Moore Nature Recordings.

Jahn, O., Moore, J. V., Krabbe, N., Mena Valenzuela, P. Coopmans, P. Lysinger, M., Navarrete, L., Nilsson, J. & R. S. Ridgely. 2008. The birds of northwest Ecuador. 2nd edition. [1 DVD, 1 CD and booklet]. San, José, California, U.S.A.: John V. Moore Nature Recordings.

Moore, J. V., Krabbe, N. & O. Jahn. 2013. Bird sounds of Ecuador, a comprehensive collection. [1 DVD]. San, José, California, U.S.A.: John V. Moore Nature Recordings.

Peer-reviewed papers:

Krabbe, N. 1984. An additional specimen of the Swallow-tailed Cotinga Phibalura flavirostris boliviana. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 104: 68-69.

Fjeldså, J. & Krabbe, N. 1986. Some range extensions and other unusual records of Andean birds. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 106: 115-124.

Fjeldså, J., Krabbe, N. & Ridgely, R. S. 1987. Great Green Macaw Ara ambigua collected in northwest Ecuador, with taxonomic comments on Ara militaris. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 107: 28-31.

Fjeldså, J., Krabbe, N. & Parker, III, T. A. 1987. Rediscovery of Cinclodes excelsior aricomae and notes on the nominate race. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 107: 112-114.

Fjeldså, J. & Krabbe N. 1989. An unpublished major collection of birds from the Bolivian highlands. Zool. Scripta 18: 321-329.

Krabbe, N. 1992. A new subspecies of the Slender-billed Miner Geositta tenuirostris (Furnariidae) from Ecuador. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 112: 166-169.

Krabbe, N. 1992. Notes on distribution and natural history of some poorly known Ecuadorean birds. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 112: 169-174.

Robbins, M. B., Krabbe, N., Rosenberg, G. H. & Sornoza Molina, F. 1994. The treeline avifauna at Cerro Mongus, Prov. Carchi, northeastern Ecuador. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 145: 209-216.

Krabbe, N. & Sornoza Molina, F. 1994. Avifaunistic results of a subtropical camp in the Cordillera del Condor, southeastern Ecuador. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 114: 55-61.

Robbins, M. B., Krabbe, N., Ridgely, R. S. & Sornoza Molina, F. 1994. Notes on the natural history of the Crescent-faced Antpitta. Wilson Bulletin 106: 169-173.

Robbins, M. B., Krabbe, N., Rosenberg, G. H. & Sornoza Molina, F. 1994. Geographical variation in the Andean Siskin (Carduelis spinescens), with comments on its status in Ecuador. Ornitologia Neotropical 5: 61-63.

Best, B. J., Krabbe, N., Clarke, C. T. & Best, A. L. 1995. Red-masked Parakeet Aratinga erythrogenys and Grey-cheeked Parakeet Brotogeris pyrrhopterus: two threatened parrots from Tumbesian Ecuador and Peru? Bird Conservation International 5: 233-250.

Poulsen, B. O. & Krabbe, N. 1997. The diversity of cloud forest birds on the eastern and western slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes: a latitudinal and comparative analysis with implications for conservation. Ecography 20: 475-482.

Poulsen, B. O. & Krabbe, N. 1997. Avian rarity in ten cloud-forest communities in the Andes of Ecuador: implications for conservation. Biodiversity and Conservation 6: 1365-1375.

Poulsen, B. O., Krabbe, N., Frølander, A., Hinojosa, M. B. & Quiroga, C. O. 1997. A rapid assessment of Bolivian and Ecuadorian montane avifaunas using 20-species lists: efficiency. Biases and data gathered. Bird Conservation International 7: 53-67.

Poulsen. B. O., Krabbe, N., Frølander, A., Hinojosa, M. B. & Quiroga, C. O. 1997. A note on 20-species lists. Bird Conservation International 7: 293.

Krabbe, N. & Schulenberg, T. S. 1997. Species limits and natural history of Scytalopus tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae), with descriptions of the Ecuadorian taxa, including three new species. Pp. 46-88 in Remsen, J. V. [Ed.] Studies in Neotropical ornithology honoring Ted Parker. Ornithological Monographs 48.

Krabbe, N., Poulsen, B. O., Frølander, A. & Rodríguez, O. 1997. Range extensions of cloud forest birds from the high Andes of Ecuador: new sites for rare or little-recorded species. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 117: 248-256.

Poulsen, B. O. & Krabbe, N. 1998. Avifaunal diversity of five high-altitude cloud forests on the Andean western slope of Ecuador: testing a rapid assessment method. J. Biogeogr. 25: 83-93.

Krabbe, N., Isler, M. L., Isler, P. R., Whitney, B. M., Alvarez Alonso, J. & Greenfield, P. J. 1999. A new species in the Myrmotherula haematonota superspecies (Aves; Thamnophilidae) from the western Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador and Peru. Wilson Bulletin 111: 157-165.

Krabbe, N., Agro, D. J., Rice, N., Jácome, M., Navarrete, L. & Sornoza, F. 1999. A new species of antpitta (Formicariidae: Grallaria) from southern Ecuadorian Andes. Auk 116: 882-890.

Krabbe, N. 2000. Rediscovery of Asthenes wyatti azuay (Chapman 1923) with notes on its plumage variation and taxonomy of the Asthenes anthoides superspecies. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 120: 149-153.

Krabbe, N. & Coopmans, P. 2000. Rediscovery of Grallaria alleni (Formicariidae) with notes on its range, song and identification. Ibis 142: 183-187.

Coopmans, P. & Krabbe, N. (2000) A new species of flycatcher (Tyrannidae: Myiopagis) from eastern Ecuador and eastern Peru. Wilson Bulletin 112: 305-312.

Coopmans, P., Krabbe, N. & Schulenberg, T. S. 2001. Vocal evidence of species rank for nominate Unicolored Tapaculo Scytalopus unicolor. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 121: 208-213.

Krabbe, N. 2004. Pale-headed Brush-finch Atlapetes pallidiceps: notes on population size, habitat, vocalizations, feeding, interference competition, and conservation. Bird Conservation International 14: 77-86.

Krabbe, N. 2004. A record of Pale-legged Hornero (Furnarius leucopus) from Ecuador. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 124: 226-227.

Cuervo, A. M., Cadena, C. D., Krabbe, N. & Renjifo, L. M. 2005. Scytalopus stilesi, a new species of tapaculo (Rhinocryptidae) from the Cordillera Central of Colombia. Auk 122: 445-463.

Krabbe, N., Salaman, P., Cortés, A., Quevedo, A., Ortega, L. A. & Cadena, D. 2005. A new species of Scytalopus Tapaculo from the upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 125: 93-108.

Krabbe, N., Florez, P., Suárez, G., Castaño, J., Arango, J. D., Pulgarín, P., Munera, W. A. Stiles, F. G. & Salaman, P. 2005. Rediscovery of the Dusky Starfrontlet Coeligena orina, with a description of the adult plumages and a reassessment of its taxonomic status. Ornitología Colombiana 3: 28-35.

Krabbe, N. & Schulenberg, T. S. 2005. A mystery solved: the identity and distribution of Kalinowski’s Tinamou Nothoprocta kalinowskii. Bulletin British Ornithologists' Club 125: 253-260.

Stiles, F. G., Krabbe, N. K. & Schulenberg, T. S. (2006) Species limits in the genus Urosticte (Trochilidae). Ornitología Colombiana 4: 49-53.

Krabbe, N., Florez, P., Suárez, G., Castaño, J., Arango, D. & Duque, A. (2006). The birds of Páramo de Frontino, Western Andes of Colombia. Ornitología Colombiana 4: 37-48.

Greeney, H. F., Gelis, R. A., Dingle, C., Vaca B., F. J., Krabbe, N. And Tidwell, M. 2006. The nest and eggs of the Plain-backed Antpitta (Grallaria haplonota) from eastern Ecuador. Ornitología Neotropical 17: 601-604.

Cadena, C. D., López-Lanús, B., Bates, J. M., Krabbe, N., Rice, N. H., Stiles, F. G., Palacio, J. D. & Salaman, P. 2007. A rare case of interspecific hybridization in the tracheophone suboscines: Chestnut-naped Antpitta Grallaria nuchalis x Chestnut-crowned Antpitta Grallaria ruficapilla in a fragmented Andean landscape. Ibis 149: 814-825.

Krabbe, N. 2007. Birds collected by P. W. Lund and J. T. Reinhardt in south-eastern Brazil between 1825 and 1855, with notes on P. W. Lund’s travels in Rio de Janeiro. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 15: 331-357.

Krabbe, N. & Stejskal, D. J. 2008. A new subspecies of Black-striped Sparrow Arremonops conirostris from south-eastern Ecuador. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 128: 126-130.

Krabbe, N. 2008. Vocal evidence for restitution of species rank to a Santa Marta endemic: Automolus rufipectus Bangs (Furnariidae), with comments on its generic affinities. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 128: 219-227.

Krabbe, N. 2009. A significant northward range extension of Munchique Wood-Wren (Henicorhina negreti) in the Western Andes of Colombia. Ornitología Colombiana 8: 76-77.

Krabbe, N., Sureda, A. L. and Canelo, R. 2009. First documented record of Andean Parakeet Bolborhynchus orbygnesius in Argentina, roosting communally in a stick nest. Horenero 24(2): 95-98.

Danielsen, F., Filardi, C. E., Jønsson, K. A., Kohaia, V., Krabbe, N., Kristensen, J. B., Moyle, R. G., Pikacha, P., Poulsen, M. K., Sørensen, M. K., Tatahu, C. Waihuru, J., and Fjeldså, J. 2010. Endemic avifaunal biodiversity and tropical forest loss in Makira, a mountainous Pacific island. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography 31(1): 100-114.

Krabbe, N. and Cadena, C. D. 2010. A taxonomic revision of the Paramo Tapaculo Scytalopus canus Chapman (Aves: Rhinocryptidae), with description of a new subspecies from Ecuador and Peru. Zootaxa 2354: 56-66.

Krabbe, N. & R. S. Ridgely. 2010. A new subspecies of Amazilia Hummingbird Amazilia amazilia from southern Ecuador. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 130 (1): 3-7.

Krabbe, N., Juiña, M. & A. F. Sornoza. 2011. Marked population increase in Pale-headed Brush-finch Atlapetes pallidiceps in response to cowbird control. J. Ornithol. 152: 219-222.

Fjeldså, J., Baiker, J., Engblom, G., Franke, I., Geale, D., Krabbe, N. K., Lane, D. F., Lezama, M., Schmitt, F., Williams, R. S. R., Ugarte-Núñez, J., Yábar, V. & R. Yábar. 2012. Reappraisal of Koepcke’s Screech Owl Megascops koepckeae and description of a new subspecies. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 132: 180-193.

Mayer S., Coopmans, P., Krabbe, N. & M. L. Isler. 2014. Vocal evidence for species rank to Cercomacra nigrescens fuscicauda J. T. Zimmer. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 134: 145-154.

Sánchez-González, L. A., Navarro-Sigüenza, A. G., Krabbe, N. K., Fjeldså, J. & García-Moreno, J. 2015. Diversification in the Andes: the Atlapetes brush-finches. Zoologica Scripta 44: 135-152.

Other publications include:

Krabbe, N. 1983. Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) seen on migration in Israel. Ornithological Society of the Middle East Bulletin 10: 13.

Krabbe, N. 1991. Avifauna of the températe zone of the Ecuadorian Andes. Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen. Technical report.

Best, B. J. & Krabbe, N. 1993. A review of the status and conservation of the Rufous-headed Chachalaca. The World Pheasant Assoc. Journal XVII & XVIII: 45-56.

Krabbe, N. 1993. Papageien in Ekuador. Papageien 1: 23-25.

Krabbe, N., Braun, M. J., Jácome, M., Robbins, M. B., Schjørring, S. & Sornoza, F. 1994. Black-breasted Puffleg found: extant but seriously threatened. Cotinga 1: 8-9.

Krabbe, N. 1994 The White-tailed Shrike-tyrant, an extinction prone species? Cotinga 1: 33-34.

Krabbe, N., DeSmet, G., Greenfield, P., Jácome, M., Matheus, J. C. & Sornoza Molina, F. 1994. Giant Antpitta. Cotinga 2: 32-34.

Krabbe, N. 1994. Ayuda para los que anidan en huecos. Boletín SAO (Socidad Antioqueña de Ornitología) 5: 11-12.

Krabbe, N. & Sornoza Molina, F. 1996. The last Yellow-eared Parrots in Ecuador? Cotinga 6: 25-26.

Krabbe, N. 1996. Conservación de Aves en el Ecuador. Avifauna (Boletín de la Fundación Ornitológica del Ecuador) 3: 10-12.

Krabbe, N., Poulsen, B. O., Frølander, A. & Rodríguez, O. 1996. New observations of White-tailed Shrike-tyrant Agriornis andicola in southern Ecuador. Cotinga 6: 27-28.

Poulsen, B. O. & Krabbe, N. 1997. Bird diversity. Pp. 69-73 in DIVA: Oyacachi - people and biodiversity. Centre for Research on Cultural and Biological Diversity of Andean Rainforests (DIVA), 120 pp. - DIVA, Techn. Report no. 2.

Fjeldså, J. & Krabbe, N. 1997. The effect of forest disturbance on the bird community. Pp. 74-79 in DIVA: Oyacachi - people and biodiversity. Centre for Research on Cultural and Biological Diversity of Andean Rainforests (DIVA), 120 pp. - DIVA, Techn. Report no. 2.

Poulsen, B. O. & Krabbe, N. 1997. Ecotourism. Pp. 85-88 in DIVA: Oyacachi - people and biodiversity. Centre for Research on Cultural and Biological Diversity of Andean Rainforests (DIVA), 120 pp. - DIVA, Techn. Report no. 2.

Krabbe, N., Skov, F., Fjeldså, J. & Krag Petersen, I. 1998. Avian diversity in the Ecuadorian Andes. Centre for Research on Cultural and Biological Diversity of Andean Rainforests (DIVA), 143 pp. - DIVA, Techn. Report no. 4.

Salaman, P. G. W., López-Lanús, B. & Krabbe, N. 1999. Critically endangered: Yellow-eared Parrot Ognorhynchus icterotis in Colombia. Cotinga 11: 39-41.

Krabbe, N. & Palacio, J. 1999. Range extensions of Bicoloured Antvireo Dysithamnus occidentalis in Ecuador. Cotinga 11: 48.

Agreda, A., Krabbe, N. & Rodríguez, O. 1999. Pale-headed Brush-finch Atlapetes pallidiceps is not extinct. Cotinga 11: 50-54.

Krabbe, N. 2000. Overview of conservation priorities for parrots in the Andean region with special consideration for Yellow-eared Parrot. International Zoo Yearbook 37: 283-288.

Fjeldså, J., F. Danielsen, C. Filardi, K. A. Jønsson, N. Krabbe, J. B. Kristensen, R. G. Moyle, P. Pikacha, A. D. Poulsen and M. K. Poulsen. 2008. An assessment of the biodiversity of the Bauro Highlands of Makira, Solomon Islands, with suggestions for integration of conservation and local development. ZMUC, NORDECO, American Museum of Natural History, Conservation International and Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Meteorology, Honiara.

Krabbe, N. and Ahlman, F. L. 2009. Royal Sunangel (Heliangelus regalis) at Yankuam Lodge, Ecuador. Cotinga 31: 69.