Priorities for Future Research

Mountain Avocetbill is rare and apparently local in distribution; consequently it is little surprise that its natural history is very poorly known. There is very little information on the range of flowering plants visited by this species, or on the function of the peculiar modified bill tip. There also is nothing known about its breeding biology. Although Mountain Avocetbill occurs at forest edge and in disturbed forests, its tolerance for habitat degradation also has not been quantified. It also is not clear the extent to which its patchy distribution reflects narrow habitat requirements, or whether this inconspicuous species is more widespread but simply overlooked. Very little is known of the vocalizations of Mountain Avocetbill and there is no information on the extent to which it may be territorial or on how it interacts with syntopic nectarivores.