Priorities for Future Research

Sunbitterns seem to adjust well to life in zoos, so much of the research on life history (especially reproduction) for this species comes from captive birds. Although more recently some researchers have made efforts to study populations in the wild in order to make comparisons to captive populations, there has still been too little work done to say for sure whether the behavior of captive birds accurately reflects their wild counterparts. There is even an instance or two of contradictions between different researchers, such as in the case of the begging behavior of chicks, and there is a need to clarify the discrepancies in these reports.

More important, however, is the lack of population and demographic information for the Sunbittern. In particular, a more accurate estimate of population size and growth rate will not only aid in the understanding of the species, but will also be vital to its long-term conservation, especially in areas where its increasing rarity is documented by no more than anecdotal evidence.