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Abstract Multiple molecular phylogenetic studies have demonstrated that two Neotropical raptors, tiny hawk Accipiter superciliosus and its sister species semicollared hawk A. collaris, are not closely related to core Accipiter, and that A. superciliosus, at least, possesses osteological characters not replicated in the remainder of the genus. Based on these data, there is a need to recognise their distinctiveness at generic level. However, as recently noted in two global bird checklists, no name is available to accommodate them, so we provide a new nomen here. Furthermore, two Asian accipitrids, crested goshawk A. trivirgatus and its presumed closest relative Sulawesi goshawk A. griseiceps, are also phylogenetically distinctive; in this case the genus-group name Lophospiza is applicable. We also designate type species for two genus-group names (Hieraspiza and Eusparvius) currently in the synonymy of Accipiter, and, as an aid to future workers, we provide a synonymy of the genus Accipiter and a list of species currently included in Accipiter for which published molecular phylogenetic data are apparently lacking.

We used photo-documented citizen science data held in publicly accessible databases to better elucidate the diet of one of the smallest Neotropical Accipitridae, the Tiny Hawk (Accipiter superciliosus). Previous data are exclusively anecdotal, but a suggestion that this species is to some extent a specialized predator on hummingbirds (Trochilidae) is widely reported in the literature, despite being based on few observations. Using a total of more than 680 photographs of Tiny Hawks, we identified 33 items of avian prey from 15 families and at least 25 genera, including one hummingbird and some comparatively large non-passerines. Prey also included one bat. Although the Tiny Hawk is perhaps more liable to predate hummingbirds than most other Neotropical raptors, the available data suggest that the Tiny Hawk, like many other Accipiter species, is primarily a bird specialist. As evidenced by other recently published studies, internet-sourced photographs might prove useful for similar dietary analyses for other poorly known raptors.

Despite the key role that knowledge on breeding biology of Accipitriformes plays in their management and conservation, survey of the state-of-the-art and of information gaps spanning the entire Neotropics has not been done since 1995. We provide an updated classification of current knowledge about breeding biology of Neotropical Accipitridae and define the taxa that should be prioritized by future studies. We analyzed 440 publications produced since 1995 that reported breeding of 56 species. There is a persistent scarcity, or complete absence, of information about the nests of eight species, and about breeding behavior of another ten. Among these species, the largest gap of breeding data refers to the former “ Leucopternis ” hawks. Although 66% of the 56 evaluated species had some improvement on knowledge about their breeding traits, research still focus disproportionately on a few regions and species, and the scarcity of breeding data on many South American Accipitridae persists. We noted that analysis of records from both a citizen science digital database and museum egg collections significantly increased breeding information on some species, relative to recent literature. We created four groups of priority species for breeding biology studies, based on knowledge gaps and threat categories at global level. Group I (great scarcity of information, plus higher categories of threat): Leptodon forbesi , Cryptoleucopteryx plumbea , and Buteogallus lacernulatus ; Group II (breeding data have recently increased, but threat categories are high): Spizaetus isidori , Accipiter gundlachi , Buteogallus coronatus , Pseudastur occidentalis , and Buteo ventralis ; Group III (“Near Threatened” species with still scarce breeding information): Accipiter poliogaster , Accipiter collaris , Buteogallus aequinoctialis , and Pseudastur polionotus ; and Group IV (other priority cases): Buteo ridgwayi , Buteo galapagoensis , four eagles ( Morphnus guianensis , Harpia harpyja , Spizaetus ornatus and Buteogallus solitarius ), Leptodon cayanensis , Accipiter superciliosus , Buteogallus schistaceus , and the three Leucopternis hawks ( L. semiplumbeus , L. melanops and L. kuhli ). We also discuss the way that novel breeding data can show in what manners different species and populations are responding to environmental changes.

I report on the occurrence of 16 species of birds in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, of which seven are new for the state - Accipiter superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1766), Brotogeris tirica (Gmelin, 1788), Hemitriccus margaritaceiventer (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837), Phyllomyias griseocapilla Sclater, 1862, Saltator coerulescens Vieillot, 1817, Orthogonys chloricterus (Vieillot, 1819), and Sporophila lineola (Linnaeus, 1758) - and seven were previously known from unsubstantiated or poorly documented records - Ixobrychus exilis (Gmelin, 1789), Brotogeris chiriri (Vieillot, 1818), Coccyzus euleri Cabanis, 1873, Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana (Bertoni & Bertoni, 1901), Psilorhamphus guttatus (Ménétriès, 1835), Serpophaga griseicapilla Straneck, 2007, and Hemithraupis ruficapilla (Vieillot, 1818). Descriptive and natural history notes are presented for some of these species. The records of B. tirica, P. guttatus, P. griseocapilla, Myiozetetes similis (Spix, 1825), O. chloricterus, H. ruficapilla, and S. lineola represent significant southward range extensions of up to 300 km. Also, a new confirmed record of Myiarchus ferox (Statius Muller, 1776) is divulged. Finally, I argue that the Atlantic forests of north-eastern Rio Grande do Sul should be included in the Serra do Mar area of endemism (sensu SILVA et al., 2004) because of the presence of Orthogonys chloricterus, and comment on the possible range expansion of Myiozetetes similis, Sporophila lineola and other primarily tropical species in southern Brazil.