Ronald A. Fernández Gómez

Más allá del gozo auditivo, el canto de las aves permite explorar la diversidad biológica y la evolución. Sus vocalizaciones, moldeadas por factores ecológicos, geográficos y conductuales, muestran cómo las aves se adaptan a sus entornos y afrontan desafíos. Las variaciones regionales en el canto del gorrión rascador en México evidencian cómo las particularidades acústicas se vinculan con la geografía y la diferenciación de especies, evidencian las similitudes humanas en el aprendizaje vocal, y revelan que, en hábitats alterados por el ser humano, su flexibilidad vocal les ha permitido adaptarse y sobrevivir.

The topographic complexity and wide range of environmental conditions of the Neotropical region have allowed the evolution of the most diverse avifauna in the world. Distributional patterns within this avian diversity mirror this complexity, and many species show allopatric distributions in environmentally continuous regions. Here, we used environmental variables and historical presence records to understand the evolution of the distribution of three isolated groups (Gulf, Pacific, and Yucatan Peninsula) of the Olive Sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) species complex. We assessed the role of environmental factors underlying geographic distribution patterns in the complex based on ecological niche modeling and performed paleoclimatic reconstructions to assess distributional changes based on suitable areas during the Late Pleistocene. Niche similarity was not rejected in the Pacific/Yucatan comparison, but the Gulf/Pacific and Gulf/Yucatan comparisons showed niche differentiation. We found regions with low climatic suitability representing a biogeographic barrier for the Pacific and the Yucatan groups, but not for the Yucatan and the Gulf groups, suggesting that biotic factors, such as competition with ecologically similar species, may be involved in geographic isolation. Our results suggest that allopatric distributions in the three groups within the A. rufivirgatus complex probably evolved due to biotic interactions with ecologically similar species in the relatively environmentally continuous areas across the Gulf Slope, but to range contractions leading to isolation in the Yucatan and the Pacific groups.

Despite the high diversity of bats in neotropics, traditional methods such as mist nets, harp traps and roost detection have limitations in capturing that diversity in a landscape, with most detected species restricted to those that forage in the undergrowth or enclosed spaces. Therefore, acoustic records become a tool that complements and enhances the efforts to get more complete bat inventories while avoiding alterations in usual foraging activities and disruption in their life cycles. This study describes the acoustic parameters (spectral and temporal variables) of the echolocation pulses of insectivorous bats to characterise different species of bats in Southwest Colombia acoustically. We recorded echolocation calls between December 2017 and May 2020 in the Andean and Pacific regions of the Department of Nariño. We analysed 81 sequences of echolocation calls from eight bat species belonging to three families: Vespertilionidae, Molossidae and Emballonuridae. We perform recordings on free-flying bats with identity corroboration by capture for recording in flight rooms and examination in the hand. Myotis riparius and Lasiurus blossevillii were recorded for the first time in the Nariño Department. M. albescens, M. keaysi, M. riparius and L. blossevillii (Vespertilionidae) had pulses of frequency modulated (FM) with a quasi-constant frequency (QCF) ending; Molossus molossus, Tadarida brasiliensis and Promops centralis (Molossidae) had pulses with constant frequency (CF) and QCF; and Saccopteryx bilineata (Emballonuridae) had pulses with QCF. This study contributes to the efforts to facilitate the identification of insectivorous bats of the Neotropics using the acoustic monitoring approaches, represents a reference to compare the acoustic studies in Southwestern Colombia and contributes to increasing our knowledge of the bat diversity in the region.

La bioacústica, o el estudio de los sonidos que producen los animales, es una herramienta que ha sido ampliamente usada en el estudio de las aves, con un incremento en el número de estudios que la aplican en las últimas décadas por su carácter poco invasivo y de relativo bajo costo. Aquí presentamos una revisión sistemática de las investigaciones sobre bioacústica aplicada a la ornitología colombiana en los últimos 22 años, identificando las principales temáticas que se abordan (e.g., taxonomía, inventarios y monitoreos, comportamiento, ecología), y exploramos la historia y el desarrollo de esta herramienta, y su impacto en la ornitología colombiana. Enfatizamos sobre la importancia del estudio evolutivo de la comunicación en aves y su papel en la delimitación e identificación de especies, las técnicas de monitoreo acústico, la ecología del paisaje y urbanización, y esclarecemos algunos aspectos neurobiológicos y de aprendizaje de las vocalizaciones. También destacamos el valor de las colecciones biológicas en el desarrollo de la bioacústica regional y abordamos la problemática de las limitaciones y los sesgos en la investigación científica que han subestimado la importancia de comportamientos poco estudiados como el canto de las hembras. Identificamos que los principales aportes de las investigaciones se centran en las descripciones acústicas y la sistemática. Además, detectamos un incremento en el número de publicaciones en torno a la ecología y el monitoreo acústico. Notamos que la mayoría de los estudios se han realizado sobre aves paseriformes oscines. El reservorio acústico de las aves del país representa más de 1,500 especies y está resguardado en la colección nacional de sonidos y en repositorios públicos. Finalmente, presentamos algunas reflexiones sobre el futuro y la aplicabilidad de esta herramienta en el país para incentivar el fortalecimiento de la bioacústica en el estudio de las aves colombianas y destacamos los enfoques de prioridad para su estudio.

Diversity surveys may be performed by different sampling methods. In the case of bats, the use of traditional methods such as mist nets, harp traps, and roost detection have limitations in widely covering the diversity in a landscape. Most registered species are restricted to species that forage at the undergrowth or in enclosed spaces. However, acoustic monitoring is complementary to conventional methods and can help obtain more complete bat inventories while avoiding alterations in usual foraging activities and disruption in their life cycles. This study describes the acoustic parameters (spectral and temporal variables) of the echolocation pulses of insectivorous bats to characterise acoustically different species of bats present in southwest Colombia. We recorded echolocation calls between December 2017 and May 2020 in the Andean and Pacific regions of the department of Nariño. A total of 81 sequences from free-flying bats were analysed from eight species belonging to three families: Vespertilionidae, Molossidae and Emballonuridae. Myotis riparius and Lasiurus blossevillii were registered for the first time in Nariño Department. The species M. albescens, M. keaysi, M. riparius and L. blossevillii (Vespertilionidae) had pulses of frequency modulated with a quasi-constant ending; Molossus molossus, Tadarida brasiliensis and Promops centralis (Molossidae) had pulses with constant and quasi-constant frequencies; and Saccopteryx bilineata (Emballonuridae) had pulses with quasi-constant frequencies. This study enriches the efforts to solve acoustic species classification issues of insectivorous bats in the Neotropics.

Global-scope scientific journals have played an important role in upholding a colonial legacy of north-south inequities in ornithology, and they now have a key role to play in increasing equity in scientific publishing. We explore common barriers faced by ornithologists in the Neotropics (Latin America and the Caribbean) and suggest priority actions that Ornithological Applications, Ornithology, and other global-scope ornithological journals can take to increase equity in publication and research uptake. Among the most important problems, we identified (1) restrictive (and north-biased) criteria for assessing research “importance” and “novelty,” (2) the high publication costs of the Author Pay (Gold) Open Access model, (3) language hegemony, (4) under-representation of ornithologists from the Neotropics on editorial boards and as lead authors on invited articles, and (5) lack of attention to ethics of collaboration and citation. We recommend that Ornithological Applications, Ornithology, and other global-scope ornithological journals (1) adjust their criteria for publication with the aim to publish all scientifically robust and ethically rigorous ornithology research submitted by first authors based in the Neotropics, including negative results and articles on basic biology; (2) maintain or create options for free or low-cost publication; (3) offer the option of a submission and review process in Spanish (and possibly other languages in the future); (4) increase the representation of ornithologists based in the Neotropics (especially women and those belonging to other marginalized groups) in core editorial teams and on editorial boards; and (5) introduce structured reflexivity statements, in which authors declare how local scientists were involved in the research and how equity was promoted in the collaboration that resulted in the manuscript. For these changes to be broadly effective in the long term, ornithologists across the Global South, and Indigenous, Brown, and Black ornithologists globally, should play lead roles in designing, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of journal policies and programs. Spanish and Portuguese translations are available in the supplementary material. • For ornithologists based in the Neotropics, the most important barriers to publication are restrictive and north-biased criteria regarding the “importance” and “novelty” of research, the high cost of publication, and English language hegemony. • We recommend that Ornithological Applications,Ornithology, and other ornithological journals aim to publish all scientifically robust and ethically rigorous ornithology research from first authors based in the Neotropics. • Journals should maintain or create options for free or low-cost publication. • We encourage journals to offer the option of a submission and review process in Spanish. • Journals should introduce structured reflexivity statements to encourage authors and reviewers to reflect on the ethics of collaboration and citation. • Journals should increase participation of Global South ornithologists on editorial boards and in core editorial teams.

We explored the relationship between haemosporidian infection (infected vs. uninfected), parasite load, heterophil:lymphocyte ratio, body condition and vocal behaviour of the Rufous‐naped Wren Campylorhynchus rufinucha. Our results, albeit based on a small sample size, showed no evidence of an association between vocal behaviour and infection status, heterophil:lymphocyte ratio or body condition. Infections did not vary between localities. Our results showed, however, that infection status was associated with a higher song rate, and that in males and females belonging to the same reproductive pair there was a strong positive correlation in terms of infection status and parasite load.

Con el objetivo de evaluar la asociación entre las vocalizaciones y los comportamientos del cacique montano norteño (Cacicus chrysonotus leucoramphus), se tomaron registros acústicos y conductuales de la especie en cuatro localidades de los Andes de Nariño, en el sur de Colombia. Se registraron seis tipos de vocalizaciones asociadas a por lo menos una de las tres categorías conductuales identificadas (vigilancia, alerta y defensa territorial), y una vocalización registrada en un único evento de cortejo. Vocalizaciones con valores más altos de ancho de banda y modulación de frecuencia resultaron asociadas a defensa territorial, mientras que vocalizaciones con valores bajos de ancho de banda y poca modulación cumplieron funciones de vigilancia y alerta. Los resultados indican similitudes en el comportamiento vocal y social con respecto a estudios en otras especies como Cacicus cela y Cacicus haemorrhous. C. c. leucoramphus utiliza vocalizaciones específicas en un determinado contexto conductual, pudiendo algunas de ellas ser reutilizadas en varios comportamientos. Este estudio describe por primera vez el contexto social en el que se asocian las vocalizaciones y conductas en esta especie.