Population Status, Habitat Use and Breeding Biology of the Endangered Colombian Horned Lark in an Andean Wetland

Background Some studies have indicated that the Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris) should be considered as a species complex. Recently it split into four species or clades and seven subclades based on genetic, morphological, and biogeographic data. However, other aspects like song divergence have not been studied and several subspecies have not been evaluated, leading to important information gaps in this group of birds. In this work, we aimed to assess the differences in song traits and playback response between the Nearctic subclade and the Neotropical or Colombian subspecies E. a. peregrina. Methods We compared six song traits between these groups and performed field playback experiments, to test the response of the Neotropical larks to both songs. We tested the difference in the variables for separate as well as by principal component analysis (PCA). Results We found significant differences (p < 0.05) in the individual song traits and the PCA analysis between the two groups. Further, the PCA analysis showed a clearer divergence of the Neotropical songs in comparison to the Nearctic songs of different locations within North America. Similarly, the playback analysis showed a significantly lower response of E. a. peregrina to the songs of the Nearctic larks. Conclusions Besides this song divergence, there are important ecological and biogeographic differences between the Neotropical and Nearctic Horned Larks, that indicate an unclear relationship between these two groups. Thus, further morphological and genetic studies are required to clarify the taxonomy of the Neotropical Horned Lark and define if they share the same evolutionary history as the other subspecies of the Nearctic subclade.

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Song divergence indicates an unclear relationship between the Neotropical and Nearctic Horned Larks

Vargas-Puentes

Arias-Sosa

Ramos-Montaño

2021

Avian Res

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Population Status, Habitat Use and Breeding Biology of the Endangered Colombian Horned Lark in an Andean Wetland

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Song divergence indicates an unclear relationship between the Neotropical and Nearctic Horned Larks

Song divergence indicates an unclear relationship between the Neotropical and Nearctic Horned Larks

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