Individual variation in the booming calls of captive Horned Guans (Oreophasis derbianus)

   Online ISSN: 2165-0586
    Print ISSN: 0952-4622

Individual variation in the booming calls of captive Horned Guans (Oreophasis derbianus): an endangered Neotropical mountain bird

Fernando González-García, J. Roberto Sosa-López, Juan Francisco Ornelas, Pedro Jordano, Victor Rico-Gray & Vicente Urios Moliner

Abstract
The Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) is a cracid restricted to cloud forests in the Sierra Madre of Chiapas in Mexico and the westerncentral Mountains in Guatemala. It is an endangered species and urgent conservation measures are required, such as non-invasive monitoring techniques. Here, we study individual features in the boom calls of Horned Guans. ... View full abstract

Boom calls are acoustic signals used by males during courtship and territorial displays. This call is made of seven notes, divided into two parts: an introductory section characterized by low-amplitude notes and a body section characterized by highamplitude notes. We recorded 10 males during the breeding seasons of 2010 and 2011 in two captive populations and measured 22 acoustic variables of the calls. We used a combination of statistical analyses to test individuality in Horned Guan vocalizations. Our results showed that time-related variables – but not frequency-related traits – varied between individuals, and that individual calls showed no variation between years. Our results suggest that Horned Guan individuals can be distinguished using fine structural characteristics of their calls and that calls remain stable across years. We argue that such vocal signature could be used to track wild populations as a non-invasive technique in order to improve census data in the short and long term.

what is perceived as working?

Oryx, Volume 50, Issue 2
ISSN: 0030-6053 EISSN: 1365-3008

Safeguarding biodiversity: what is perceived as working, according to the conservation community?

COLIN A. CHAPMAN, ANNEKE DELUYCKER, RAFAEL A. REYNA-HURTADO, JUAN CARLOS SERIO-SILVA, THOMAS B. SMITH KAREN B. STRIER & TONY L. GOLDBERG

Abstract
Dramatic increases in human populations and per capita consumption, climate change, overexploitation of marine and freshwater resources, and deforestation have caused a litany of negative consequences for biodiversity. Such doom-and-gloom scenarios are widely known, frequently cited and frankly depressing. Although accurate assessments of threats have clear value for intervention planning, we believe there is also a need to reflect on successes. Such reflection provides balance to negative scenarios and may shift attention towards constructive, positive action. ... View full abstract

Here we use a systematic evaluation of 90 success stories provided by conservation scientists and practitioners to explore the characteristics of the projects perceived as being associated with success. Success was deemed to have occurred for 19.4% of the projects simply because an event had occurred (e.g. a law was passed) and for 36.1% of projects quantitative data indicated success (e.g. censuses demonstrated population increase). However, for most projects (63.9%) there was no evaluation and success was defined by the subjective opinion of the respondent. Conservation community members viewed successful projects most often as those being long-term (88%), small in spatial scale (52%), with a relatively low budget (68%), and involving a protectionist approach alone or in combination with another approach. These results highlight the subjectivity of definitions of success in conservation but also the characteristics of conservation efforts that the conservation community perceives as indicative of success.