Automated localization of antbirds and their interactions in a Mexican rainforest Free

Tropical rainforests contain diverse avian communities incorporating species that compete vocally to propagate their signals to intended receivers. In order to effectively communicate with birds of the same species, birds need to organize their song performance temporally and spatially. An automated identification and localization system can provide information on the spatial and temporal arrangement of songs. Acoustic sensor arrays were tested for the ability to localize the source of songs of antbirds recorded in a Mexican rainforest. Pilot studies with a five‐node array arranged in a rough circle with a 20‐m diameter located the song of Dusky Antbird (Cercomacra tyrannina) with an error of 73 cm and Mexican Antthrush (Formicarius moniliger) with an error of 65 cm from the location of a source loudspeaker within the array. An additional source 21 m outside was also localized. Results will be presented for experiments and recordings of individuals at the Mexican rainforest site in October 2006. Locations of birds of the same and different species during vocal performance will provide a greater understanding of how individuals interact spatially with each other based on their vocal performance, from which the role of song in ecological interactions can be inferred.