Abstract ID: 3.12983 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | TBA | TBA

Acoustic communication in birds has been widely studied in terms of acoustic complexity and ecological and evolutionary processes. Extensive monologues’ syntaxy patterns and time spent singing could be a strategy to send a precise message, facilitating individual recognition, mate attraction, and territory defense. This strategy might play a strong role in harsh environments such as high mountain ecosystems. For instance, time spent in the monologues could be an indicator of males’ quality. We studied the song elements (combinations of syllables, repetition of combinations, sequence of repetitions, and duration of the song) of the Yellow-bridled Finch (Melanodera xanthogramma), an endemic passerine of the temperate Andes. We hypothesized that its vocalizations are not random but follow specific syntactic rules that combine fixed and variable elements adapted to extreme conditions. We installed Autonomous recording units (ARU) in high Andean habitats of volcanoes, Chile. During the breeding season 2023-2024, we recorded the first 30 minutes of each hour between 5 and 10 am of 90 days. The recordings were segmented into monologues and syllables were identified and coded for each song elements. We compared the monologues at three spatial scales: site, volcano, and between volcanoes . Results showed that transitions between song elements occurred systematically, and the substitutions were not random. We did not observe variation in song duration. These findings suggest that the monologues of the Yellow-bridled Finch are organized according to syntactic rules that balance stability and flexibility, potentially optimizing the transmission of messages in mountainous environments. These findings provide new insights into the vocal organization of species in extreme habitats, laying the groundwork for future comparative research in acoustic communication of mountain birds.