Asian Birds Research Articles

Strangers like me: birds respond equally to a familiar and an unfamiliar sentinel species' alarm calls, but respond less to non‐core and non‐sentinel's alarm calls

Alarm signals have evolved to communicate imminent threats to conspecifics but animals may also perceive other species' alarm displays to obtain adaptive information. In birds, mixed‐species foraging flocks are often structured around a focal sentinel species, which produces reliable alarm calls that inform eavesdropping non‐sentinel heterospecifics about predation risk. Ongoing work has revealed that several species can recognize the alarm calls of certain sentinel species even without prior encounters, including when these are from distant biogeographic regions. Similar work has yet to examine whether naive subjects' responses to unfamiliar sentinel alarm calls differ from responses to non‐sentinel alarm calls. Here we played the alarm calls of three subtropical Asian bird species that participate in mixed species flocks, to temperate North American birds. Birds responded most to the alarm call of an allopatric core sentinel and a local sympatric sentinel control species, less so to an allopatric non‐core sentinel, and least so to an allopatric non‐sentinel and a negative control stimulus. These patterns provide evidence that broad phylogenetic and geographic recognition is a pertinent aspect of sentinel alarm calls in general.

Natural history of pollination of an Asian bignoniaceous tree: The long-tubed flower and the not-so-long bird bill

Bird pollination is well-established in New World Bignoniaceae, but studies of species with floral traits suggestive of bird pollination in the Old World are lacking. Here we studied the pollination ecology of Mayodendron igneum to test the prediction of pollination by specialist flower-visiting birds. Observations from multiple sites showed that both the Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna) and pollen-collecting bees were floral visitors. However, almost no fruit was produced if birds were excluded, suggesting that bees do not play a role in pollination, and that pollination is performed almost exclusively by birds in this self-incompatible tree. Measurements of floral traits revealed a typical bird pollination syndrome, and the nectar concentration and volume were both within the proposed ranges based on other flowers pollinated by specialist birds. However, the rather low level of sucrose (less than 2 %) in nectar sugar contradicts the expectation for nectar of flowers pollinated by specialist nectar-feeding birds. Although the Streaked Spiderhunter is among the longest-billed flower-visiting birds in Asia, its bill is only 2/3 of the corolla tube in length, suggesting that the bird can extend the tongue to access nectar. This study is the first to experimentally confirm bird pollination in the Old World Bignoniaceae. It also indicates aspects that are possibly characteristic of spiderhunter pollination systems, i.e. high degrees of specialization, unusual nectar sugar composition, and floral tubes much longer than bird bills.

Development and parentage analysis of SNP markers for Chestnut-vented Nuthatch (Sitta nagaensis) based on ddRAD-seq data

Extra-pair paternity (EPP) is commonly found in socially monogamous birds, especially in small passerine birds, and there are interspecific and intraspecific variations in the extent of EPP. The Chestnut-vented Nuthatch (Sitta nagaensis) is a socially monogamous passerine bird, and verifying whether this species has EPP relies on parentage testing—S. nagaensis is not known to have EPP. In this study, we developed SNP markers of this species that are informative for parentage analysis from double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) data. A panel consisting of 50 SNP markers, with a mean heterozygosity of 0.343, was used to resolve 95% of nestlings to fathers. The combined exclusion probabilities for the first parent and second parent were 0.991 and 0.9999, respectively. This panel of SNP markers is a powerful tool for parentage assignments in S. nagaensis. In addition, we found that three offspring (7.9%) from three nests (23.1%) were the result of extra-pair fertilization out of 38 offspring in 13 nests. Our study provided information on parentage analysis that has not been reported before in S. nagaensis. It also supplemented the understudied EPP behavior of birds in Asia, contributing to a general understanding of the EPP behaviors of birds.

Evolution of a non-flying mammal-dependent pollination system in Asian Mucuna (Fabaceae).

Pollinator shifts are often related to speciation in angiosperms, and the relationship between them has been discussed in several plant taxa. Although information on plants pollinated by non-flying mammals in Central and South America and Africa is limited, related research has not been conducted in Asia. Herein, I summarize the available knowledge of pollination in Asian Mucuna (Fabaceae), a genus mainly distributed in the tropics, and discuss the evolution of plants pollinated by non-flying mammals in Asia. Nineteen pollinator species have been recorded and pollination systems have been categorized into four types. An examination of the relationship between Mucuna species and their pollinators from the lineage perspective revealed that all species in M. subgenus Macrocarpa, which are distributed in Asia, are pollinated exclusively by non-flying mammals. Additionally, plants pollinated by non-flying mammals were found to have diverged from bat-pollinated and non-flying mammal-pollinated plants, while plants pollinated by non-flying mammals have evolved multiple times. This is a unique example of evolutionary transition. I hypothesize that the diversification of squirrel species in tropical Asia may have led to the speciation and diversification of Mucuna in Asia. Furthermore, the behavioral and ecological characteristics of bats and birds in Asia differ from the characteristics of those in other regions, implying that Asian Mucuna species do not rely on bat or bird pollinators. The adaptation of floral characteristics to pollinators is not well understood in Asia. Mammal-pollinated plants in Asia may have evolved differently from those in other regions and have unique pollination systems.

Causes of vagrancy of North Asian passerines in western Europe

In recent decades, several explanations for vagrancy of North Asian bird species in Europe have been suggested. The explanations can typically be divided into two, non‐exclusive groups. Some cite weather factors as the primary cause of vagrancy, whereas others hypothesize an internal defect behind the phenomenon. In addition, some authors also suggest climate‐driven range expansion following breeding population increase as a contributing factor. In recent years, studies have been published that have provided clear evidence for the origin of vagrant birds, as well as the reasons for their vagrancy. Here we summarize current knowledge and conclude that weather, habitat use, feeding habit, breeding success and climate change are important factors that affect the vagrancy of birds, together with the number of observers playing an important role in contributing data. In the future, advances in technology such as the development of tracking systems and the extensive use of stable isotopes will make it possible to explain the causes of vagrancy more precisely, so further research in this area of ornithology is essential.

Genome sequence analysis of H7N3 subtype avian influenza virus originated from wild birds and its potential infectivity in mice.

In 2021, an H7N3 avian influenza virus (AIV) was isolated from a mallard in Tianhewan Yellow River National Wetland Park, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. Sequences analysis showed that this strain received its genes from H7, H6, H5, H3, and H1 AIVs of domestic poultry and wild birds in Asia and Europe. It was mild pathogenicity in mice. These results suggest the importance of continued surveillance of the H7N3 virus to better understand the ecology and evolution of the AIVs in poultry and wild birds and the potential threat to humans.

Predicting the impact of future climate changes and range-shifts of Indian hornbills (family: Bucerotidae)

Climate change influences species distribution and is regarded as a major threat to biodiversity. Hornbills (Family: Bucerotidae) are large tropical birds in Asia and Africa. They are seed dispersers known as forest farmers because they help maintain the ecological community structure by allowing forest regeneration. They are keystone species, and their presence in a forest implies a healthy ecosystem. Range shifts due to climate change is a serious threat because their long-term survival is already imperilled by anthropogenic disturbances. This study models the current and future potential climatic niches of eight of the nine hornbill species present in India. We used GBIF-mediated species presence records along with eight WorldClim V2.1 bioclimatic variables to model the current climatically suitable areas and projected it into the future (mid-century, i.e., 2041–60 and end of the century, i.e., 2081–2100) for different CMIP6 based Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSPs) (i.e., SSP126, SSP245, 370 and 585). Range shifts, centroid changes, and the impact of current land use practices for each of the eight species under various climatic conditions were also examined. The Area Under Curve (AUC) values for final models ranged between 0.736 and 0.994. Result indicates that majority of species' climatic niche shift is towards the west, followed by northwest and northern shifts. The species are expected to lose >40% of their suitable present climatic niche under the SSP 585 scenario in 2081–2100. Natural areas were found to be climatically suitable for hornbills throughout the study area, implying the merit of conserving their existing habitats. Our research provides detailed information on how the distribution of Indian Hornbills may change because of future climatic conditions. Detailed spatial and temporal distribution and range shift patterns will aid in a targeted approach for conserving hornbills and their habitat in a changing climate.

Continent-wide vocal leapfrog pattern in Collared Scops Owls obfuscates species boundaries

Much confusion has surrounded the taxonomy of the Collared Scops Owl (Otus bakkamoena) complex, distributed widely across tropical and subtropical Asia. Often divided into three species, modern taxonomies disagree on its treatment, as a lack of deep mitochondrial DNA divergence is seemingly in contrast with patterns of vocal differentiation. Analysing a dataset of territorial calls of 122 individuals across Asia, we identified a vocal leapfrog pattern in which owl populations at the eastern and western ends of the distribution sound more similar to each other but are separated by different-sounding populations in between. The boundaries between vocal types are not congruent with traditional species boundaries. Our data allow for a re-drawing of species boundaries and reveal that Collared Scops Owls follow a biogeographic pattern rare in Southeast Asian birds. However, this pattern is shared with several other owl complexes in that peninsular Malaysian populations form part of a continental Asian species centred further north in Southeast Asia rather than forming part of a Sundaic species centred in the adjacent Indonesian Archipelago.

Anthocyanins of Asian bird cherries ( Prunus nepalensis L.): An untapped source for natural food colorants

Interest in the processing and application of natural anthocyanin pigments is intensifying. In this work, we developed a protocol for obtaining anthocyanins from wild Asian bird berries (Prunus nepalensis L.) using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and response surface methodology. The chemical profile, antioxidant activity, and co-pigmentation of the anthocyanin extract were also investigated. The results showed that the maximum anthocyanin yield was achieved under optimal conditions of 60°C, 300 W ultrasonic power, and 30 min ultrasonic time. Using UHPLC-ESI-MS2 analysis, two major anthocyanins and 19 other phenolics were identified in the anthocyanin extract, which displayed significant antioxidant potential in vitro. In addition, the color stability of the anthocyanin extract was thermodynamically improved by phenolic acids and organic acids where oxalic acid was the most effective co-pigment. These results revealed that Asian bird berries anthocyanins could be effectively recovered by UAE, and further stabilized by co-pigments. Novelty impact statement The chemical instability of anthocyanins poses a significant challenge for their preparation and implementation as food colorants. In this study, the anthocyanins obtained from P. nepalensis L. fruits were modulated, for the first time, with the help of co-pigments such as oxalic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, gallic acid, tannic acid, and pyrogallic acid. These results could open up the possibility of large-scale applications of anthocyanins sourced from many uncultivated plants.

Beta diversities of grassland birds indicate the importance of pastoralism for nature conservation of the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau

The post-2020 global biodiversity framework calls for a transformative change in food systems. Promoting agricultural multifunctionality is a viable approach to this sustainability transformation. The eastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) is both one of the world’s largest livestock grazing systems and a hotspot of endemic birds in Asia. In this research, we aim to investigate the impact of livestock grazing on alpine bird assemblages at the local scale (alpha diversity) and their variation across the pastoral landscape (beta diversity). In the study area Nyanpo Yutse, we conducted surveys of 126 bird sample plots during two breeding seasons to acquire bird assemblage data. Meanwhile, we employed unmanned aerial vehicles to measure 2D and 3D habitat features within the 150-m radius. We investigated the key habitat variables driving the spatial distributions of both alpha and beta diversities of birds. Particularly, we partitioned beta diversity into its turnover and nestedness components and tested their patterns across sites of four levels of livestock grazing intensities (LGIs). Our results found no significant correlation between LGIs with species richness of birds, while 2D and 3D habitat complexity and built structure were positively correlated with alpha diversity (p < 0.05). At the landscape scale, pairwise LGI differences had no significant correlation (p > 0.05) with any pairwise beta diversity. The ordination plotting detected distinguished habitat preferences among 12 common birds and eight endemic birds. The multiple-site beta diversity of the 126 plots showed high species turnover (>0.871) where LGI was lower than 1.065 sheep units/ha, indicating the importance of moderate grazing for the conservation of diverse avian assemblages at the landscape scale. Our study demonstrated that extensive pastoralism is important for both maintaining the mosaic landscape and conserving avian biodiversity on the eastern QTP. We unveiled one of the ecological mechanisms through which synergies can be realized to support both agricultural production and biodiversity conservation in the Tibetan grazing system.

Double trouble: untangling mixed sequence signals in bird samples with avian haemosporidian co-infections.

Blood parasites comprise some of the most prevalent pathogens in nature, and their detection and identification are major objectives in varied fields such as ecology and biomedicine. Two approaches were compared, one based on Sanger sequencing and the other next-generation sequencing (NGS) based, in terms of their performance in detecting avian blood parasites across tropical Southeast Asian birds. Across a panel of 528 bird individuals, 43 birds were ascertained to be infected with avian haemosporidians using a polymerase chain reaction-based detection method. Among these samples, NGS-based barcoding confirmed co-infections by multiple blood parasites in all eight cases where Sanger sequencing produced double peaks. Importantly however, the NGS-based method produced another five diagnoses of co-infections (62.5%) in which Sanger-based barcoding remained equivocal. In contrast to Sanger sequencing, the NGS-based method was able to identify co-infecting haemosporidian lineages via their barcodes. The accuracy of avian haemosporidian lineage identification was not compromised by the shorter length of NGS sequences, with ~94% of NGS barcodes producing matches identical to those of the Sanger barcodes. The application of NGS-based barcoding methods promises to enhance parasite identification and reduce erroneous inferences based on artefacts.

Impact of Climate Change on Migratory Birds in Asia

Climate change is not something that has never happened before. However, it has recently been reported that climate change has affected living things such as humans, animals and plants. Among the animals that may be vulnerable to the effects of climate change are migratory bird species. Therefore, this review paper will emphasise the checklist of migratory bird species found to be affected by climate change. Data for bird migration species in Asia are obtained from the Birdlife Data Zone. At the same time, the data for Global land surface temperature (1910-2020) and Asia land surface temperature (1910-2020) were taken from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Environmental information. These papers showed that climate warming could affect species differently, but there are still species from certain populations not affected at all. This paper also reviewed that approximately 169 species of migratory birds in Asia are affected by climate change and severe weather. Of the total, 5 species (2.96%) are critically endangered, 8 (4.73%) endangered, 21 (12.43%) vulnerable, 27 (15.98%) near threatened and 123 (63.91%) least concern.

Antigen-capture ELISA and immunochromatographic test strip to detect the H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus rapidly based on monoclonal antibodies

BackgroundThe H9N2 subtype of avian influenza virus (AIV) has become the most widespread subtype of AIV among birds in Asia, which threatens the poultry industry and human health. Therefore, it is important to establish methods for the rapid diagnosis and continuous surveillance of H9N2 subtype AIV.MethodsIn this study, an antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (AC-ELISA) and a colloidal gold immunochromatographic test (ICT) strip using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 3G4 and 2G7 were established to detect H9N2 subtype AIV.ResultsThe AC-ELISA method and ICT strip can detect H9N2 subtype AIV quickly, and do not cross-react with other subtype AIVs or other viruses. The detection limit of AC-ELISA was a hemagglutinin (HA) titer of 4 for H9N2 subtype AIV per 100 μl sample, and the limit of detection of the HA protein of AIV H9N2 was 31.5 ng/ml. The ICT strip detection limit was an HA titer of 4 for H9N2 subtype AIV per 100 μl sample. Moreover, both detection methods exhibited good reproducibility and repeatability, with coefficients of variation < 5%. For detection in 200 actual poultry samples, the sensitivities and specificities of AC-ELISA were determined as 93.2% and 98.1%, respectively. The sensitivities and specificities of the ICT strips were determined as 90.9% and 97.4%, respectively.ConclusionsThe developed AC-ELISA and ICT strips displayed high specificity, sensitivity, and stability, making them suitable for rapid diagnosis and field investigation of H9N2 subtype AIV.

First person – Sutirtha Lahiri

ABSTRACTFirst Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Biology Open, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Sutirtha Lahiri is first author on ‘Convergent acoustic community structure in South Asian dry and wet grassland birds’, published in BiO. Sutirtha is a research assistant in the lab of Dr Anand Krishnan at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, India, investigating whether biogeographically distinct grasslands display convergent acoustic community structure.

Evolutionary history of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (clade 2.3.4.4c) circulating in Taiwan during 2015-2018.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus A/goose/Guangdong/1/96 H5N1 (Gs/GD) lineage has been transmitted globally and has caused deaths in wild birds, poultry, and humans. Clade 2.3.4.4c, one of the subclades of the Gs/GD lineage, spread through Taiwan in late 2014 and become an endemic virus. We analyzed 239 newly sequenced HPAI clade H5Nx isolates to explore the phylogenetic relationships, divergence times, and evolutionary history of Taiwan HPAI H5Nx viruses from 2015 to 2018. Overall, 15 reassortant genotypes were identified among H5N2, H5N3, and H5N8 viruses. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies based on homologous hemagglutinin (HA) and matrix protein (MP) genes suggest that Taiwan HPAI H5Nx viruses share a most recent common ancestor that has diversified since October 2014 and is closely related to two HPAI H5N8 viruses identified from wild birds in Japan. Two waves of HPAI caused by multiple reassortants were identified, the first occurring in late 2014 and the second beginning in late 2016. The first wave consisted of seven H5Nx reassortants that spread through Taiwan. In the second wave, eight novel reassortants were detected which had newly introduced internal genes, mostly derived from the avian influenza virus gene pool maintained in wild birds in Asia. Phylodynamic reconstruction using the Bayesian Skygrid model revealed varied fluctuating patterns of relative genetic diversity among reassortants. The mean evolutionary rate also varied among reassortants and subtypes. The neuraminidase (NA) gene evolved faster than the HA gene in H5N2 viruses, while HA evolved faster than NA in H5N8 viruses. The HA mean evolutionary rate ranged from 6.10×10-3 to 7.73×10-3 and from 5.81×10-3 to 9.45×10-3 substitutions/site/year for H5N2 and H5N8 viruses, respectively. The continuous circulation of HPAI H5Nx variants and the emergence of novel reassortants in Taiwan highlight that the surveillance, biosecurity, and management systems of poultry farms need to be improved and carefully executed.

East Asian buntings: Ongoing illegal trade and encouraging conservation responses

AbstractThe dramatic decline in the once superabundant Yellow‐breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola, a widely distributed Eurasian songbird, triggered worldwide media interest. Five years after the initial publication, we set out to give an update on the status of this critically endangered species, the conservation actions that followed, and the lessons that can be learned from this exceptional case for the conservation of migratory land birds in Asia and beyond. While there are signs of possible population recovery in the Yellow‐breasted Bunting, other migratory songbird species were recently observed to be trapped in huge numbers, which could lead to further declines. We argue that the Yellow‐breasted Bunting can be used as a flagship species to promote the conservation of East Asian land bird migrants.

不同水位下拟建鄱阳湖水利枢纽对食块茎鸟类栖息地适宜性的影响研究

鄱阳湖为亚洲最大的候鸟栖息地，近十余年发生了枯水期提前且延长及湖区生态环境日益恶化的问题，对于此问题江西政府提出了一种科学的工程措施--鄱阳湖水利枢纽（简称枢纽）。然而，枢纽对越冬候鸟栖息地的影响尚无定量研究。以鄱阳湖食块茎鸟类--白鹤（Grus leucogeranus）、白枕鹤（Grus vipio）和小天鹅（Cygnus columbianus）的栖息地为研究对象，利用3S技术结合生态学知识，在ArcGIS平台上搭建了食块茎鸟类栖息地适宜性评价模型，使用二维水动力模型联合适宜性评价模型，生成鄱阳湖在兴建枢纽前、后的食块茎鸟类栖息地适宜性分布图。选取工程调度时期水位相对稳定时段，以鄱阳湖无枢纽状态下星子水位为基础，探究鄱阳湖在不同水位时，有拟建枢纽和无拟建枢纽状态下食块茎鸟类的栖息地适宜性的变化，定量分析拟建枢纽对候鸟栖息地适宜性造成的影响。研究发现：枢纽的调度规则具有一定的科学性，水位调度方案对湖泊食块茎鸟类越冬初期栖息产生的影响较小，但会牺牲一部分越冬后期适合食块茎鸟类栖息的区域。拟建枢纽选址处至都昌站的食块茎鸟类栖息地适宜性受枢纽的负面影响最为显著，各级自然保护区之中，北部省级候鸟自然保护区受其负面影响最大，此保护区将减少18.01-39.80 km²适合食块茎鸟类栖息的面积。但是枢纽的运行能增加湖泊土壤水含量，使食块茎鸟类更易于觅食，且能增加喜食块茎鸟类的食物丰富度。本研究可为为今后鄱阳湖湖区水环境规划和水生态管理维护提供一定的科学参考。;Poyang Lake is the largest wintering habitat for migratory birds in Asia. In the last decade, the Lake has experienced early-occurring and prolonged dry season that has deteriorated the lake's ecological status. To tackle this issue, the Chinese government has proposed the construction of the Poyang Lake Hydraulic Project. However, there is no quantitative study on the impact of the Hydraulic Project on wintering migratory bird habitats. The habitats of the Tuber-eating Birds including Grus leucogeranus, Grus vipio, and Cygnus columbianus, etc. were studied. The 3S technology combined with ecological knowledge were used to build a suitability evaluation model for the habitat of the Tuber-eating Birds on the ArcGIS platform. Then, we used the suitability evaluation model combined with a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model to generate the habitat suitability map of the Tuber-eating Birds, with and without the presence/operation of the hydraulic project. During the hydraulic project dispatch period, the period of stable water level was selected. Based on the Xingzi water level without the hydraulic project, we explored the habitat suitability changes of Poyang Lake in different water levels, with and without the presence/operation of the hydraulic project. The impact of the hydraulic project on the suitability of the Tuber-eating Birds habitats was quantitatively studied. The results showed that the scheduling rule of the hydraulic project were scientific. The scheduling rule had little impact on the habitat of the Tuber-eating Birds in the early winter, but still sacrificed some of the areas suitable for the Tuber-eating Birds in the late winter. The region of hydraulic project to Duchang station was significantly negatively affected by the hydraulic project. In the nature reserves at all levels, the northern provincial migratory bird nature reserve was most significantly negatively affected, and the area will reduce the area of 18.01-39.80 km² suitable for the Tuber-eating Birds. However, the operation of the hydraulic project could increase the soil water content, making it easier for the Tuber-eating Birds to eat and increase the food richness. Our study can provide a scientific reference for the future water environment planning and ecological management of the Poyang Lake.

Darwin's bulbuls: South Asian cultures of bird fighting and Darwin's theory of sexual selection

AbstractThe article explores the extent and nature of the relationship between Darwinian science and the British Empire. It does so by unpicking Darwin's British Indian examples of avian combat in constructing his ‘law of battle’. The article shows how Darwin's interpretation of these reports was simultaneously enabled, shaped and limited by the imperial context within which the reports were generated. Particularly important was Darwin's inability to see the enormous investment of human labour and complex knowledge in sculpting and curating these avian fights through a culture ofshauq. Partly this oversight followed from the South Asian birds having already been saturated by Romantic poetic associations, even before Darwin began considering them. Somewhat surprisingly, I note, Clifford Geertz shared Darwin's blindness towards the ‘cultural’ sculpting of ‘nature’ during avian combat.

RECENT ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPEDITIONS TO SIBERUT ISLAND, MT. TALAMAU AND RIMBO PANTI NATURE RESERVE, SUMATRA, INDONESIA

Siberut Island, Mt. Talamau, Rimbo Panti Nature Reserve, and intervening locations in West Sumatra Province were visited during two expeditions in 2018-2019 by ornithologists from the Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense (MZB) - Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science (LSUMNS), and Andalas University. The main objective of these expeditions was to obtain data and tissue-subsample rich museum specimens for morphological and genetic studies of phylogeny and population genetics of Southeast Asian birds aimed at understanding the causes of avian diversification in the region. We also observed, photographed, and audio-recorded numerous bird species during the expeditions and archived these data. In total, 285 species were identified, and specimen material was collected from 13 species and 26 subspecies not previously represented in tissue resource collections. Here, we provide complete lists of birds found at each location, highlight distributional discoveries, and note cases of potential taxonomic, ecological, and conservation interest.

Disentangling the evolutionary history and biogeography of hill partridges (Phasianidae, Arborophila) from low coverage shotgun sequences

The advent of the phylogenomic era has significantly improved our understanding of the evolutionary history and biogeography of Southeast Asia’s diverse avian fauna. However, the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of many Southeast Asian birds remain poorly resolved, especially for those with large geographic ranges, which might have experienced both ancient and recent geological and environmental changes. In this study, we examined the evolutionary history and biogeography of the hill partridges (Galliformes: Phasianidae: Arborophila spp.), currently the second most speciose galliform genus, and thought to have colonized Southeast Asia from Africa. We present a well‐resolved phylogeny of 14 Arborophila species inferred from ultra-conserved elements, exons, and mitochondrial genomes from both fresh and museum samples, which representing almost complete coverage of the genus. Our fossil-calibrated divergence time estimates and biogeographic modeling showed the ancestor of Arborophila arrived in Indochina during the early Miocene, but the initial divergence within Arborophila did not occur until ~10 Ma when global cooling intensified. Subsequent dispersal and diversification within Arborophila were driven by several tectonic and climatic events. In particular, we found evidence of rapid radiation in Indochinese Arborophila during the Pliocene global cooling and extensive dispersal and speciation of Sundaic Arborophila during the Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations. Taken together, these results suggest that the evolutionary history and biogeography of Arborophila were influenced by complex interactions among historical, geological and climatic events in Southeast Asia.