Welcome to the American Ornithological Society 2018 Annual Conference. We are pleased to have you join us at the lovely Hilton El Conquistador Resort in Tucson, AZ.
During annual avian monitoring at Reserva las Tangaras near Mindo, in the Andes of western Ecuador, we noticed a rather dramatic shift in the abundance of two understory thrush species. From June to August our mist net samples were well represented with Andean Solitaire (Myadestes ralloides). In Decembers, this species was absent when mist netting included many Swainson's Thrushes (Catharus ustulatus). Later we determined that the Andean Solitaire were at higher elevations when Swainson's Thrushes were present. These thrush species are among the more common species in the understory bird community representing up to 5\% of the community when they are present. What is behind this seasonal shift in thrush species representation? We don't really know what drives the shift, or exactly when it takes place, but hypothesize that interspecific interactions at time of arrival of the neotropical migratory Swainson's Thrushes are a factor. Here we will quickly share the numbers, some community statistics, and information on variation in habitat use by the two thrush species during what is typically considered summer and winter for North Americans.
