On the need for a standardized name for birds that migrate within South America

Abstract

Bird migration in South America has been documented since the colonial period, although the problem with its denomination remains unresolved. In this paper we review the past and current confusion regarding terminology for birds that migrate latitudinally within South America and suggest a simple and general alternative term. Having a general term for a specific migratory system offers a conceptual basis upon which to create well-defined hypotheses and novel lines of research, a clear, ecologically-meaningful target group of species for conservation and management purposes, and improved communication among researchers and between researchers and lay people through unambiguous definitions. A useful and accurate name for species that migrate latitudinally within South America should be explicit in relation to the biogeographic region where it occurs, and we propose adopting the term “Neotropical austral migrants” (“migrantes australes del Neotrópico” in Spanish, and “migrantes austrais neotropicais” in Portuguese).