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The COVID-19 lockdowns produced a singular opportunity to perform scientific research in idle cities. The expected changes in urban ecology led us to form a citizen science community which, following standardized protocols, conducted well-structured surveys of birds across Colombia to test questions about urban bird assemblages that had not yet been addressed. Here, we report the process and experience of this citizen science initiative, conducted between March 30 and June 30, 2020, and discuss recommendations to apply to future projects with similar goals. The volunteer-based survey that we organized began with 93 collaborators in 40 urban centers, but ended with just 45 collaborators from 22 urban centers. Some issues that probably explain the drop in collaborators are commented on. This citizen science exercise was successful, gathering over 75,000 bird records of at least 250 bird species.

La variación de las condiciones fisicoquímicas del mar puede influir en la distribución y la abundancia de las aves marinas al afectar la estructura trófica del ambiente pelágico. Por ello se pretendió evaluar la asociación entre la abundancia de tres estados de desarrollo (pollos, juveniles y adultos) del Piquero Café (Sula leucogaster etesiaca) y la variación de la temperatura superficial del mar (TSM) y su anomalía térmica (ANOM) en isla Gorgona, Pacífico colombiano. Estas tendencias fueron evaluadas por medio de correlaciones cruzadas y modelos lineales generalizados. En cada estado de desarrollo la abundancia presentó una tendencia diferente ante la variación de la TSM o ANOM. Se sugiere que dichas tendencias se deben a que el incremento de la temperatura del mar podría estar asociado con una menor abundancia y disponibilidad de recursos presa. Bajo estas condiciones, los adultos tienden a disminuir el esfuerzo invertido en el cuidado parental e, incluso, reducen el suministro de alimento a juveniles dependientes y pollos para aumentar su propia supervivencia. Es posible que estas tendencias hayan estado asociadas con un régimen reproductivo que les permita a los volantones alcanzar la independencia de los padres durante el periodo con mayor disponibilidad de alimento.

18 pages, 5 figures, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109175.-- The data supporting the findings of this study are available in the Supplementary Materials (Appendix 3–5, Table A3-A5). Raw datasets (where available) and results summary tables for each analysis of human mobility and empirical datasets are deposited in a github repository: https://github.com/rjcommand/PAN-Environment, The global lockdown to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic health risks has altered human interactions with nature. Here, we report immediate impacts of changes in human activities on wildlife and environmental threats during the early lockdown months of 2020, based on 877 qualitative reports and 332 quantitative assessments from 89 different studies. Hundreds of reports of unusual species observations from around the world suggest that animals quickly responded to the reductions in human presence. However, negative effects of lockdown on conservation also emerged, as confinement resulted in some park officials being unable to perform conservation, restoration and enforcement tasks, resulting in local increases in illegal activities such as hunting. Overall, there is a complex mixture of positive and negative effects of the pandemic lockdown on nature, all of which have the potential to lead to cascading responses which in turn impact wildlife and nature conservation. While the net effect of the lockdown will need to be assessed over years as data becomes available and persistent effects emerge, immediate responses were detected across the world. Thus initial qualitative and quantitative data arising from this serendipitous global quasi-experimental perturbation highlights the dual role that humans play in threatening and protecting species and ecosystems. Pathways to favorably tilt this delicate balance include reducing impacts and increasing conservation effectiveness, The Canada Research Chairs program provided funding for the core writing team. Field research funding was provided by A.G. Leventis Foundation; Agence Nationale de la Recherche, [grant number ANR-18-32–0010CE-01 (JCJC PEPPER)]; Agencia Estatal de Investigaci; Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação Tecnologia e Inovação (ARDITI), [grant number M1420-09-5369-FSE-000002]; Alan Peterson; ArcticNet; Arkadaşlar; Army Corp of Engineers; Artificial Reef Program; Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), National Collaborative; Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), University of Tasmania; Australian Institute of Marine Science; Australian Research Council, [grant number LP140100222]; Bai Xian Asia Institute; Batubay Özkan; BC Hydro Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Bertarelli Foundation; Bertarelli Programme in Marine Science; Bilge Bahar; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Biology Society of South Australia; Boston University; Burak Över; California State Assembly member Patrick O'Donnell; California State University Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology; California State University Long Beach; Canada Foundation for Innovation (Major Science Initiative Fund and funding to Oceans Network Canada), [grant number MSI 30199 for ONC]; Cape Eleuthera Foundation; Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Charles Darwin Foundation, [grant number 2398]; Colombian Institute for the Development of Science and Technology (COLCIENCIAS), [grant number 811–2018]; Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, [grant number 0041–2020]; Columbia Basin Trust; Commission for Environmental Cooperation; Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Cultural practices and environmental certification of beaches, Universidad de la Costa, Colombia, [grant number INV.1106–01–002-15, 2020–21]; Department of Conservation New Zealand; Direction de l'Environnement de Polynésie Française; Disney Conservation Fund; DSI-NRF Centre of; Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology; Ecology Project International; Emin Özgür; Environment and Climate Change Canada; European Community: RTD programme - Species Support to Policies; European Community's Seventh Framework Programme; European Union; European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, Marie Skłodowska-Curie, [grant number 798091, 794938]; Faruk Eczacıbaşı; Faruk Yalçın Zoo; Field research funding was provided by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, [grant numbers FWC-12164, FWC-14026, FWC-19050]; Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional; Fonds québécois de la recherche nature et technologies; Foundation Segré; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT Portugal); Galapagos National Park Directorate research, [grant number PC-41-20]; Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, [grant number GBMF9881 and GBMF 8072]; Government of Tristan da Cunha; Habitat; Conservation Trust Foundation; Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment; Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Sevastopol, Russia; Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil; Israeli Academy of Science's Adams Fellowship; King Family Trust; Labex, CORAIL, France; Liber Ero Fellowship; LIFE (European Union), [grant number LIFE16 NAT/BG/000874]; María de Maeztu Program for Units of Excellence in R&D; Ministry of Science and Innovation, FEDER, SPASIMM,; Spain, [grant number FIS2016–80067-P (AEI/FEDER, UE)]; MOE-Korea, [grant number 2020002990006]; Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund; Montreal Space for Life; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth and Space Science Fellowship Program; National Geographic Society, [grant numbers NGS-82515R-20]; National Natural Science Fund of China; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Parks Board, Singapore; National Science and Technology Major Project of China; National Science Foundation, [grant number DEB-1832016]; Natural Environment Research Council of the UK; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Alliance COVID-19 grant program, [grant numbers ALLRP 550721–20, RGPIN-2014-06229 (year: 2014), RGPIN-2016-05772 (year: 2016)]; Neiser Foundation; Nekton Foundation; Network of Centre of Excellence of Canada: ArcticNet; North Family Foundation; Ocean Tracking Network; Ömer Külahçıoğlu; Oregon State University; Parks Canada Agency (Lake Louise, Yoho, and Kootenay Field Unit); Pew Charitable Trusts; Porsim Kanaf partnership; President's International Fellowship Initiative for postdoctoral researchers Chinese Academy of Sciences, [grant number 2019 PB0143]; Red Sea Research Center; Regional Government of the Azores, [grant number M3.1a/F/025/2015]; Regione Toscana; Rotary Club of Rhinebeck; Save our Seas Foundation; Science & Technology (CSU COAST); Science City Davos, Naturforschende Gesellschaft Davos; Seha İşmen; Sentinelle Nord program from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund; Servizio Foreste e Fauna (Provincia Autonoma di Trento); Sigrid Rausing Trust; Simon Fraser University; Sitka Foundation; Sivil Toplum Geliştirme Merkezi Derneği; South African National Parks (SANParks); South Australian Department for Environment and Water; Southern California Tuna Club (SCTC); Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness; Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation; State of California; Sternlicht Family Foundation; Suna Reyent; Sunshine Coast Regional Council; Tarea Vida, CEMZOC, Universidad de Oriente, Cuba, [grant number 10523, 2020]; Teck Coal; The Hamilton Waterfront Trust; The Ian Potter Foundation, Coastwest, Western Australian State NRM; The Red Sea Development Company; The Wanderlust Fund; The Whitley Fund; Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline; Tula Foundation (Hakai Institute); University of Arizona; University of Pisa; US Fish and Wildlife Service; US Geological Survey; Valencian Regional Government; Vermont Center for Ecostudies; Victorian Fisheries Authority; VMRC Fishing License Fund; and Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S

espanolEl confinamiento decretado con motivo de la pandemia por COVID–19 ofrecio la oportunidad de medir la biodiversidad de especies en ambientes urbanos en condiciones diferentes a las del ritmo urbano habitual. Durante 90 dias, incluidas varias semanas de estricto confinamiento y la posterior relajacion de la restriccion de la actividad humana, se midieron la presencia y la abundancia de aves nocturnas en dos sitios de Cali, en Colombia. Los resultados de este estudio muestran una reduccion de entre el 40 % y el 58 % de la riqueza de aves nocturnas durante las semanas con mayor actividad humana, lo que suma otro indicio de la respuesta de la biodiversidad ante la “antropopausa” en ambientes urbanos. EnglishThe COVID–19 lockdown provided the opportunity to measure species biodiversity in urban environments under conditions divergent from regular urban rhythms. For 90 days, including weeks of strict lockdown and the subsequent relaxation of restrictions, we measured the presence and abundance of birds that were active at night at two sites in the city of Cali, Colombia. Our results show that species richness of nocturnal birds de-creased 40 % to 58 % during the weeks with more human activity, adding further evidence to the biodiversity responses of the 'anthropause' on urban environments

Resumen Introducción: La alteración de la temperatura del ambiente pelágico puede repercutir en la variación poblacional de los consumidores tope como las aves marinas. Objetivo: Evaluar la respuesta poblacional de tres especies de piqueros en isla Gorgona (Pacífico colombiano) con respecto a la variabilidad local y regional de las condiciones de temperatura superficial del mar (TSM). Métodos: Se analizaron las tendencias mensuales de la abundancia de Sula leucogaster, Sula nebouxii y Sula variegata en relación a la variación de la TSM en el área de influencia de Gorgona, la región de San José en la costa del Perú y la región Niño 1+2. Resultados: La mayor correlación positiva se presentó entre S. nebouxii y S. variegata con la TSM de la región Niño 1+2, con un desfase de cuatro y cinco meses, respectivamente. Este desfase temporal posiblemente corresponde al tiempo que demora su migración entre la costa peruana y Gorgona. En contraste, la abundancia de S. leucogaster disminuyó al aumentar la TSM mensual de Gorgona. Conclusiones: Es probable que las tendencias descritas estén relacionadas con la disminución de la productividad y disponibilidad de presas asociadas con temperaturas más cálidas en estas áreas. Se sugiere que la TSM puede influir sobre las tendencias de abundancia de los tres piqueros, y su continuo monitoreo permitirá mejorar el conocimiento sobre la variación natural de estas poblaciones. Abstract Introduction: Pelagic environment temperature variations may influence population variation of top predators, such as seabirds. Objective: A population response assessment of three species of boobies, in Gorgona Island (Colombian Pacific), in relation to sea surface temperature (SST) variations. Methods: We assessed the relationship between SST variability and monthly abundance of Brown Boobies, Blue-footed Boobies and Peruvian Boobies, in the influence area of Gorgona, the San José region (Peruvian coast) and the Niño 1+2 region. Results: The largest positive correlation was observed between Blue-footed Boobies and Peruvian Boobies with SST at the Niño 1+2 region, with a lag of four and five months, respectively. This delay may correspond to the migration duration from the Peruvian coast to Gorgona. In contrast, Brown Booby abundance decreased as monthly SST in Gorgona increased. Conclusions: These trends may be related to less productivity and prey availability associated with warmer sea surface temperatures. We suggest that SST influences the abundance trend of these three species, and their continuous monitoring will improve our knowledge on the natural variation of these populations.

In the spring of 2020, during the most severe weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown in Colombia, a female bronzy inca (Coeligena coeligena) built a nest and successfully raised two chicks, outside the front door of a country house adjacent to a humid forest in the Western Andes near the city of Cali This hummingbird's nest was found in a hanging pot of asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus), a cultivated decorative houseplant native to Africa From mid-March to early May, the presence and behavior of the homeowners apparently did not disturb the hummingbird's nesting activities Evidence of species taking advantage of conditions during the so-called "anthropause" (or pandemic-inspired reduction in human activities) has already been documented, especially in urban habitats Might similar positive outcomes for biodiversity be occurring in rural areas, which are often characterized by a less intense human footprint?

Most tropical booby species complete breeding foraging trips within daylight hours, thus avoiding nights at sea. Nazca Boobies Sula granti are unusual in this respect, frequently spending one or more nights away from the nest. We used GPS dataloggers, time-depth recorders, and changes in body weight to characterize foraging trips and to evaluate potential influences on the decisions of 64 adult Nazca Boobies to spend a night at sea, or to return to their chicks on Isla Espanola, Galapagos, in daylight hours. The tagged birds foraged east of Isla Espanola, undertaking both single-day (2‐15 h, 67% of trips) and overnight trips (28 h‐7.2 days, 33%), and executing 1‐19 foraging plunge-dives per single-day trip. Birds might forage longer if they are in nutritional stress when they depart, but body weight at departure was not correlated with trip length. Birds might be expected to return from longer trips with more prey for young, but they returned from single-day and overnight trips with similar body weights, consistent with previous indications that Nazca Boobies forage until accumulating a target value of prey weight. Birds with a lower dive frequency during the first 5 h of a trip were more likely to spend the night at sea, suggesting that they might choose to spend the night at sea if prey capture success was low. At night, birds almost never dived and spent most of their time resting on the water’s surface (11.8‐12.1 h, > 99% of the time between civil sunset and civil dawn). Thus, the night is an unproductive time spent among subsurface predators under low illumination. The birds’ webbed feet provided evidence of this risk: 24% of birds were missing > 25% of their foot tissue, probably due to attacks by predatory fish, and the amount of foot tissue lost increased with age, consistent with a cumulative risk across the lifespan. In contrast, other tropical boobies (Blue-footed Sula nebouxii and Brown Boobies Sula leucogaster), which do not spend the night on the water, showed no such damage. These results suggest that chick-rearing Nazca Boobies accept nocturnal predation risk on occasions of low prey encounter during a foraging trip’s first day.

To test the hypothesis that both physical and ecological barriers to gene flow drive population differentiation in tropical seabirds, we surveyed mitochondrial control region variation in 242 brown boobies (Sula leucogaster), which prefer inshore habitat, and 271 red-footed boobies (S. sula), which prefer pelagic habitat. To determine the relative influence of isolation and gene flow on population structure, we used both traditional methods and a recently developed statistical method based on coalescent theory and Bayesian inference (Isolation with Migration). We found that global population genetic structure was high in both species, and that female-mediated gene flow among ocean basins apparently has been restricted by major physical barriers including the Isthmus of Panama, and the periodic emergence of the Sunda and Sahul Shelves in Southeast Asia. In contrast, the evolutionary history of populations within ocean basins differed markedly between the two species. In brown boobies, we found high levels of population genetic differentiation and limited gene flow among colonies, even at spatial scales as small as 500 km. Although red-footed booby colonies were also genetically differentiated within ocean basins, coalescent analyses indicated that populations have either diverged in the face of ongoing gene flow, or diverged without gene flow but recently made secondary contact. Regardless, gene flow among red-footed booby populations was higher than among brown booby populations. We suggest that these contrasting patterns of gene flow within ocean basins may be explained by the different habitat preferences of brown and red-footed boobies.

Knowledge of the geographical distribution of the birds in the Colombian Caribbean is still meager. Coastal wetlands are among the less studied environments in the area and one of the most important for their high bird richness. Since 1998, inventories and monitoring of the bird populations of the lower part of the Sinú river have been made. Until July 2005, 296 bird species have been recorded for the area, 41 of which are new for this part of the Caribbean; in addition, new wintering localities were noted for eight migratory species. Breeding records were obtained for 98 species. Three species are threatened at some level and six have a restricted geographic distribution. New records for the area are explained in terms of the limited previous knowledge of the region’s avifauna.

Bird observations were made during five days between 2004 and 2006 on Isla Fuerte and Isla Tortuguilla, two continental shelf islands of the Colombian Caribbean coast. On both sites 83 species were recorded. Isla Fuerte is larger and has a more complex array of habitats, supporting a larger and more complete bird community. Noteworthy species and aspects on the conservation of these insular environments are discussed.

Resumen La avifauna del departamento del Valle del Cauca, Colombia, ha sido uno de los grupos biológicos mejor estudiados en Colombia desde finales del siglo XIX. Producto de estos ejercicios de compilación de información, los estimados de la riqueza de especies varían entre 725 y 1025 especies. Recopilamos información de registros de aves de diferentes fuentes y obtuvimos un listado de 989 especies de aves confirmadas para el departamento y 13 especies que fueron catalogadas como potencialmente presentes. Documentamos ocho especies introducidas que no tienen registros publicados o son anecdóticos en Colombia. Futuras expediciones o investigaciones deberían enfocarse en llenar los vacíos de información de aves que se concentran en el cañón del río Garrapatas, y el área al sur de Buenaventura y la cordillera Central. Abstract The avifauna of the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia, has been one of the best studied biological groups in Colombia since the late 19th century. As a result of these information compilations, estimates of species richness range between 725 and 1025 species. We collected information on bird records from different sources and obtained a list of 989 confirmed bird species for the department and 13 species that were listed as potentially present. We found eight introduced species that have no published records or are anecdotal in Colombia. Future expeditions or investigations should focus on filling the information gaps on birds in the Garrapatas river canyon, the area south of Buenaventura and the Central mountain range.