The acoustic playback technique in avian fieldwork contexts: a systematic review and recommendations for best practice

Acoustic playback is commonly used to study wild birds, with applications as diverse investigating behaviours, ascertaining the presence of rare and elusive species, attracting individuals a location. The number studies employing growing larger every year because it easy apply, increasingly affordable very effective. However, way that reported varies significantly across researchers species. This lack protocol for reporting acoustic playbacks inevitably slows progress field, cannot be easily compared. In 1991, some most knowledgeable in field animal communication met at North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) Thornbridge Hall UK consider design experiments. proceedings meeting were published 1992 contain crucial guidelines regarding this use playback. paper we review literature papers since milestone ornithological fieldwork contexts. We RepOrting standards Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES) evaluate description methods used. main goal identify shared set rules technique such contexts promote reproducibility comparability. found 625 peer-reviewed articles three on-line databases, which 419 (rather than captive) avian biggest hindrance availability tracks by authors; 4% (15 articles) our sample made their publicly available. only one article provided enough details application fully reproducible. Further, five (0.92%) information reproducibility, even if assume about track preparation recording unnecessary when are Based on synthesis literature, provide recommendations uses including paragraphs supplementary material. strongly recommend experiments deposited dedicated repositories other researchers. While focus technique, believe findings can transferred systems subject