Avian taphonomy in the southeast of the Pampean region (Argentina)

This paper presents the results of naturalistic taphonomic observations on avian remains in the southeastern Pampean region. The aim is to characterize the processes and agents involved in the accumulation, dispersal, and destruction of modern bird skeletal remains. Observations were conducted using transects carried out in five environmental contexts: seacoast, hill ranges, shallow lakes, plains, and river valleys. The results show varying accumulations of bird remains in the different environments, found more frequently in seacoast and hills environments. The main agents and processes affecting bone remains are carnivores, weathering, and sedimentary abrasion. The chances of bone preservation vary depending on the bird species and its mode of locomotion. In general, the chances of the incorporation of avian reamains into the archaeological record are low. This research represents an initial effort to aid in the understanding of the scarce representation of avian remains in the regional archaeological record.