Nuestras Aves

Submissions

Submissions

On this page, you will find the current author instructions for submitting a manuscript to Nuestras Aves.

About Nuestras Aves

Nuestras Aves is a journal dedicated to ornithological topics and primarily aimed at the scientific, birdwatching, and naturalist community based on the Neotropics. It is published once a year, in December, by the Scientific Department of Aves Argentinas. From 1962 to date, it has published content on the natural history of wild birds, description of behaviors, "novel" records of reproduction and feeding, and new or little-known geographical distributions.

Goals and scope of Nuestras Aves

Nuestras Aves is a journal dedicated to deepening knowledge about birds, with a special focus on the natural history of species inhabiting Argentina and the Neotropics. It welcomes contributions from ornithology specialists, as well as individuals dedicated to field observation and study, who document, analyze, or interpret novel aspects of behavior, ecology, distribution, vocalizations, reproduction, interspecific interactions, and bird conservation.

Guide for authors' content:

  1. Types of Manuscripts
  2. Preparing Your Manuscript for Initial Submission
  3. Novel Records
  4. Articles
  5. References and Formatting Generalities
  6. Ethical Considerations
  7. Review Process

1. Types of Manuscripts

Novel Records: Concise reports of novel observations of rare species, species outside their usual distribution range, or unusual behaviors.

Articles: These are notes that are more elaborated from a conceptual, methodological, and bibliographic standpoint, which have a specific research objective or aim at answering a concrete question. They are structured into clearly differentiated sections: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion.

2. Preparing Your Manuscript for Initial Submission

  1. Thoroughly review available prior information on the topic of your work using specialized search engines (like SORA and Google Scholar), with searches in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and previous taxonomic names). This step is fundamental for understanding and recognizing if your contribution and work represent something novel.
  2. Read this author guide in detail including all its sections.
  3. Organize your manuscript as follows (following the details requested for each type of note in sections 3, 4, and 5):
    • Title
    • Author information
    • Abstract
    • Keywords
    • Text (*Novel Records up to 2,000 characters without spaces)
    • Acknowledgments
    • References
    • Tables and Figures (Photographs and/or sonograms consistent with the presented information)
  4. Prepare your manuscript in a text file with the following characteristics:
    • Double-spaced text
    • Font Times New Roman, 12-point size
    • Left-aligned
    • Section headings and length according to the type of manuscript.
    • Remember to respect the order of appearance and reference to Tables and Figures. The first time a table is cited, it must be Table 1, and so on.
    • If any of the tables presented occupy more than two pages or contain more than 10 columns, please submit them as a separate Excel or Sheet file.
    • The Abstract of an Article must include a brief introduction, objectives, methods, sample size, country of study (or region if covering more than one country), results, and implications. Indicate the coordinates of the study area(s) (latitude and longitude, using the following format 34°03’S, 67°54’W).
    • All measurements must be in the International System of Units (kg, m, l).
    • Write in the active voice whenever possible (“We recorded the species…” instead of “The records were made…”).
    • Use the date format DD/MM/YEAR.
    • Use the 24-hour clock with a colon (for example, 08:00, 16:20).
  5. Standardize the format of bibliographic citations in the References section as follows (mandatory for submission for review):
    • In the manuscript body: (Lastname 1 & Lastname 2 Year or Lastname et al. Year), separating citations with a semicolon “;” and ordering them chronologically, not alphabetically | (Lau 2020; Lau & Lau 2020; Lau et al. 2020)
    • In the References section: Lastname Initial (Year) Title of the article. Journal, Vol. No (Issue No): XX-XX. DOI | Lau I, Leu RM, Leo MJ (2025) Nuevo registro de Setophaga pitiayumi en Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. El Hornero, 21(2): 55-57. https://doi.org/1.23XX/XXXX | See more examples and details in section 5 References and Formatting Generalities.
    • Remember that you must have read everything you cite; do not cite a work just because another work mentions it.
    • Do not use artificial intelligence to search citations (they invent papers that do not exist).

3. Novel Records

Prepare the manuscript for your Novel Record as follows:

3.1 Title
  • The record's title must be concise and limited to the species name, locality, and province. If the record is not from Argentina, include the country in the title.
  • Use capital letters only at the beginning of the title.
  • Below the title in Spanish or Portuguese, add the title in English.
  • If your note is written in English, you must add the title in Spanish.
3.2 Author Information
  • Author names and Lastnames. When there is more than one given name (e.g., Cecilia María López), write only the initial of the middle name | Cecilia M. López.
  • Below the author names, write the respective affiliations and, if applicable, the Bird Watching Club for each of them using a superscript number. Indicate no more than two affiliations per author. If the authors do not have an institutional affiliation, write their personal address including street, number, city, postal code (in parentheses), province, and country.
  • Indicate with an "*" (asterisk) who will be the corresponding author and add their email address below the affiliations.
3.3 Abstract
  • The abstract must be written in two languages: The authors' native language. English (if you require assistance with translation, please contact the journal Editors). If the note is written in English, you must include the abstract in Spanish.
  • The Novel Record abstract must be concise and must condense the main message of the work. It should be no more than 50 words.
3.4 Keywords
  • Include 3 to 6 words in alphabetical order that represent the main ideas of the Novel Record.
  • Keywords must be written in two languages: The authors' native language. English (if you require assistance with translation, please contact the journal Editors).
  • It is recommended that keywords do not appear in the title or the abstract to increase the discoverability of the work in search filters such as Scopus or Google Scholar.
3.5 Text
  • Write a brief introduction about the general distribution of the species, and specifically within Argentina or the country where the observation was made.
  • Write a brief description of the species being reported. Indicate the common name of the species in capital letters. If there are differences between the sex and age of the individuals, please include them in the description.
  • Provide specific information about the time and place where you made the record: date, time, location, geographical coordinates, and a brief description of the surroundings and habitat.
  • Provide information on the type of record being reported (visual and/or auditory), and what type of supporting documentation the authors present along with the text (audio and/or photo).
  • Mention the relevance of the observation.
  • Novel Records are concise reports. We suggest a maximum length of 2,000 characters (excluding spaces), and a maximum of 2 figures (except in specific cases where the identification of the individual(s) requires more visual material).
  • References to subspecies: When working with subspecies, remember to specify field marks in the text. We will not accept assuming the presence of a subspecies based on distribution alone, as this can lead to many subsequent errors.
3.6 Acknowledgments (optional)

Here you can optionally thank individuals and organizations that provided support, guidance, or assistance.

3.7 References

See the Reference section for Article submissions.

3.8 Figures and Tables
  • If possible, the record should be accompanied by a maximum of two photographs.
  • Every table and figure must be cited at least once in the text and must be numbered according to its order of appearance.
    • Use "Fig.," "Figs.," "Table" or "Tables" when referencing them in parentheses | Fig. 2, Tables 1 y 2.
    • use the full forms "Figure", "Figures", "Table" or "Tables" in the main text | “in Figure 2”, "like Tables 1 and 2"
  • Include the figures at the end of the submitted document and also send them as separate files in PNG, JPG, JPEG, or TIFF format, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
  • Always include the date, the location where the photograph was taken, and the authorship at the end of the caption | Vireo chivi 5/02/2024, Necochea, Buenos Aires. Photograph: Cabeza JM.
  • Tables and figures must be understandable from their heading and caption, respectively, without needing to read the main text.
  • The heading and caption of both tables and figures must be provided in two languages: the main language and English.
  • For multiple figures composed of multiple panels or photographs, make sure to label each one as "a, b, c" both on the image and in the descriptive caption below the figure.
  • In maps, include North and/or South orientation, the graphic scale, and the geographic coordinates.

4. Articles

4.1 Title
  • The article title must be concise.
  • Use capital letters only at the beginning of the title.
  • Below the title in Spanish or Portuguese, add the title in English.
  • If your note is written in English, include the title in Spanish.
4.2 Author Information
  • Author names and Lastnames. When there is more than one given name (e.g., Cecilia María López), write only the initial of the middle name | Cecilia M. López.
  • Below the author names, write the respective affiliations and, if applicable, the Bird Watching Club for each of them using a superscript number. Indicate no more than two affiliations per author. If the authors do not have an institutional affiliation, write their personal address including street, number, city, postal code (in parentheses), province, and country.
  • Indicate with an "*" (asterisk) who will be the corresponding author and add their email address below the affiliations. If there is no affiliation, add the email address below the list of authors.
4.3 Abstract
  • The abstract must be written in two languages: The authors' native language. English (if you require assistance with translation, please contact the journal Editors). If the note is written in English, you must include the abstract in Spanish.
  • The abstract must have a maximum of 150 words. It must be concise and condense the main message of the work.
4.4 Keywords
  • Include 3 to 6 words in alphabetical order that represent the main ideas of the work.
  • Keywords must be written in two languages: The authors' native language. English (if you require assistance with translation, please contact the journal Editors).
  • It is recommended that keywords do not appear in the title or the abstract to increase the discoverability of the work in search filters such as Scopus or Google Scholar.
4.5 Text (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion)
  • Divide the text into Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results and Discussion.
  • Write accurately, clearly, and with the minimum number of words necessary to express the ideas.
  • Define all symbols, abbreviations, and acronyms (except for the authors' initials) the first time you use them, but minimize their use to avoid requiring the reader to memorize them and make the article easier to read.
  • The text must follow the following line of reasoning:
    • Introduction: describing the current state of knowledge on the topic, stating the relevance of the topic and the objectives of the article.
    • Methods: description that includes the study area, a map (if applicable), and the data collection procedures where appropriate. Include date, time, location, and geographical coordinates. If using specific equipment (e.g., recorders or mist nets), include brand and model in the text.
    • Results: report the results communicating the observations, findings, records, and/or descriptions that apply. We recommend using tables when the article includes, for example, several records of the same species or species observed in different localities.
    • Discussion: A Discussion developing the meaning and importance of the results in relation to the prior knowledge defined in the introduction.
    • If the work involves the capture or manipulation of animals or eggs, it is necessary to indicate whether permits were obtained and which authorities issued them.
    • Subspecies References: When dealing with subspecies, be sure to specify field marks in the text that allow them to be distinguished. We will not accept assuming the presence of a subspecies based solely on distribution, as this can lead to many subsequent errors.
  • Add line numbers.
  • Submit 2 versions of the article: one including author information (see section 2), and the other without this information (anonymized version).
4.6 Acknowledgments

Here you can express gratitude to the people and organizations that provided support, guidance, or assistance.

4.7 Referencias

Before submitting the manuscript, review every citation in the text and in your references list. Ensure they match exactly (authors and date) and comply with the required format (see reference style in Section 5 References). Every article cited in the text must be included in the Cited Bibliography section and vice-versa. Verify all your citations against the original sources, especially the publication titles, volume numbers, pages, and year of publication. In the bibliography list, write the full lastnames of all authors.

4.8 Figures and Tables
  • Cada tabla y figura debe estar citada al menos una vez en el texto, y debe estar numerada en función de su orden de aparición.
    • Every table and figure must be cited at least once in the text and must be numbered according to its order of appearance.
      • Use "Fig.," "Figs.," "Table" or "Tables" when referencing them in parentheses | Fig. 2, Tables 1 y 2.
      • use the full forms "Figure", "Figures", "Table" or "Tables" in the main text | “in Figure 2”, "like Tables 1 and 2"
    • Include the figures in the submitted word-processor file, and also send a separate version of the images (in TIFF, JPG, BMP, GIF, or PNG formats) ideally with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. We prefer uncompressed TIFF files, but if the file is large, you may send compressed versions (LZW, ZIP, RAR, ARJ),
    • Always include the date, the location where the photograph was taken, and the authorship at the end of the caption | Vireo chivi 5/02/2024, Necochea, Buenos Aires. Photograph: Cabeza JM.
    • Tables and figures must be understandable from their heading and caption, respectively, without needing to read the main text.
    • The heading and caption of both tables and figures must be provided in two languages: the main language and English.
    • For multiple figures composed of multiple panels or photographs, make sure to label each one as "a, b, c" both on the image and in the descriptive caption below the figure.
    • Do not include information in tables and/or figures that is not discussed in the manuscript.
    • Do not repeat the same information in tables and figures; if both would be equally clear, a figure is preferred.
    • Table and figure captions must be exhaustive; always include information about where the data was obtained or which taxa they refer to.
    • Tables must be prepared in the table format of the word processor.
    • Each figure must occupy a separate, numbered page, with its corresponding caption. Figures must not be inside boxes. Do not place titles inside the figures or tables. All symbols must be explained in the caption. The nomenclature, abbreviations, symbols, and units used in a figure must match those used in the text (including the use of italics).
    • In maps, include North and/or South orientation, the graphic scale, and the geographic coordinates.

5. References and Formatting Generalities

5.1 In-Text Citations

5.2 Citations of articles in the References Section

5.3 Citations of Books, Chapters, Proceedings, Theses (and other material)

5.4 Book Chapter

5.5 Citations of Information Accessed Online

5.6 Technical Reports

5.7 Other Considerations Regarding References:

5.8 Formatting generalities

How to Refer to the Species Being Described

Font Formatting

Number Formatting

Date, Time, and Geographic Coordinates

6. Ethical considerations

At Nuestras Aves, we consider it essential that all research or activity involving biodiversity must be respectful of it. Research that involves taking biological samples, capturing and handling nestlings or eggs, capturing with mist nets, marking individuals with rings or other techniques, must have the corresponding permits issued by the competent authorities.

Works carried out under a research license or permit must be indicated.

If your project was approved by an institutional animal care and use committee, please mention the name of the institution and the committee.

Publications involving collection or manipulation without the corresponding permits will not be accepted.

7. Review process

Format Review

Peer Review

Timeline and Corrections

Response to Reviews

Preview version