First report on the birds (Aves) from level TE7 of Sima del Elefante (Early Pleistocene) of Atapuerca (Spain)

Abstract

The sites of the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain) are renowned for providing a complete Quaternary record, both archaeological and paleontological. The record consists of cave filling sediments in a karst system, developed in carbonate rocks. The Sima del Elefante site is divided into three units, in accordance with its geological features: the lower red unit (TELRU) (Early Pleistocene), the middle white unit, and the upper red unit (TEURU) (Middle Pleistocene). In this work we present the first results of a study of the bird association from the lowest level of the TELRU, TE7. A first analysis of the avian remains from level TE7 shows sixteen avian taxa: Anseriformes indet., Anas crecca, Haliaeetus albicilla, Galliformes indet., Coturnix coturnix, Passeriformes indet., Galerida cristata, Lullula arborea, Anthus campestris, Motacilla cinerea, Turdus pilaris/viscivorus, Turdus iliacus/merula/philomelos, Muscicapa sp., Corvus frugilegus, Corvus frugilegus/corone, and Corvus corax antecorax. The present work represents the first paleontological record of Motacilla cinerea and Corvus frugilegus, and the first record in the Iberian Peninsula of Anas crecca, Haliaeetus albicilla, Galerida cristata, Anthus campestris, the genus Muscicapa, and Corvus corax antecorax. Unlike in other papers published on the Aves of Sima del Elefante, all the specimens studied were obtained by concentrating the sediment by a process of washing and sieving the sedimentary materials acquired from excavations of the site.