1
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Walsh SL, Townsend SW, Engesser S, Ridley AR. Call combination production is linked to the social environment in Western Australian magpies ( Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230198. [PMID: 38768205 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
It has recently become clear that some language-specific traits previously thought to be unique to humans (such as the capacity to combine sounds) are widespread in the animal kingdom. Despite the increase in studies documenting the presence of call combinations in non-human animals, factors promoting this vocal trait are unclear. One leading hypothesis proposes that communicative complexity co-evolved with social complexity owing to the need to transmit a diversity of information to a wider range of social partners. The Western Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis) provides a unique model to investigate this proposed link because it is a group-living, vocal learning species that is capable of multi-level combinatoriality (independently produced calls contain vocal segments and comprise combinations). Here, we compare variations in the production of call combinations across magpie groups ranging in size from 2 to 11 birds. We found that callers in larger groups give call combinations: (i) in greater diversity and (ii) more frequently than callers in smaller groups. Significantly, these observations support the hypothesis that combinatorial complexity may be related to social complexity in an open-ended vocal learner, providing an important step in understanding the role that sociality may have played in the development of vocal combinatorial complexity. This article is part of the theme issue 'The power of sound: unravelling how acoustic communication shapes group dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Walsh
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Crawley, Western Australia 6008, Australia
| | - Simon W Townsend
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich , Zurich 8032, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich , Zurich 8032, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Sabrina Engesser
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen , Kobenhavn 2100, Denmark
| | - Amanda R Ridley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Crawley, Western Australia 6008, Australia
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2
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Shibata Y, Toji N, Wang H, Go Y, Wada K. Expansion of learning capacity elicited by interspecific hybridization. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn3409. [PMID: 38896617 PMCID: PMC11186503 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn3409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Learned behavior, a fundamental adaptive trait in fluctuating environments, is shaped by species-specific constraints. This phenomenon is evident in songbirds, which acquire their species-specific songs through vocal learning. To explore the neurogenetic mechanisms underlying species-specific song learning, we generated F1 hybrid songbirds by crossing Taeniopygia guttata with Aidemosyne modesta. These F1 hybrids demonstrate expanded learning capacities, adeptly mimicking songs from both parental species and other heterospecific songs more extensively than their parental counterparts. Despite the conserved size of brain regions and neuron numbers in the neural circuits for song learning and production, single-cell transcriptomics reveals distinctive transcriptional characteristics in the F1 hybrids, especially in vocal-motor projection neurons. These neurons exhibit enrichment for nonadditively expressed genes, particularly those related to ion channel activity and cell adhesion, which are associated with the degree of song learning among F1 individuals. Our findings provide insights into the emergence of altered learning capabilities through hybridization, linked to cell type-specific transcriptional changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukino Shibata
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
- Research Fellowship for Young Scientists of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Toji
- Research Fellowship for Young Scientists of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Hongdi Wang
- Evolutionary Neurobiology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0497, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Go
- Graduate School of Information Science, University of Hyogo, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS), Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Wada
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
- Research and Education Center for Brain Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
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3
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Kaplan G. The evolution of social play in songbirds, parrots and cockatoos - emotional or highly complex cognitive behaviour or both? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105621. [PMID: 38479604 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Social play has been described in many animals. However, much of this social behaviour among birds, particularly in adults, is still relatively unexplored in terms of the environmental, psychological, and social dynamics of play. This paper provides an overview of what we know about adult social play in birds and addresses areas in which subtleties and distinctions, such as in play initiation and social organisation and its relationship to expressions of play, are considered in detail. The paper considers emotional, social, innovative, and cognitive aspects of play, then the environmental conditions and affiliative bonds, suggesting a surprisingly complex framework of criteria awaiting further research. Adult social play has so far been studied in only a small number of avian species, exclusively in those with a particularly large brain relative to body size without necessarily addressing brain functions and lateralization. When lateralization of brain function is considered, it can further illuminate a possibly significant relevance of play behaviour to the evolution of cognition, to management of emotions, and the development of sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Kaplan
- University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
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4
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Gladman NW, Elemans CPH. Male and female syringeal muscles exhibit superfast shortening velocities in zebra finches. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246330. [PMID: 38563308 PMCID: PMC11058336 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Vocalisations play a key role in the communication behaviour of many vertebrates. Vocal production requires extremely precise motor control, which is executed by superfast vocal muscles that can operate at cycle frequencies over 100 Hz and up to 250 Hz. The mechanical performance of these muscles has been quantified with isometric performance and the workloop technique, but owing to methodological limitations we lack a key muscle property characterising muscle performance, the force-velocity relationship. Here, we quantified the force-velocity relationship in zebra finch superfast syringeal muscles using the isovelocity technique and tested whether the maximal shortening velocity is different between males and females. We show that syringeal muscles exhibit high maximal shortening velocities of 25L0 s-1 at 30°C. Using Q10-based extrapolation, we estimate they can reach 37-42L0 s-1 on average at body temperature, exceeding other vocal and non-avian skeletal muscles. The increased speed does not adequately compensate for reduced force, which results in low power output. This further highlights the importance of high-frequency operation in these muscles. Furthermore, we show that isometric properties positively correlate with maximal shortening velocities. Although male and female muscles differ in isometric force development rates, maximal shortening velocity is not sex dependent. We also show that cyclical methods to measure force-length properties used in laryngeal studies give the same result as conventional stepwise methodologies, suggesting either approach is appropriate. We argue that vocal behaviour may be affected by the high thermal dependence of superfast vocal muscle performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W. Gladman
- Vocal Neuromechanics Lab, Sound Communication and Behaviour Group, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Coen P. H. Elemans
- Vocal Neuromechanics Lab, Sound Communication and Behaviour Group, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
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5
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Pawłowski B, Chmielińska A. Kin term mimicry hypothesis. Theory Biosci 2023; 142:199-203. [PMID: 37277580 PMCID: PMC10423118 DOI: 10.1007/s12064-023-00393-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive mimicry in animals is a well-known phenomenon. Here, we propose that a similarly adaptive strategy in humans is using kin terms for people who are not closely genetically related. Irrespective of the initiator attributing a kin term to a non-kin, we call this kin term mimicry (KTM). The emergence of human sociality and language allowed not only easy kin recognition, but also led to strong positive emotions related to such kin names as "mother," "father," "brother," "sister," "aunt" or "uncle." Although the phenomenon of using kin terms of genetically unrelated people is well known in the social sciences, here we discuss it in the light of evolution. We notice this is an evolutionary adaptive cooperation strategy, which allows us to predict in which ecological or social circumstances it will be more prevalent. We postulate specific testable factors that affect the prevalence of kin mimicry. We also discuss who is more likely to be an initiator of calling non-kin a fictive kin, and who benefits from such behavior. The KTM hypothesis postulates that an individual or social group initiating or bestowing kin terms usually receives more benefits (economic and/or psychological support) from such mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogusław Pawłowski
- Department of Human Biology, University of Wrocław, ul. Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Anna Chmielińska
- Department of Human Biology, University of Wrocław, ul. Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland
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6
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Backhouse F, Welbergen JA, Magrath RD, Dalziell AH. Depleted cultural richness of an avian vocal mimic in fragmented habitat. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Backhouse
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
| | - Robert D. Magrath
- Research School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Anastasia H. Dalziell
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales Australia
- Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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7
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Male superb lyrebirds mimic functionally distinct heterospecific vocalizations during different modes of sexual display. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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8
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Vocal Learning and Behaviors in Birds and Human Bilinguals: Parallels, Divergences and Directions for Research. LANGUAGES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/languages7010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Comparisons between the communication systems of humans and animals are instrumental in contextualizing speech and language into an evolutionary and biological framework and for illuminating mechanisms of human communication. As a complement to previous work that compares developmental vocal learning and use among humans and songbirds, in this article we highlight phenomena associated with vocal learning subsequent to the development of primary vocalizations (i.e., the primary language (L1) in humans and the primary song (S1) in songbirds). By framing avian “second-song” (S2) learning and use within the human second-language (L2) context, we lay the groundwork for a scientifically-rich dialogue between disciplines. We begin by summarizing basic birdsong research, focusing on how songs are learned and on constraints on learning. We then consider commonalities in vocal learning across humans and birds, in particular the timing and neural mechanisms of learning, variability of input, and variability of outcomes. For S2 and L2 learning outcomes, we address the respective roles of age, entrenchment, and social interactions. We proceed to orient current and future birdsong inquiry around foundational features of human bilingualism: L1 effects on the L2, L1 attrition, and L1<–>L2 switching. Throughout, we highlight characteristics that are shared across species as well as the need for caution in interpreting birdsong research. Thus, from multiple instructive perspectives, our interdisciplinary dialogue sheds light on biological and experiential principles of L2 acquisition that are informed by birdsong research, and leverages well-studied characteristics of bilingualism in order to clarify, contextualize, and further explore S2 learning and use in songbirds.
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9
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianping Liu
- College of Biological Sciences and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
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10
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Møller AP, Gil D, Liang W. Snake-like calls in breeding tits. Curr Zool 2021; 67:473-479. [PMID: 34616945 PMCID: PMC8489176 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hole-nesting tits belonging to the family Paridae produce a hissing display that resembles the exhalatory hiss of a snake. When a predatory animal enters the nest hole of a tit, tits often hiss vigorously, while lunging their head forward and shaking their wings and tail, until the intruder retreats. We assessed the acoustic similarity between such hiss calls from 6 species of tits, snake hisses, and tit syllables used in alarm vocalizations, as well as white noise as a control. Tit hiss calls showed a high degree of similarity with snake hisses from 3 different snake families. Tit hisses had lower similarity to syllable alarm calls, suggesting convergence of tit hisses in their spectral structure. Hiss calls would only be effective in protecting nest boxes if nest predators responded to these calls. In order to test this hypothesis, we trained individual Swinhoe’s striped squirrels, Tamiops swinhoei hainanus, a common predator of egg and nestling tits, to feed at feeders in proximity to nest boxes. We compared the aversive response of squirrels to tit’s hiss calls and white noise, presented in random order. Squirrels showed a higher degree of avoidance of feeders when hiss calls were played back than when white noise was presented. In conclusion, our study suggests that hole-nesting birds have evolved convergent snake-like hiss calls, and that predators avoid to prey on the contents of nest boxes from which snake-like hisses emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Pape Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay Cedex, F-91405, France.,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Diego Gil
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, E-28006, Spain
| | - Wei Liang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, 571158, China
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11
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12
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Riebel K. Animal communication: Lyrebirds 'cry wolf' during mating. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R798-R800. [PMID: 34157266 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
During courtship, male lyrebirds create acoustic illusions of a flock of birds fending off a predator. These realistic illusions fool the imitated species to engage in mobbing, but intriguingly lyrebirds produce them only preceding or during copulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Riebel
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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13
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Williams H. Mechanisms of Cultural Evolution in the Songs of Wild Bird Populations. Front Psychol 2021; 12:643343. [PMID: 33981272 PMCID: PMC8107227 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Young songbirds draw the source material for their learned songs from parents, peers, and unrelated adults, as well as from innovation. These learned songs are used for intraspecific communication, and have well-documented roles for such functions as territory maintenance and mate attraction. The songs of wild populations differ, forming local "dialects" that may shift over time, suggesting that cultural evolution is at work. Recent work has focused on the mechanisms responsible for the cultural evolution of bird songs within a population, including drift, learning biases (such as conformity and rare-form copying), and selection (including sexual selection). In many songs or song repertoires, variability is partitioned, with some songs or song segments being stable and consistent, while others vary within the population and across time, and still others undergo population-wide transitions over time. This review explores the different mechanisms that shape the cultural evolution of songs in wild populations, with specific reference to a long-term investigation of a single population of philopatric Savannah sparrows. Males learn a single four-segment song during their 1st year and sing the same song thereafter. Within this song, the buzz segment is a population marker, and may be stable for decades - variant forms occur but eventually disappear. In contrast, the middle segment is highly variable both within the population and over time; changes in relative prevalence of different forms may be due to cultural drift or a rare-form learning bias. Within the introductory segment, a high note cluster was replaced by a click train between 1982 and 2010, following an S-shaped trajectory characteristic of both selective sweeps in population genetics and the replacement of one form by another in human language. In the case of the Savannah sparrows, this replacement may have been due to sexual selection. In subsequent generations, the number of clicks within trains increased, a form of cultural directional selection. In contrast to the narrowing of a trait's range during directional selection in genetic systems, variation in the number of clicks in a train increased as the mean value shifted because improvisation during song learning allowed the range of the trait to expand. Thus, in the single short song of the Savannah sparrow, at least four different mechanisms appear to contribute to three different types of cultural evolutionary outcomes. In the future, it will be import to explore the conditions that favor the application of specific (and perhaps conditional) learning rules, and studies such as the ongoing song seeding experiment in the Kent Island Savannah sparrow population will help in understanding the mechanisms that promote or repress changes in a population's song.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Williams
- Biology Department, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, United States
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14
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Song learning and plasticity in songbirds. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 67:228-239. [PMID: 33667874 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Birdsong provides a fascinating system to study both behavioral and neural plasticity. Oscine songbirds learn to sing, exhibiting behavioral plasticity both during and after the song-learning process. As a bird learns, its song progresses from a plastic and highly variable vocalization into a more stereotyped, crystallized song. However, even after crystallization, song plasticity can occur: some species' songs become more stereotyped over time, whereas other species can incorporate new song elements. Alongside the changes in song, songbirds' brains are also plastic. Both song and neural connections change with the seasons in many species, and new neurons can be added to the song system throughout life. In this review, we highlight important research on behavioral and neural plasticity at multiple timescales, from song development in juveniles to lifelong modifications of learned song.
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15
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Jiang X, Zhang C, Liu J, Liang W. Female cuckoo calls elicit vigilance and escape responses from wild free-range chickens. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1792557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xingyi Jiang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
| | - Changjie Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
| | - Jianping Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan C. Mann
- Department of Linguistics, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - David C. Lahti
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Paul C. Mundinger
- Department of Biology, Queens College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
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17
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Zhang L, Liu J, Gao Z, Zhang L, Wan D, Liang W, Møller AP. Comparative analysis of hissing calls in five tit species. Behav Processes 2020; 171:104029. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.104029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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18
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Hissing like a snake: bird hisses are similar to snake hisses and prompt similar anxiety behavior in a mammalian model. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2778-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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19
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Gammon DE, Corsiglia AM. Mockingbirds imitate frogs and toads across North America. Behav Processes 2019; 169:103982. [PMID: 31586643 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Vocal mimicry is taxonomically widespread among birds, but little is known about mimicry of non-avian models. Prior studies show preferential imitation of avian models whose sounds are acoustically similar to the non-imitative songs of the vocal mimic. Based on these studies and anecdotes about frog imitations by northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos), we hypothesized which anuran models would be most likely to get imitated by mockingbirds across their geographic range. We tested our hypothesis using >40 h of archived mockingbird recordings. Our results showed that mockingbirds imitated at least 12 anuran species, and calls were disproportionately mimicked when they contained dominant frequencies within the vocal range of the mockingbird (750-7000 Hz). Mockingbirds also frequently modified model anuran sounds by leaving out formants and/or truncating call duration. Our results represent the most comprehensive survey for any mimicking species of the imitation of anurans.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Gammon
- Biology Department, Elon University, Elon, NC, 27244, United States.
| | - Anna M Corsiglia
- Biology Department, Elon University, Elon, NC, 27244, United States
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20
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Potvin DA, Ratnayake CP, Radford AN, Magrath RD. Birds Learn Socially to Recognize Heterospecific Alarm Calls by Acoustic Association. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2632-2637.e4. [PMID: 30078559 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Animals in natural communities gain information from members of other species facing similar ecological challenges [1-5], including many vertebrates that recognize the alarm calls of heterospecifics vulnerable to the same predators [6]. Learning is critical in explaining this widespread recognition [7-13], but there has been no test of the role of social learning in alarm-call recognition, despite the fact that it is predicted to be important in this context [14, 15]. We show experimentally that wild superb fairy-wrens, Malurus cyaneus, learn socially to recognize new alarm calls and can do so through the previously undemonstrated mechanism of acoustic-acoustic association of unfamiliar with known alarm calls. Birds were trained in the absence of any predator by broadcasting unfamiliar sounds, to which they did not originally flee, in combination with a chorus of conspecific and heterospecific aerial alarm calls (typically given to hawks in flight). The fairy-wrens responded to the new sounds after training, usually by fleeing to cover, and responded equally as strongly in repeated tests over a week. Control playbacks showed that the response was not due simply to greater wariness. Fairy-wrens therefore learnt to associate new calls with known alarm calls, without having to see the callers or a predator. This acoustic-acoustic association mechanism of social learning could result in the rapid spread of alarm-call recognition in natural communities, even when callers or predators are difficult to observe. Moreover, this mechanism offers potential for use in conservation by enhancing training of captive-bred individuals before release into the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique A Potvin
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Chaminda P Ratnayake
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Robert D Magrath
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
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21
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Goller M, Shizuka D. Evolutionary origins of vocal mimicry in songbirds. Evol Lett 2018; 2:417-426. [PMID: 30283692 PMCID: PMC6121844 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocal learning is an important behavior in oscines (songbirds). Some songbird species learn heterospecific sounds as well as conspecific vocalizations. The emergence of vocal mimicry is necessarily tied to the evolution of vocal learning, as mimicry requires the ability to acquire sounds through learning. As such, tracking the evolutionary origins of vocal mimicry may provide insights into the causes of variation in song learning programs among songbirds. We compiled a database of known vocal mimics that comprised 339 species from 43 families. We then traced the evolutionary history of vocal mimicry across the avian phylogeny using ancestral trait reconstruction on a dataset of oscine passerines for which vocalizations have been described. We found that the common ancestor to oscines was unlikely to mimic sounds, suggesting that song learning evolved with mechanisms to constrain learning to conspecific models. Mimicry then evolved repeatedly within the songbird clade, either through relaxation of constraints on conspecific learning or through selection for active vocal mimicry. Vocal mimicry is likely ancestral in only a handful of clades, and we detect many instances of independent origins of mimicry. Our analysis underscores the liability of vocal mimicry in songbirds, and highlights the evolutionary flexibility of song learning mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Goller
- School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska 68588-0118
| | - Daizaburo Shizuka
- School of Biological Sciences University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska 68588-0118
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Jamie GA. Signals, cues and the nature of mimicry. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2016.2080. [PMID: 28202806 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
'Mimicry' is used in the evolutionary and ecological literature to describe diverse phenomena. Many are textbook examples of natural selection's power to produce stunning adaptations. However, there remains a lack of clarity over how mimetic resemblances are conceptually related to each other. The result is that categories denoting the traditional subdivisions of mimicry are applied inconsistently across studies, hindering attempts at conceptual unification. This review critically examines the logic by which mimicry can be conceptually organized and analysed. It highlights the following three evolutionarily relevant distinctions. (i) Are the model's traits being mimicked signals or cues? (ii) Does the mimic signal a fitness benefit or fitness cost in order to manipulate the receiver's behaviour? (iii) Is the mimic's signal deceptive? The first distinction divides mimicry into two broad categories: 'signal mimicry' and 'cue mimicry'. 'Signal mimicry' occurs when mimic and model share the same receiver, and 'cue mimicry' when mimic and model have different receivers or when there is no receiver for the model's trait. 'Masquerade' fits conceptually within cue mimicry. The second and third distinctions divide both signal and cue mimicry into four types each. These are the three traditional mimicry categories (aggressive, Batesian and Müllerian) and a fourth, often overlooked category for which the term 'rewarding mimicry' is suggested. Rewarding mimicry occurs when the mimic's signal is non-deceptive (as in Müllerian mimicry) but where the mimic signals a fitness benefit to the receiver (as in aggressive mimicry). The existence of rewarding mimicry is a logical extension of the criteria used to differentiate the three well-recognized forms of mimicry. These four forms of mimicry are not discrete, immutable types, but rather help to define important axes along which mimicry can vary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel A Jamie
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
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Riegert J, Jůzlová Z. Vocal mimicry in the song of Icterine warblers (Hippolais icterina): possible functions and sources of variability. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2017.1412356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Riegert
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Jůzlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Dalziell AH, Welbergen JA. Mimicry for all modalities. Ecol Lett 2016; 19:609-19. [PMID: 27117779 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Mimicry is a canonical example of adaptive signal design. In principle, what constitutes mimicry is independent of the taxonomic identity of the mimic, the ecological context in which it operates, and the sensory modality through which it is expressed. However, in practice the study of mimicry is inconsistent across research fields, with theoretical and empirical advances often failing to cross taxonomic and sensory divides. We propose a novel conceptual framework whereby mimicry evolves if a receiver perceives the similarity between a mimic and a model and as a result confers a selective benefit onto the mimic. Here, misidentification and/or deception are no longer formal requirements, and mimicry can evolve irrespective of the underlying proximate mechanisms. The centrality of receiver perception in this framework enables us to formally distinguish mimicry from perceptual exploitation and integrate mimicry and multicomponent signalling theory for the first time. In addition, it resolves inconsistencies in our understanding of the role of learning in mimicry evolution, and shows that imperfect mimicry is expected to be the norm. Mimicry remains a key model for understanding signal evolution and cognition, and we recommend the adoption of a unified approach to stimulate future interdisciplinary developments in this fascinating area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia H Dalziell
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - Justin A Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
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Igic B, McLachlan J, Lehtinen I, Magrath RD. Crying wolf to a predator: deceptive vocal mimicry by a bird protecting young. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20150798. [PMID: 26041353 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals often mimic dangerous or toxic species to deter predators; however, mimicry of such species may not always be possible and mimicry of benign species seems unlikely to confer anti-predator benefits. We reveal a system in which a bird mimics the alarm calls of harmless species to fool a predator 40 times its size and protect its offspring against attack. Our experiments revealed that brown thornbills (Acanthiza pusilla) mimic a chorus of other species' aerial alarm calls, a cue of an Accipiter hawk in flight, when predators attack their nest. The absence of any flying predators in this context implies that these alarms convey deceptive information about the type of danger present. Experiments on the primary nest predators of thornbills, pied currawongs (Strepera graculina), revealed that the predators treat these alarms as if they themselves are threatened by flying hawks, either by scanning the sky for danger or fleeing, confirming a deceptive function. In turn, these distractions delay attack and provide thornbill nestlings with an opportunity to escape. This sophisticated defence strategy exploits the complex web of interactions among multiple species across several trophic levels, and in particular exploits a predator's ability to eavesdrop on and respond appropriately to heterospecific alarm calls. Our findings demonstrate that prey can fool predators by deceptively mimicking alarm calls of harmless species, suggesting that defensive mimicry could be more widespread because of indirect effects on predators within a web of eavesdropping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branislav Igic
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Jessica McLachlan
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Inkeri Lehtinen
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Robert D Magrath
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Chakraborty M, Walløe S, Nedergaard S, Fridel EE, Dabelsteen T, Pakkenberg B, Bertelsen MF, Dorrestein GM, Brauth SE, Durand SE, Jarvis ED. Core and Shell Song Systems Unique to the Parrot Brain. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118496. [PMID: 26107173 PMCID: PMC4479475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to imitate complex sounds is rare, and among birds has been found only in parrots, songbirds, and hummingbirds. Parrots exhibit the most advanced vocal mimicry among non-human animals. A few studies have noted differences in connectivity, brain position and shape in the vocal learning systems of parrots relative to songbirds and hummingbirds. However, only one parrot species, the budgerigar, has been examined and no differences in the presence of song system structures were found with other avian vocal learners. Motivated by questions of whether there are important differences in the vocal systems of parrots relative to other vocal learners, we used specialized constitutive gene expression, singing-driven gene expression, and neural connectivity tracing experiments to further characterize the song system of budgerigars and/or other parrots. We found that the parrot brain uniquely contains a song system within a song system. The parrot "core" song system is similar to the song systems of songbirds and hummingbirds, whereas the "shell" song system is unique to parrots. The core with only rudimentary shell regions were found in the New Zealand kea, representing one of the only living species at a basal divergence with all other parrots, implying that parrots evolved vocal learning systems at least 29 million years ago. Relative size differences in the core and shell regions occur among species, which we suggest could be related to species differences in vocal and cognitive abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukta Chakraborty
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Solveig Walløe
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Signe Nedergaard
- Danish National Police, National Centre of Forensic Services, Vanloese, Denmark
| | - Emma E. Fridel
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Torben Dabelsteen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bente Pakkenberg
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Gerry M. Dorrestein
- Dutch Research Institute of Avian and Exotic Animals, Veldhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Steven E. Brauth
- University of Maryland, College Park, MA, United States of America
| | - Sarah E. Durand
- LaGuardia Community College, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Erich D. Jarvis
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
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Dalziell AH, Welbergen JA, Igic B, Magrath RD. Avian vocal mimicry: a unified conceptual framework. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2014; 90:643-68. [PMID: 25079896 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Revised: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Mimicry is a classical example of adaptive signal design. Here, we review the current state of research into vocal mimicry in birds. Avian vocal mimicry is a conspicuous and often spectacular form of animal communication, occurring in many distantly related species. However, the proximate and ultimate causes of vocal mimicry are poorly understood. In the first part of this review, we argue that progress has been impeded by conceptual confusion over what constitutes vocal mimicry. We propose a modified version of Vane-Wright's (1980) widely used definition of mimicry. According to our definition, a vocalisation is mimetic if the behaviour of the receiver changes after perceiving the acoustic resemblance between the mimic and the model, and the behavioural change confers a selective advantage on the mimic. Mimicry is therefore specifically a functional concept where the resemblance between heterospecific sounds is a target of selection. It is distinct from other forms of vocal resemblance including those that are the result of chance or common ancestry, and those that have emerged as a by-product of other processes such as ecological convergence and selection for large song-type repertoires. Thus, our definition provides a general and functionally coherent framework for determining what constitutes vocal mimicry, and takes account of the diversity of vocalisations that incorporate heterospecific sounds. In the second part we assess and revise hypotheses for the evolution of avian vocal mimicry in the light of our new definition. Most of the current evidence is anecdotal, but the diverse contexts and acoustic structures of putative vocal mimicry suggest that mimicry has multiple functions across and within species. There is strong experimental evidence that vocal mimicry can be deceptive, and can facilitate parasitic interactions. There is also increasing support for the use of vocal mimicry in predator defence, although the mechanisms are unclear. Less progress has been made in explaining why many birds incorporate heterospecific sounds into their sexual displays, and in determining whether these vocalisations are functionally mimetic or by-products of sexual selection for other traits such as repertoire size. Overall, this discussion reveals a more central role for vocal mimicry in the behavioural ecology of birds than has previously been appreciated. The final part of this review identifies important areas for future research. Detailed empirical data are needed on individual species, including on the structure of mimetic signals, the contexts in which mimicry is produced, how mimicry is acquired, and the ecological relationships between mimic, model and receiver. At present, there is little information and no consensus about the various costs of vocal mimicry for the protagonists in the mimicry complex. The diversity and complexity of vocal mimicry in birds raises important questions for the study of animal communication and challenges our view of the nature of mimicry itself. Therefore, a better understanding of avian vocal mimicry is essential if we are to account fully for the diversity of animal signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia H Dalziell
- Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia
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30
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Abstract
Deception is common in nature, but victims of deception discriminate against and ultimately ignore deceptive signals when they are produced too frequently. Flexible variation of signals could allow evasion of such constraints. Fork-tailed drongos (Dicrurus adsimilis) use false alarm calls to scare other species away from food that they then steal. We show that drongos mimic the alarms of targeted species. Further, target species reduce their response to false alarm calls when they are repeated. However, the fear response is maintained when the call is varied. Drongos exploit this propensity by changing their alarm-call type when making repeated theft attempts on a particular species. Our results show that drongos can evade the frequency-dependent constraints that typically limit deception payoffs through flexible variation of their alarm calls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom P Flower
- Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
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31
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Igic B, Magrath RD. A songbird mimics different heterospecific alarm calls in response to different types of threat. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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32
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Goodale E, Ratnayake CP, Kotagama SW. Vocal Mimicry of Alarm-Associated Sounds by a Drongo Elicits Flee and Mobbing Responses from Other Species that Participate in Mixed-Species Bird Flocks. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eben Goodale
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology; Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Menglun China
| | - Chaminda P. Ratnayake
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka; Department of Zoology; University of Colombo; Colombo Sri Lanka
| | - Sarath W. Kotagama
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka; Department of Zoology; University of Colombo; Colombo Sri Lanka
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33
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Krams I, Vrublevska J, Koosa K, Krama T, Mierauskas P, Rantala MJ, Tilgar V. Hissing calls improve survival in incubating female great tits (Parus major). Acta Ethol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-013-0163-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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34
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Igic B, Magrath RD. Fidelity of vocal mimicry: identification and accuracy of mimicry of heterospecific alarm calls by the brown thornbill. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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35
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Wheatcroft D, Price TD. Learning and signal copying facilitate communication among bird species. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20123070. [PMID: 23446529 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.3070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Signals relevant to different sets of receivers in different contexts create a conflict for signal design. A classic example is vocal alarm signals, often used both during intraspecific and interspecific interactions. How can signals alert individuals from a variety of other species in some contexts, while also maintaining efficient communication among conspecifics? We studied heterospecific responses to avian alarm signals that drive the formation of anti-predator groups but are also used during intraspecific interactions. In three species-rich communities in the western Himalayas, alarm signals vary drastically across species. We show that, independently of differences in their calls, birds respond strongly to the alarm signals of other species with which they co-occur and much more weakly to those of species with which they do not co-occur. These results suggest that previous exposure and learning maintain heterospecific responses in the face of widespread signal divergence. At an area where only two species regularly interact, one species' calls incorporate the call of the other. We demonstrate experimentally that signal copying allows strong responses even without previous exposure and suggest that such hybrid calls may be especially favoured when pairwise interactions between species are strong.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wheatcroft
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, 1101 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Dalziell AH, Magrath RD. Fooling the experts: accurate vocal mimicry in the song of the superb lyrebird, Menura novaehollandiae. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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38
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Handel S, Todd SK, Zoidis AM. Hierarchical and rhythmic organization in the songs of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). BIOACOUSTICS 2012. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2012.668324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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39
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Jůzlová Z, Riegert J. Vocal mimicry in the song of the icterine warbler,Hippolais icterina(Sylviidae, Passeriformes). FOLIA ZOOLOGICA 2012. [DOI: 10.25225/fozo.v61.i1.a4.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Jůzlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Riegert
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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40
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Hetrick SA, Sieving KE. Antipredator calls of tufted titmice and interspecific transfer of encoded threat information. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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41
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Kelley
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, Victoria 3217, Australia.
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42
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Moscicki MK, Hoeschele M, Bloomfield LL, Modanu M, Charrier I, Sturdy CB. Note types and coding in Parid vocalizations: the chick-a-dee call of the boreal chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2011; 129:3327-3340. [PMID: 21568433 DOI: 10.1121/1.3560925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
An important first step in characterizing a vocalization is to classify, describe, and measure the elements of that vocalization. Here, this methodology is employed to study the chick-a-dee call of the boreal chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus). The note types (A, B, C, D, and D(h)) in a sample of boreal chickadee calls are identified and described, spectral and temporal features of each note type are analyzed, and production phenomena in each note type are identified and quantified. Acoustic variability is compared across note types and individuals to determine potential features used for note-type and individual discrimination. Frequency measures appear to be the most useful features for identifying note types and individuals, though total duration may also be useful. Call syntax reveals that boreal chick-a-dee calls follow a general rule of note-type order, namely A-B-C-D(h)-D, and that any note type in this sequence may be repeated or omitted. This work provides a thorough description of the boreal chickadee chick-a-dee call and will serve as a foundation for future studies aimed at elucidating this call's functional significance within this species, as well as for studies comparing chick-a-dee calls across Poecile species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele K Moscicki
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P217 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
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43
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Kelley LA, Healy SD. The mimetic repertoire of the spotted bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus maculatus. Naturwissenschaften 2011; 98:501-7. [PMID: 21494871 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-011-0794-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2011] [Revised: 03/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Although vocal mimicry in songbirds is well documented, little is known about the function of such mimicry. One possibility is that the mimic produces the vocalisations of predatory or aggressive species to deter potential predators or competitors. Alternatively, these sounds may be learned in error as a result of their acoustic properties such as structural simplicity. We determined the mimetic repertoires of a population of male spotted bowerbirds Ptilonorhynchus maculatus, a species that mimics predatory and aggressive species. Although male mimetic repertoires contained an overabundance of vocalisations produced by species that were generally aggressive, there was also a marked prevalence of mimicry of sounds that are associated with alarm such as predator calls, alarm calls and mobbing calls, irrespective of whether the species being mimicked was aggressive or not. We propose that it may be the alarming context in which these sounds are first heard that may lead both to their acquisition and to their later reproduction. We suggest that enhanced learning capability during acute stress may explain vocal mimicry in many species that mimic sounds associated with alarm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Kelley
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK.
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44
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Laiolo P, Obeso JR, Roggia Y. Mimicry as a novel pathway linking biodiversity functions and individual behavioural performances. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 278:1072-81. [PMID: 20861043 PMCID: PMC3049029 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2010] [Accepted: 09/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The feedback of biodiversity on individual trait variation is a poorly explored mechanistic pathway in ecological research. We analysed the relationship between biodiversity and individual performance by focusing on vocal mimicry, a widespread interaction that may serve in intra- and interspecific communication. We studied the songs of two lark species (genus Galerida) that increase the complexity of their song displays by mimicking other birds, and analysed the influence of bird species richness on individual song performance. The diversity of mimicked species and the prevalence of mimicry increased in areas characterized by great α and γ diversity (i.e. where larks experience more diverse encounters with community members, many of them being highly vocal owing to breeding). Conversely, the variability in species-specific song components peaked where larks were abundant, probably matching the complexity of conspecific social milieu. Some trade-offs existed between homo- and heterospecific complexity, suggesting that larks could change from population- to community-driven song variation by tracking the composition of the auditory environment. Mimicry, which serves communication with conspecifics or predators, may mediate interactions, ultimately cascading to aspects of ecological diversity other than those promoting its complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Laiolo
- ICAB, CSIC and Oviedo University, 33071 Oviedo, Spain.
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45
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Flower T. Fork-tailed drongos use deceptive mimicked alarm calls to steal food. Proc Biol Sci 2010; 278:1548-55. [PMID: 21047861 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the prevalence of vocal mimicry in animals, few functions for this behaviour have been shown. I propose a novel hypothesis that false mimicked alarm calls could be used deceptively to scare other species and steal their food. Studies have previously suggested that animals use their own species-specific alarm calls to steal food. However none have shown conclusively that these false alarms are deceptive, or that mimicked alarm calls are used in this manner. Here, I show that wild fork-tailed drongos (Dicrurus adsimilis) make both drongo-specific and mimicked false alarm calls when watching target species handling food, in response to which targets flee to cover abandoning their food. The drongo-specific and mimicked calls made in false alarms were structurally indistinguishable from calls made during true alarms at predators by drongos and other species. Furthermore, I demonstrate by playback experiments that two of these species, meerkats (Suricata suricatta) and pied babblers (Turdoides bicolor), are deceived by both drongo-specific and mimicked false alarm calls. These results provide the first conclusive evidence that false alarm calls are deceptive and demonstrate a novel function for vocal mimicry. This work also provides valuable insight into the benefits of deploying variable mimetic signals in deceptive communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Flower
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
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BLUFF LUCASA, KACELNIK ALEX, RUTZ CHRISTIAN. Vocal culture in New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01527.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Rogers LJ. Cognition and animal welfare. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2010; 1:439-445. [PMID: 26271384 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Animals exhibit species-typical adaptations of behavior and may suffer stress in captivity if they are prevented from performing these patterns of behavior. This article considers whether these particular 'needs' rely on cognitive processes or are performed without complex cognition despite their appearance of behavioral complexity. Emotion and cognition in animals are also discussed, particularly whether animals can feel emotions and, if so, what ranges of emotions they might feel. Cognitive capacities that would contribute to suffering include empathy with the suffering of others, memories of negative events and suffering in anticipation of future events. Cognitive bias of individual animals toward positive or negative feelings is related to dominance of the left or right hemisphere, respectively. These biases might be reflected in the animal's preferred limb to pick up food. Hence, limb preference could be a useful measure of cognitive bias. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a cognitive condition that, it is suggested, might involve dominance of the right hemisphere. This debilitating condition is experience-dependent and not infrequently seen in animals in captivity. In conclusion, it is argued that there is an obvious need for more research on cognition as it relates to animal welfare and as a basis for changing legislature to protect animals from suffering. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley J Rogers
- Centre for Neuroscience and Animal Behaviour, School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, Australia
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Abstract
Vocal mimicry is one of the more striking aspects of avian vocalization and is widespread across songbirds. However, little is known about how mimics acquire heterospecific and environmental sounds. We investigated geographical and individual variation in the mimetic repertoires of males of a proficient mimic, the spotted bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus maculatus. Male bower owners shared more of their mimetic repertoires with neighbouring bower owners than with more distant males. However, interbower distance did not explain variation in the highly repeatable renditions given by bower owners of two commonly mimicked species. From the similarity between model and mimic vocalizations and the patterns of repertoire sharing among males, we suggest that the bowerbirds are learning their mimetic repertoire from heterospecifics and not from each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Kelley
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK.
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Tobias JA, Seddon N. SIGNAL DESIGN AND PERCEPTION INHYPOCNEMISANTBIRDS: EVIDENCE FOR CONVERGENT EVOLUTION VIA SOCIAL SELECTION. Evolution 2009; 63:3168-89. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00795.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Ratnayake CP, Goodale E, Kotagama SW. Two sympatric species of passerine birds imitate the same raptor calls in alarm contexts. Naturwissenschaften 2009; 97:103-8. [PMID: 19937310 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-009-0617-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2009] [Revised: 10/06/2009] [Accepted: 10/09/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
While some avian mimics appear to select sounds randomly, other species preferentially imitate sounds such as predator calls that are associated with danger. Previous work has shown that the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) incorporates predator calls and heterospecific alarm calls into its own species-typical alarm vocalizations. Here, we show that another passerine species, the Sri Lanka Magpie (Urocissa ornata), which inhabits the same Sri Lankan rainforest, imitates three of the same predator calls that drongos do. For two of these call types, there is evidence that magpies also use them in alarm contexts. Our results support the hypothesis that imitated predator calls can serve as signals of alarm to multiple species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaminda P Ratnayake
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, 3, Sri Lanka,
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