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Rose EM, Haakenson CM, Patel A, Gaind S, Shank BD, Ball GF. Song system neuroanatomy, and immediate early gene expression in a finch species with extensive male and female song. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:735-749. [PMID: 37436439 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01651-9] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Birdsong is a relatively well-studied behavior, both due to its importance as a model for vocal production learning and as an intriguing complex social behavior. Until the last few decades, work on birdsong focused almost exclusively on males. However, it is now widely accepted that female song not only exists, but is fairly common throughout the oscine passerines. Despite this, and the large number of researchers who have begun exploring female song in the field, researchers in the lab have been slow to adopt model species with female song. Studying female song in the lab is critical for our understanding of sex-specific factors in the physiology controlling this fascinating behavior. Additionally, as a model for vocal production learning in humans, understanding the mechanistic and neuroendocrine control of female song is clearly important. In this study, we examined the red-cheeked cordon bleu (RCCB), an Estrildid finch species with extensive female song. Specifically, we found that there were no significant sex differences in circulating levels of testosterone and progesterone, nor in song production rate. There were no significant differences in cell densities in the three nuclei of the song control system we examined. Additionally, the volume of the robust nucleus of the arcopallium was not significantly different and we report the smallest sex difference in HVC yet published in a songbird. Finally, we demonstrated similar levels of motor driven immediate early gene expression in both males and females after song production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangeline M Rose
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Chelsea M Haakenson
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Aliyah Patel
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Shivika Gaind
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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2
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Krieg CA, Wade J. Sex Differences in the Neural Song Circuit and Its Relationship to Song Acoustic Complexity in House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon). BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2023; 98:231-244. [PMID: 37487484 DOI: 10.1159/000531959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The song circuit in passerine birds is an outstanding model system for understanding the relationship between brain morphology and behavior, in part due to varying degrees of sex differences in structure and function across species. House wrens (Troglodytes aedon) offer a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of this relationship. Intermediate sex differences in song rate and complexity exist in this species compared to other passerines, and, among individual females, song complexity varies dramatically. Acoustic complexity in wild house wrens was quantified using a new machine learning approach. Volume, cell number, cell density, and neuron soma size were then measured for three song circuit regions, Area X, HVC (used as a proper name), and the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA), and one control region, the nucleus rotundus (Rt). For each song control area, males had a larger volume with more cells, larger somas, and lower cell density. Male songs had greater acoustic complexity than female songs, but these distributions overlapped. In females, increased acoustic complexity was correlated with larger volumes of and more cells in Area X and RA, as well as larger soma size in RA. In males, song complexity was unrelated to morphology, although our methods may underestimate male song complexity. This is the first study to identify song control regions in house wrens and one of few examining individual variation in both sexes. Parallels between morphology and the striking variability in female song in this species provide a new model for understanding relationships between neural structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara A Krieg
- Departments of Psychology and Integrative Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Biology, The University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Juli Wade
- Departments of Psychology and Integrative Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Psychology and School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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3
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Schacht R, Beissinger SR, Wedekind C, Jennions MD, Geffroy B, Liker A, Kappeler PM, Weissing FJ, Kramer KL, Hesketh T, Boissier J, Uggla C, Hollingshaus M, Székely T. Adult sex ratios: causes of variation and implications for animal and human societies. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1273. [PMID: 36402823 PMCID: PMC9675760 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04223-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Converging lines of inquiry from across the social and biological sciences target the adult sex ratio (ASR; the proportion of males in the adult population) as a fundamental population-level determinant of behavior. The ASR, which indicates the relative number of potential mates to competitors in a population, frames the selective arena for competition, mate choice, and social interactions. Here we review a growing literature, focusing on methodological developments that sharpen knowledge of the demographic variables underlying ASR variation, experiments that enhance understanding of the consequences of ASR imbalance across societies, and phylogenetic analyses that provide novel insights into social evolution. We additionally highlight areas where research advances are expected to make accelerating contributions across the social sciences, evolutionary biology, and biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Schacht
- Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.
| | - Steven R Beissinger
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Claus Wedekind
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, 2601, Australia
| | - Benjamin Geffroy
- MARBEC Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - András Liker
- ELKH-PE Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, University of Pannonia, 8210, Veszprém, Hungary
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Center for Natural Sciences, University of Pannonia, 8210, Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute of Primate Biology, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franz J Weissing
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Karen L Kramer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Therese Hesketh
- Institute of Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Centre for Global Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jérôme Boissier
- IHPE Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, Ifremer, Univ Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Caroline Uggla
- Stockholm University Demography Unit, Sociology Department, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mike Hollingshaus
- Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Tamás Székely
- Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
- ELKH-DE Reproductive Strategies Research Group, Department of Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
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4
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Price JJ, Willson MT, Pare RW. Loss of complex female song but not duetting in the ancestors of Carolina wrens. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Jordan Price
- Department of Biology St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City Maryland USA
| | - Mira T. Willson
- Department of Biology St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City Maryland USA
| | - Rustin W. Pare
- Department of Biology St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City Maryland USA
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Sierro J, de Kort SR, Riebel K, Hartley IR. Female blue tits sing frequently: a sex comparison of occurrence, context, and structure of song. Behav Ecol 2022; 33:912-925. [PMID: 36382229 PMCID: PMC9639586 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In species with mutual mate choice, we should expect adaptive signaling in both sexes. However, the role of female sexual signals is generally understudied. A case in point is female birdsong that has received considerably less attention than male song. This holds even for well-studied species such as the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), an important model in evolutionary ecology. Although there have been anecdotal reports of female song from three populations, there are no quantitative studies on female song in this species. Here, we report systematic sampling from a population of individually marked blue tits over 3 years, revealing that females sang frequently throughout the sampling period. Notably, daytime singing of females occurred in functionally similar contexts as in males (agonistic, solo song, and alarm contexts) but females had lower song output than males and were not observed singing dawn song, while males showed long singing displays at dawn before copulations take place. Female and male song overlapped substantially in acoustic structure (i.e., same song types or peak frequency) but females had smaller individual song-type repertoires, shorter trills, and lower vocal consistency. Differential selection pressures related to functional differences in male and female song might explain the observed variation in acoustic structure. With the first quantitative study of female song in such a well-studied species, we hope to stimulate further investigations into the functions of female singing, especially in the Northern temperate zones where female song may have been overlooked, not only in this but perhaps in other monomorphic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Sierro
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, LEC Building, Lancaster, UK
| | - Selvino R de Kort
- Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, E437 John Dalton Building, Manchester Campus, Manchester, UK
| | - Katharina Riebel
- Institute of Biology (IBL), Leiden University, Room number 7.4.17, Sylvius Building, Sylviusweg 72, Leiden 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Ian R Hartley
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, LEC Building, Lancaster, UK
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Dudouit C, Maury C, Bosca J, Bakker A, Gahr M, Aubin T, Rybak F, Geberzahn N. Vocal performance during spontaneous song is equal in male and female European robins. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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7
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Langmore NE. Female song can be over-looked in even the most intensively studied songbirds. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi E Langmore
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University , Canberra, ACT 2600 , Australia
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Montenegro C, Service WD, Scully EN, Mischler SK, Sahu PK, Benowicz TJ, Fox KVR, Sturdy CB. The impact of anthropogenic noise on individual identification via female song in Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Sci Rep 2021; 11:17530. [PMID: 34475418 PMCID: PMC8413438 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96504-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
When anthropogenic noise occurs simultaneously with an acoustic signal or cue, it can be difficult for an animal to interpret the information encoded within vocalizations. However, limited research has focused on how anthropogenic noise affects the identification of acoustic communication signals. In songbirds, research has also shown that black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) will shift the pitch and change the frequency at which they sing in the presence of anthropogenic, and experimental noise. Black-capped chickadees produce several vocalizations; their fee-bee song is used for mate attraction and territorial defence, and contains information about dominance hierarchy and native geographic location. Previously, we demonstrated that black-capped chickadees can discriminate between individual female chickadees via their fee-bee songs. Here we used an operant discrimination go/no-go paradigm to discern whether the ability to discriminate between individual female chickadees by their song would be impacted by differing levels of anthropogenic noise. Following discrimination training, two levels of anthropogenic noise (low: 40 dB SPL; high: 75 dB SPL) were played with stimuli to determine how anthropogenic noise would impact discrimination. Results showed that even with low-level noise (40 dB SPL) performance decreased and high-level (75 dB SPL) noise was increasingly detrimental to discrimination. We learned that perception of fee-bee songs does change in the presence of anthropogenic noise such that birds take significantly longer to learn to discriminate between females, but birds were able to generalize responding after learning the discrimination. These results add to the growing literature underscoring the impact of human-made noise on avian wildlife, specifically the impact on perception of auditory signals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William D Service
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Erin N Scully
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Prateek K Sahu
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Thomas J Benowicz
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Katelyn V R Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Christopher B Sturdy
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,University of Alberta, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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9
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Romani F, Ramella Levis E, Posillico M, Opramolla G, Pavan G. Vocal repertoire of the Eurasian griffon vulture ( Gyps fulvus) in the central Apennines: a baseline assessment. BIOACOUSTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2021.1925591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Romani
- Centro Interdisciplinare di Bioacustica e Ricerche Ambientali, Department of Earth and Environment Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Eurafrica Conservation Projects, Non-Profit Organization for the Conservation of Biodiversity, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Ramella Levis
- Centro Interdisciplinare di Bioacustica e Ricerche Ambientali, Department of Earth and Environment Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Eurafrica Conservation Projects, Non-Profit Organization for the Conservation of Biodiversity, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Posillico
- Reparto Carabinieri Biodiversità, Centro Ricerche Ambienti Montani, Castel di Sangro (AQ), Italy
| | - Giancarlo Opramolla
- Reparto Carabinieri Biodiversità, Centro Ricerche Ambienti Montani, Castel di Sangro (AQ), Italy
| | - Gianni Pavan
- Centro Interdisciplinare di Bioacustica e Ricerche Ambientali, Department of Earth and Environment Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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11
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Wilkins MR, Odom KJ, Benedict L, Safran RJ. Analysis of female song provides insight into the evolution of sex differences in a widely studied songbird. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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12
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Abstract
Naomi Langmore introduces female song in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi E Langmore
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 0200, Australia.
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13
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Female song in eastern bluebirds varies in acoustic structure according to social context. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-2824-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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14
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Dutour M, Ridley AR. Females sing more often and at higher frequencies than males in Australian magpies. Behav Processes 2020; 172:104045. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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15
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Mikula P, Tószögyová A, Hořák D, Petrusková T, Storch D, Albrecht T. Female solo song and duetting are associated with different territoriality in songbirds. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Recently, there has been an increased effort to unravel selective factors behind female song evolution in songbirds. Female birds which produce songs may sing either solo or in duets; although the 2 vocal performances likely evolved through different selection forces and mechanisms, the majority of large-scale studies to date have focused only on duetting or female song in general (pooling female solo song and duetting into a single category). Hence, here we estimate the effect of behavioral life-history traits (territoriality, social bonds, and cooperative breeding) and environmental productivity on the occurrence of female solo song and duetting separately in songbirds of South Africa and Lesotho. The focal region is characterized by subtropical/tropical climate, clear spatial environmental productivity gradient, and detailed knowledge on avian species distribution and behavioral life-history traits. Phylogenetically informed comparative analyses revealed that species where females produce only solo songs exhibited higher levels of territoriality than species with nonsinging females (in an univariable model) but, simultaneously, lower levels than duetting species. Although both species with female solo song and duetting establish mainly long-term social bonds, the former defend their territories seasonally while the latter exhibit mainly year-round territoriality. Cooperative breeding and environmental productivity were not associated with the distribution of female solo song and duetting in any model. Our results indicate that when exploring female song ecology and evolution, female solo song and duetting are likely to be distinct song categories associated with different levels of territoriality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Mikula
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague 2, Czech Republic
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Tószögyová
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
- Center for Theoretical Study, Charles University and the Czech Academy of Sciences, Jilská 1, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - David Hořák
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Petrusková
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - David Storch
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
- Center for Theoretical Study, Charles University and the Czech Academy of Sciences, Jilská 1, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague 2, Czech Republic
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
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Xia C, Deng Z, Lloyd H, Møller AP, Zhao X, Zhang Y. The function of three main call types in common cuckoo. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Canwei Xia
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences Beijing Normal University Beijing China
| | - Zhuqing Deng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences Beijing Normal University Beijing China
| | - Huw Lloyd
- Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology, School of Science and the Environment Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester UK
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences Beijing Normal University Beijing China
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris‐Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech Université Paris‐Saclay Orsay Cedex France
| | - Xiaomeng Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences Beijing Normal University Beijing China
| | - Yanyun Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences Beijing Normal University Beijing China
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Riebel K, Odom KJ, Langmore NE, Hall ML. New insights from female bird song: towards an integrated approach to studying male and female communication roles. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20190059. [PMID: 30940020 PMCID: PMC6501358 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Historically, bird song has been regarded as a sex-specific signalling trait; males sing to attract females and females drive the evolution of signal exaggeration by preferring males with ever more complex songs. This view provides no functional role for female song. Historic geographical research biases generalized pronounced sex differences of phylogenetically derived northern temperate zone songbirds to all songbirds. However, we now know that female song is common and that both sexes probably sang in the ancestor of modern songbirds. This calls for research on adaptive explanations and mechanisms regulating female song, and a reassessment of questions and approaches to identify selection pressures driving song elaboration in both sexes and subsequent loss of female song in some clades. In this short review and perspective we highlight newly emerging questions and propose a research framework to investigate female song and song sex differences across species. We encourage experimental tests of mechanism, ontogeny, and function integrated with comparative evolutionary analyses. Moreover, we discuss the wider implications of female bird song research for our understanding of male and female communication roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Riebel
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Karan J. Odom
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, 2333 BE, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Naomi E. Langmore
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia
| | - Michelle L. Hall
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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18
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Deng Z, Lloyd H, Xia C, Møller AP, Liang W, Zhang Y. Components of variation in female common cuckoo calls. Behav Processes 2019; 158:106-112. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Kohn GM. Female vocalizations predict reproductive output in brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202067. [PMID: 30586359 PMCID: PMC6306164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pair bonds are often maintained through the reciprocal and coordinated exchange of communicative signals. The ability to recognize and appropriately respond to a partner’s signals will define a pair’s ability to reproduce. Individual variation in responsiveness, by shaping the formation and maintenance of strong pair bonds, will ultimately influence an individual’s reproductive output. Throughout the breeding period, female cowbirds (Molothrus ater) respond to male song displays using a vocalization known as the chatter. In this study, we investigated whether variation in chatters remained repeatable across years and predicted reproductive performance. A flock of cowbirds housed in a large aviary complex was observed during the spring of 2011 to 2012. We recorded courtship interactions, including singing behavior for males, and chatters and eggs laid by females. The rate with which females responded to song using chatters remained consistent across years, with some females predictably responding to more songs using chatters than others. During 2012, chattering predicted the number of eggs females laid and her paired status. Paired females were more likely to respond to songs with chatters, and there was a strong positive relationship between the number of eggs laid and the proportion of songs she responded to using chatters. Overall, these findings suggest that variation in female vocal behavior is associated with their reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Mark Kohn
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Hathcock TJ, Benedict L. Conspecific challenges provoke female canyon wrens to sing but not to duet. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2625-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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21
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Pérez-Granados C, Osiejuk TS, López-Iborra GM. Dawn chorus interpretation differs when using songs or calls: the Dupont's Lark Chersophilus duponti case. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5241. [PMID: 30038868 PMCID: PMC6054861 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Territorial songbirds vocalise intensively before sunrise and then decrease their vocal activity. This creates a communication network that disseminates essential information for both males and females. The function of dawn chorus in birds has been frequently interpreted according to seasonal variation of singing as the breeding season advances, but potential differences in seasonal variation of song and calls for the same species have not been taken into account. Methods We chose Dupont’s Lark as a model species to study whether the seasonal pattern of dawn chorus differs between singing and calling activity, because in this species most daily songs and calls are uttered at dawn. We registered vocal activity of Dupont’s Lark before and around dawn in three different populations, through repeated sampling over the entire breeding season of two consecutive years. Results We found that dawn singing parameters remained constant or presented an increasing trend while dawn calling activity decreased as breeding season advanced. We also found different daily patterns for singing and calling, with birds calling mostly during the first 30 minutes of dawn choruses and singing peaking afterwards. Discussion The different time patterns of songs and calls may indicate that they serve diverse functions at dawn in the Dupont’s Lark. Relaxation of dawn calling activity after the first month of the breeding season would suggest that dawn calling may be mainly related to mate attraction, while constant dawn singing throughout the breeding period would support a relationship of dawn singing to territorial defence. Our study highlights that the type of vocalisation used is an important factor to consider in further research on dawn choruses, since results may differ depending on whether calls or songs are analysed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Pérez-Granados
- Ecology Department/Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies "Ramón Margalef", Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.,Current affiiation: Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG-UAM), Department of Ecology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomasz S Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan, Poznan, Poland
| | - Germán M López-Iborra
- Ecology Department/Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies "Ramón Margalef", Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
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Graham BA, Heath DD, Walter RP, Mark MM, Mennill DJ. Parallel evolutionary forces influence the evolution of male and female songs in a tropical songbird. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:979-994. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brendan A. Graham
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
| | - Daniel D. Heath
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
- Great Lakes Institute of Environmental Research; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
| | - Ryan P. Walter
- Great Lakes Institute of Environmental Research; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
- Department of Biological Science; California State University Fullerton; Fullerton CA USA
| | - Melissa M. Mark
- Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program; Northern Arizona University; Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Daniel J. Mennill
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
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Graham BA, Heath DD, Mennill DJ. Dispersal influences genetic and acoustic spatial structure for both males and females in a tropical songbird. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:10089-10102. [PMID: 29238539 PMCID: PMC5723598 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals exhibit diverse dispersal strategies, including sex‐biased dispersal, a phenomenon common in vertebrates. Dispersal influences the genetic structure of populations as well as geographic variation in phenotypic traits. Patterns of spatial genetic structure and geographic variation may vary between the sexes whenever males and females exhibit different dispersal behaviors. Here, we examine dispersal, spatial genetic structure, and spatial acoustic structure in Rufous‐and‐white Wrens, a year‐round resident tropical bird. Both sexes sing in this species, allowing us to compare acoustic variation between males and females and examine the relationship between dispersal and song sharing for both sexes. Using a long‐term dataset collected over an 11‐year period, we used banding data and molecular genetic analyses to quantify natal and breeding dispersal distance in Rufous‐and‐white Wrens. We quantified song sharing and examined whether sharing varied with dispersal distance, for both males and females. Observational data and molecular genetic analyses indicate that dispersal is female‐biased. Females dispersed farther from natal territories than males, and more often between breeding territories than males. Furthermore, females showed no significant spatial genetic structure, consistent with expectations, whereas males showed significant spatial genetic structure. Overall, natal dispersal appears to have more influence than breeding dispersal on spatial genetic structure and spatial acoustic structure, given that the majority of breeding dispersal events resulted in individuals moving only short distances. Song sharing between pairs of same‐sex animals decreases with the distance between their territories for both males and females, although males exhibited significantly greater song sharing than females. Lastly, we measured the relationship between natal dispersal distance and song sharing. We found that sons shared fewer songs with their fathers the farther they dispersed from their natal territories, but that song sharing between daughters and mothers was not significantly correlated with natal dispersal distance. Our results reveal cultural differences between the sexes, suggesting a relationship between culture and sex‐biased dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan A Graham
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada
| | - Daniel D Heath
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada.,Great Lakes Institute of Environmental Research University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada
| | - Daniel J Mennill
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada
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25
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Krieg CA, Burnett AD. Female House Wrens may Use a Low‐Amplitude Call as an Aggressive Signal. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cara A. Krieg
- Department of Integrative Biology Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
- W.K. Kellogg Biological Station Hickory Corners MI USA
| | - Alexandra D. Burnett
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment University of Arizona Tucson AZ USA
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Riebel K. Understanding Sex Differences in Form and Function of Bird Song: The Importance of Studying Song Learning Processes. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Keen S, Meliza CD, Pilowsky JA, Rubenstein DR. Song in a Social and Sexual Context: Vocalizations Signal Identity and Rank in Both Sexes of a Cooperative Breeder. Front Ecol Evol 2016; 4:46. [PMID: 38389994 PMCID: PMC10883081 DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In most songbirds, both sexes produce calls, or short vocalizations used to coordinate behaviors and maintain social cohesion. In contrast, songs are longer, more elaborate vocalizations typically only produced by males in behavioral contexts shaped by sexual selection operating through female choice. However, both males and females sing in many cooperatively breeding species, including the superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus). In this species, both sexes produce songs and calls composed of sequences of temporally discrete elements called motifs. Calls signal social group and individual identity, but the function of songs is currently unknown. Because superb starlings often sing in groups, song could be used not only in a sexual context, but also to signal identity and rank within the separate dominance hierarchies observed in males and females. To determine whether songs are used in mate attraction (sexually selected) and/or to influence social rank (socially selected), we compared song diversity with three potential indicators of fitness and dominance: social status, the number of seasons spent breeding, and age. We found that age is correlated with song diversity in both males and females, suggesting that (1) these signals serve similar purposes in both sexes, and (2) song diversity is likely the result of selection by both mutual mate choice and social competition. To test whether songs carry a signal of individuality, we applied spectrogram dynamic time warping to measure pairwise similarity among song motifs, and then calculated motif similarity within and between individuals. We found that motif similarity is higher within individuals than between individuals, suggesting that songs signal individual identity, which may help to establish social rank. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that superb starling vocal behavior in each sex is shaped by both social and sexual selection. Additionally, because call motifs are also used in songs, our data suggest that at least some vocal building blocks have evolved to convey multiple signaler traits and to facilitate complex social and sexual interactions in different contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Keen
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - C Daniel Meliza
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - July A Pilowsky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Dustin R Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Integrative Animal Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Mahr K, Evans C, Thonhauser KE, Griggio M, Hoi H. Multiple Ornaments—Multiple Signaling Functions? The Importance of Song and UV Plumage Coloration in Female Superb Fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus). Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Krieg CA, Getty T. Not just for males: females use song against male and female rivals in a temperate zone songbird. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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31
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Brunton DH, Roper MM, Harmer AMT. Female Song Rate and Structure Predict Reproductive Success in a Socially Monogamous Bird. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Evans C, Kleindorfer S. Superb Fairy-Wren (Malurus cyaneus) Sons and Daughters Acquire Song Elements of Mothers and Social Fathers. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Female and male song rates across breeding stage: testing for sexual and nonsexual functions of female song. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Lobato M, Vellema M, Gahr C, Leitão A, de Lima SMA, Geberzahn N, Gahr M. Mismatch in sexual dimorphism of developing song and song control system in blue-capped cordon-bleus, a songbird species with singing females and males. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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36
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Hahn AH, Hoang J, McMillan N, Campbell K, Congdon J, Sturdy CB. Biological salience influences performance and acoustic mechanisms for the discrimination of male and female songs. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Neunuebel JP, Taylor AL, Arthur BJ, Egnor SER. Female mice ultrasonically interact with males during courtship displays. eLife 2015; 4:e06203. [PMID: 26020291 PMCID: PMC4447045 DOI: 10.7554/elife.06203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
During courtship males attract females with elaborate behaviors. In mice, these displays include ultrasonic vocalizations. Ultrasonic courtship vocalizations were previously attributed to the courting male, despite evidence that both sexes produce virtually indistinguishable vocalizations. Because of this similarity, and the difficulty of assigning vocalizations to individuals, the vocal contribution of each individual during courtship is unknown. To address this question, we developed a microphone array system to localize vocalizations from socially interacting, individual adult mice. With this system, we show that female mice vocally interact with males during courtship. Males and females jointly increased their vocalization rates during chases. Furthermore, a female's participation in these vocal interactions may function as a signal that indicates a state of increased receptivity. Our results reveal a novel form of vocal communication during mouse courtship, and lay the groundwork for a mechanistic dissection of communication during social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P Neunuebel
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, United States
| | - Adam L Taylor
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Ben J Arthur
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - SE Roian Egnor
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
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38
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Hall ML, Rittenbach MRD, Vehrencamp SL. Female song and vocal interactions with males in a neotropical wren. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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39
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Soma M, Garamszegi LÃZ. Evolution of courtship display in Estrildid finches: dance in relation to female song and plumage ornamentation. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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40
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Kipper S, Kiefer S, Bartsch C, Weiss M. Female calling? Song responses to conspecific call playbacks in nightingales, Luscinia megarhynchos. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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41
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Odom KJ, Omland KE, Price JJ. Differentiating the evolution of female song and male-female duets in the New World blackbirds: Can tropical natural history traits explain duet evolution? Evolution 2015; 69:839-47. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karan J. Odom
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Maryland; Baltimore County Baltimore Maryland 21250
| | - Kevin E. Omland
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Maryland; Baltimore County Baltimore Maryland 21250
| | - J. Jordan Price
- Department of Biology; St. Mary's College of Maryland; St. Mary's City Maryland 20686
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Amy M, Salvin P, Naguib M, Leboucher G. Female signalling to male song in the domestic canary, Serinus canaria. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2015; 2:140196. [PMID: 26064577 PMCID: PMC4448791 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.140196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Most studies on sexual selection focus on male characteristics such as male song in songbirds. Yet female vocalizations in songbirds are growing in interest among behavioural and evolutionary biologists because these vocalizations can reveal the female's preferences for male traits and may affect male display. This study was designed to test whether male song performance influences the different female signals in the domestic canary (Serinus canaria). Female canaries were exposed to three types of song performance, differing in the repetition rate of sexy syllables. This experiment demonstrates that female birds are engaged in multimodal communication during sexual interaction. The results support the copulation solicitation hypothesis for female-specific trills: these trills were positively correlated and had a similar pattern to the copulation solicitation displays; responses were higher to the songs with higher performance and responses decreased with the repetition of the stimulation. Also, we observed a sensitization effect with the repetition of the song of the highest performance for the simple calls. Simple trills and other calls were more frequent during the broadcast of canary songs compared with the heterospecific control songs. The differential use of female signals in response to different song performance reveals a highly differentiated female signalling system which is discussed in light of the role of female traits to understand sexual selection in a broader perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Amy
- Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement, EA 3456, Université Paris Ouest – Nanterre La Défense, 200 Avenue de la République, Nanterre 92000, France
| | - Pauline Salvin
- Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement, EA 3456, Université Paris Ouest – Nanterre La Défense, 200 Avenue de la République, Nanterre 92000, France
| | - Marc Naguib
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard Leboucher
- Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement, EA 3456, Université Paris Ouest – Nanterre La Défense, 200 Avenue de la République, Nanterre 92000, France
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43
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Dittrich F, Ramenda C, Grillitsch D, Frankl-Vilches C, Ko MC, Hertel M, Goymann W, ter Maat A, Gahr M. Regulatory mechanisms of testosterone-stimulated song in the sensorimotor nucleus HVC of female songbirds. BMC Neurosci 2014; 15:128. [PMID: 25442096 PMCID: PMC4261767 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-014-0128-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 11/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In male birds, influence of the sex steroid hormone testosterone and its estrogenic metabolites on seasonal song behavior has been demonstrated for many species. In contrast, female song was only recently recognized to be widespread among songbird species, and to date, sex hormone effects on singing and brain regions controlling song development and production (song control nuclei) have been studied in females almost exclusively using domesticated canaries (Serinus canaria). However, domesticated female canaries hardly sing at all in normal circumstances and exhibit only very weak, if any, song seasonally under the natural photoperiod. By contrast, adult female European robins (Erithacus rubecula) routinely sing during the winter season, a time when they defend feeding territories and show elevated circulating testosterone levels. We therefore used wild female European robins captured in the fall to examine the effects of testosterone administration on song as well as on the anatomy and the transcriptome of the song control nucleus HVC (sic). The results obtained from female robins were compared to outcomes of a similar experiment done in female domesticated canaries. Results Testosterone treatment induced abundant song in female robins. Examination of HVC transcriptomes and histological analyses of song control nuclei showed testosterone-induced differentiation processes related to neuron growth and spacing, angiogenesis and neuron projection morphogenesis. Similar effects were found in female canaries treated with testosterone. In contrast, the expression of genes related to synaptic transmission was not enhanced in the HVC of testosterone treated female robins but was strongly up-regulated in female canaries. A comparison of the testosterone-stimulated transcriptomes indicated that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) likely functions as a common mediator of the testosterone effects in HVC. Conclusions Testosterone-induced singing of female robins correlated with cellular differentiation processes in the HVC that were partially similar to those seen in the HVC of testosterone-treated female canaries. Other modes of testosterone action, notably related to synaptic transmission, appeared to be regulated in a more species-specific manner in the female HVC. Divergent effects of testosterone on the HVC of different species might be related to differences between species in regulatory mechanisms of the singing behavior. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12868-014-0128-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Dittrich
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
| | - Claudia Ramenda
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
| | - Doris Grillitsch
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
| | - Carolina Frankl-Vilches
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
| | - Meng-Ching Ko
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
| | - Moritz Hertel
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
| | - Andries ter Maat
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Eberhard-Gwinner Strasse, Haus 6a, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany.
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Illes AE. Context of female bias in song repertoire size, singing effort, and singing independence in a cooperatively breeding songbird. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1827-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Zebra finch mates use their forebrain song system in unlearned call communication. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109334. [PMID: 25313846 PMCID: PMC4196903 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlearned calls are produced by all birds whereas learned songs are only found in three avian taxa, most notably in songbirds. The neural basis for song learning and production is formed by interconnected song nuclei: the song control system. In addition to song, zebra finches produce large numbers of soft, unlearned calls, among which “stack” calls are uttered frequently. To determine unequivocally the calls produced by each member of a group, we mounted miniature wireless microphones on each zebra finch. We find that group living paired males and females communicate using bilateral stack calling. To investigate the role of the song control system in call-based male female communication, we recorded the electrical activity in a premotor nucleus of the song control system in freely behaving male birds. The unique combination of acoustic monitoring together with wireless brain recording of individual zebra finches in groups shows that the neuronal activity of the song system correlates with the production of unlearned stack calls. The results suggest that the song system evolved from a brain circuit controlling simple unlearned calls to a system capable of producing acoustically rich, learned vocalizations.
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Female song is widespread and ancestral in songbirds. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3379. [DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 251] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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Female song in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus): Acoustic song features that contain individual identity information and sex differences. Behav Processes 2013; 98:98-105. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2013.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Revised: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 05/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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48
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Pilowsky JA, Rubenstein DR. Social context and the lack of sexual dimorphism in song in an avian cooperative breeder. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Ellis JMS, Riters LV. Patterns of FOS protein induction in singing female starlings. Behav Brain Res 2012; 237:148-56. [PMID: 23022365 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2012] [Revised: 08/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Females of many songbird species produce song, but information about the neural correlates of singing behavior is limited in this sex. Although well studied in males, activity in premotor song control regions and social behavior regions has not been examined in females during song production. Here, we examined the immediate early gene protein product FOS in both song control and social behavior brain regions after female starlings defending nest boxes responded to an unfamiliar female in a naturalistic setting. We found that females that sang in response to the intruder had much higher numbers of fos-immunoreactive neurons (fos-ir) in the vocal control regions HVC, the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA), and the dorsomedial part of the nucleus intercollicularis (DM of the ICo). In HVC, fos-ir correlated positively with song length. In RA, DM and Area X, fos-ir correlated positively with number of songs produced. In social behavior regions, singers showed higher fos-ir in the nucleus taeniae of the amygdala, the dorsal part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the ventromedial hypothalamus than non-singers. Overall, patterns of fos-ir in song control regions in females were similar to those reported for males, but differences in fos-ir were identified in social behavior regions. These differences may reflect a distinct role for brain regions involved in social behavior in female song, or they may reflect differences in the social function of female and male song.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse M S Ellis
- 426 Birge Hall, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Zoology, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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LIGON RUSSELLA, HILL GEOFFREYE. Is the juvenal plumage of altricial songbirds an honest signal of age? Evidence from a comparative study of thrushes (Passeriformes: Turdidae). J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2012.00668.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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