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Zebra finch song is a very short-range signal in the wild: evidence from an integrated approach
[Song and aggressive signaling in Bachman’s Sparrow]

Author

Listed:
  • Hugo Loning
  • Simon C Griffith
  • Marc Naguib

Abstract

Birdsong is typically seen as a long-range signal functioning in mate attraction and territory defense. Among birds, the zebra finch is the prime model organism in bioacoustics, yet almost exclusively studied in the lab. In the wild, however, zebra finch song differs strikingly from songbirds commonly studied in the wild as zebra finch males sing most after mating and in the absence of territoriality. Using data from the wild, we here provide an ecological context for a wealth of laboratory studies. By integrating calibrated sound recordings, sound transmission experiments and social ecology of zebra finches in the wild with insights from hearing physiology we show that wild zebra finch song is a very short-range signal with an audible range of about nine meters and that even the louder distance calls do not carry much farther (up to about fourteen meters). These integrated findings provide an ecological context for the interpretation of laboratory studies of this species and indicate that the vocal communication distance of the main laboratory species for avian acoustics contrasts strikingly with songbirds that use their song as a long-range advertisement signal.

Suggested Citation

  • Hugo Loning & Simon C Griffith & Marc Naguib, 2022. "Zebra finch song is a very short-range signal in the wild: evidence from an integrated approach [Song and aggressive signaling in Bachman’s Sparrow]," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 33(1), pages 37-46.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:33:y:2022:i:1:p:37-46.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/arab107
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marc Naguib & Rouven Schmidt & Philipp Sprau & Tobias Roth & Cornelia Flörcke & Valentin Amrhein, 2008. "The ecology of vocal signaling: male spacing and communication distance of different song traits in nightingales," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 19(5), pages 1034-1040.
    2. Nina Kniel & Clarissa Dürler & Ines Hecht & Veronika Heinbach & Lilia Zimmermann & Klaudia Witte, 2015. "Novel mate preference through mate-choice copying in zebra finches: sexes differ," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 26(2), pages 647-655.
    3. Philipp Sprau & Tobias Roth & Marc Naguib & Valentin Amrhein, 2012. "Communication in the Third Dimension: Song Perch Height of Rivals Affects Singing Response in Nightingales," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(3), pages 1-6, March.
    4. Ofer Tchernichovski & Sophie Eisenberg-Edidin & Erich D. Jarvis, 2021. "Balanced imitation sustains song culture in zebra finches," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Solveig C Mouterde & Frédéric E Theunissen & Julie E Elie & Clémentine Vignal & Nicolas Mathevon, 2014. "Acoustic Communication and Sound Degradation: How Do the Individual Signatures of Male and Female Zebra Finch Calls Transmit over Distance?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(7), pages 1-17, July.
    6. J. Albert C. Uy & John A. Endler, 2004. "Modification of the visual background increases the conspicuousness of golden-collared manakin displays," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 15(6), pages 1003-1010, November.
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