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Communication in the Third Dimension: Song Perch Height of Rivals Affects Singing Response in Nightingales

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  • Philipp Sprau
  • Tobias Roth
  • Marc Naguib
  • Valentin Amrhein

Abstract

Many animals use long-range signals to compete over mates and resources. Optimal transmission can be achieved by choosing efficient signals, or by choosing adequate signalling perches and song posts. High signalling perches benefit sound transmission and reception, but may be more risky due to exposure to airborne predators. Perch height could thus reflect male quality, with individuals signalling at higher perches appearing as more threatening to rivals. Using playbacks on nightingales (Luscinia megarhynchos), we simulated rivals singing at the same height as residents, or singing three metres higher. Surprisingly, residents increased song output stronger, and, varying with future pairing success, overlapped more songs of the playback when rivals were singing at the same height than when they were singing higher. Other than expected, rivals singing at the same height may thus be experienced as more threatening than rivals singing at higher perches. Our study provides new evidence that territorial animals integrate information on signalling height and thus on vertical cues in their assessment of rivals.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0032194
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032194
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. A. P. Møller & J. T. Nielsen & L. Z. Garamszegi, 2006. "Song post exposure, song features, and predation risk," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 17(2), pages 155-163, March.
    2. A.P. Møller & J.T. Nielsen & L.Z. Garamzegi, 2008. "Risk taking by singing males," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 19(1), pages 41-53.
    3. 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.
    4. Philipp Sprau & Tobias Roth & Rouven Schmidt & Valentin Amrhein & Marc Naguib, 2010. "Communication across territory boundaries: distance-dependent responses in nightingales," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 21(5), pages 1011-1017.
    5. Marc Naguib & Valentin Amrhein & Hansjoerg P. Kunc, 2004. "Effects of territorial intrusions on eavesdropping neighbors: communication networks in nightingales," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 15(6), pages 1011-1015, November.
    6. Rouven Schmidt & Hansjoerg P. Kunc & Valentin Amrhein & Marc Naguib, 2008. "Aggressive responses to broadband trills are related to subsequent pairing success in nightingales," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 19(3), pages 635-641.
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.

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