Domestication and Song Learning in Zebra Finches <i>Taeniopygia guttata</i>

Slater, Peter J.; Clayton, Nicola S.

doi:10.1071/mu9910126

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Unlike most songbirds studied to date, zebra finches produce calls and songs that are broadband, containing a large number of harmonics with substantial energy (Zann 1984;1993) ( Figure 1b). While the structure of vocalisations in zebra finches may have been influenced by domestication, such effects appear to be limited to the presence, order, or delivery rate of specific song elements and do not involve increases or decreases in overall bandwidth (Slater & Clayton 1991;Okanoya et al 1993;Blaich et al 1995;Zann 1996).…”

Section: Hearing In the Red-billed Firefinch Lagon O S Tic Ta Senegalmentioning

confidence: 94%

HEARING IN THE RED-BILLED FIREFINCHLAGON O S TIC TA SENEGALAAND THE SPANISH TIMBRADO CANARYSERINUS CANARIA:THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL SELECTION ON AUDITORY ABILITIES AND VOCAL STRUCTURE

et al. 2004

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We tested the auditory sensitivity of red-billed firefinches Lagonosticta senega/a and Spanish timbrado canaries Serinus canaria. Both these species produce songs and calls that are narrowband and relatively high in frequency, with spectral energy falling predominantly in the region of 3-6 kHz. Hearing thresholds were measured in these two species and compared to the auditory sensitivity of closely related species: the well studied zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata, and other strains of canary bred for song. Auditory thresholds were similar in both groups of birds, with firefinches having an audiogram typical for that of small birds. Timbrado canaries exhibited an audiogram with its greatest sensitivity in the relatively high region of 4-6 kHz, corresponding to the peak frequency of its calls. Critical ratios measured over a range of several octaves increased in a monotonic fashion at a rate of 2-3 dB per octave for both firefinches and timbrado canaries. Critical ratios in these two species are similar to what has been found in most other small passerine species, suggesting spectral resolving abilities similar to most small birds tested to date.

show abstract

Section: Hearing In the Red-billed Firefinch Lagon O S Tic Ta Senegalmentioning

confidence: 94%

HEARING IN THE RED-BILLED FIREFINCHLAGON O S TIC TA SENEGALAAND THE SPANISH TIMBRADO CANARYSERINUS CANARIA:THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL SELECTION ON AUDITORY ABILITIES AND VOCAL STRUCTURE

et al. 2004

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…) and by the availability of song tutors during early life (Derégnaucourt ). There is some evidence of reduced variance in song structure between wild and domesticated populations (Slater & Clayton ; Woodgate et al. ), and it is possible that there is variation in the quality or variance of song across captive populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in Reproductive Success Across Captive Populations: Methodological Differences, Potential Biases and Opportunities

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

International audienceOur understanding of fundamental organismal biology has been disproportionately influenced by studies of a relatively small number of ‘model’ species extensively studied in captivity. Laboratory populations of model species are commonly subject to a number of forms of past and current selection that may affect experimental outcomes. Here, we examine these processes and their outcomes in one of the most widely used vertebrate species in the laboratory – the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). This important model species is used for research across a broad range of fields, partly due to the ease with which it can be bred in captivity. However despite this perceived amenability, we demonstrate extensive variation in the success with which different laboratories and studies bred their subjects, and overall only 64% of all females that were given the opportunity, bred successfully in the laboratory. We identify and review several environmental, husbandry, life-history and behavioural factors that potentially contribute to this variation. The variation in reproductive success across individuals could lead to biases in experimental outcomes and drive some of the heterogeneity in research outcomes across studies. The zebra finch remains an excellent captive animal system and our aim is to sharpen the insight that future studies of this species can provide, both to our understanding of this species and also with respect to the reproduction of captive animals more widely. We hope to improve systematic reporting methods and that further investigation of the issues we raise will lead both to advances in our fundamental understanding of avian reproduction as well as to improvements in future welfare and experimental efficiency

show abstract

“…Songs are also individually specific, but are more complex than distance calls because they consist of several syllables that are rendered in a stereotypic order. Young males often learn their entire song from one tutor, but deviations from that are also very common (Zann 1990; Slater and Mann 1991). Human observers can easily learn to recognize males individually by their call or song, probably with the exception of well‐matching tutor–pupil pairs (personal observations).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Genetic Basis of Zebra Finch Vocalizations

Forstmeier¹,

Bürger²,

Temnow³

et al. 2009

Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Animal vocalizations play an important role in individual recognition, kin recognition, species recognition, and sexual selection.Despite much work in these fields done on birds virtually nothing is known about the heritability of vocal traits in birds. Here, we study a captive population of more than 800 zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) with regard to the quantitative genetics of call and song characteristics. We find very high heritabilities in nonlearned female call traits and considerably lower heritabilities Animal vocalizations can function as cues for the recognition of particular individuals, kin versus nonkin, or conspecifics versus heterospecifics. Moreover, vocalizations often play a major role in male-male competition and female choice. To fully understand the function and evolutionary implications of vocalizations in each of these contexts, it is important to know the sources of variation in vocal traits. However, the quantitative genetics of vocal traits have been studied only in a few taxa, predominantly in insects (Butlin and

show abstract

Domestication and Song Learning in Zebra Finches Taeniopygia guttata

Cited by 16 publications

References 5 publications

HEARING IN THE RED-BILLED FIREFINCHLAGON O S TIC TA SENEGALAAND THE SPANISH TIMBRADO CANARYSERINUS CANARIA:THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL SELECTION ON AUDITORY ABILITIES AND VOCAL STRUCTURE

HEARING IN THE RED-BILLED FIREFINCHLAGON O S TIC TA SENEGALAAND THE SPANISH TIMBRADO CANARYSERINUS CANARIA:THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL SELECTION ON AUDITORY ABILITIES AND VOCAL STRUCTURE

Variation in Reproductive Success Across Captive Populations: Methodological Differences, Potential Biases and Opportunities

The Genetic Basis of Zebra Finch Vocalizations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About