Multimodality during live tutoring is relevant for vocal learning in zebra finches

Varkevisser, Judith; Mendoza, Ezequiel; Simon, Ralph; Manet, Maëva; Halfwerk, Wouter; Scharff, Constance; Riebel, Katharina

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.013

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…We know from previous work that if the father is removed at 35 dph and a new, live tutor is provided, pupils will learn primarily the new tutor's song 65,66 . Further, Varkevisser et al recently showed that although song crystallization can be delayed if the pupil is visually isolated from the new tutor, ultimately these authors detected no decrement in the quality of learning compared with pupils with full audio and visual access 67 . In our study, the father was removed and replaced with only keys to press for novel playbacks, not live tutors.…”

Section: Potential Genetic Contributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Song preferences predict the quality of vocal learning in zebra finches

Rodríguez‐Saltos

Bhise

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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In songbirds, learning to sing is a highly social process that likely involves social reward. Here, we tested the hypothesis that during song learning, the reward value of hearing a particular song predicts the degree to which that song will ultimately be learned. We measured the early song preferences of young male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) in an operant key-pressing assay; each of two keys was associated with a higher likelihood of playing the song of the father or that of another familiar adult (“neighbor”). To minimize the effects of exposure on learning, we implemented a novel reinforcement schedule that allowed us to detect preferences while balancing exposure to each song. On average, the juveniles significantly preferred the father’s song early during song learning, before actual singing occurs in this species. When they reached adulthood, all the birds copied the father’s song. The accuracy with which the father’s song was imitated was positively correlated with the peak strength of the preference for the father’s song during the sensitive period of song learning. Our results show that preference for the song of a chosen tutor, in this case the father, predicted vocal learning during development.

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Section: Potential Genetic Contributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Song preferences predict the quality of vocal learning in zebra finches

Rodríguez‐Saltos

Bhise

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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“…Surprisingly, besides cetaceans, non-human multimodal imitation has been confirmed only in Psittacine birds (specifically in budgerigars and a grey parrot; Galef et al, 1986 ; Moore, 1992 ; Farabaugh et al, 1994 ; Hile et al, 2000 ). Interestingly, it has been recently reported that multimodal (visual and auditory) exposure to a tutor is relevant for birdsong vocal learning ( Varkevisser et al, 2022 ). Paradoxically, evidence for vocal learning, which supposedly is less complex than motor imitation, has been widely studied in birds but much less in non-human mammals.…”

Section: Cetacean Imitationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multimodal imitative learning and synchrony in cetaceans: A model for speech and singing evolution

et al. 2023

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Multimodal imitation of actions, gestures and vocal production is a hallmark of the evolution of human communication, as both, vocal learning and visual-gestural imitation, were crucial factors that facilitated the evolution of speech and singing. Comparative evidence has revealed that humans are an odd case in this respect, as the case for multimodal imitation is barely documented in non-human animals. While there is evidence of vocal learning in birds and in mammals like bats, elephants and marine mammals, evidence in both domains, vocal and gestural, exists for two Psittacine birds (budgerigars and grey parrots) and cetaceans only. Moreover, it draws attention to the apparent absence of vocal imitation (with just a few cases reported for vocal fold control in an orangutan and a gorilla and a prolonged development of vocal plasticity in marmosets) and even for imitation of intransitive actions (not object related) in monkeys and apes in the wild. Even after training, the evidence for productive or “true imitation” (copy of a novel behavior, i.e., not pre-existent in the observer’s behavioral repertoire) in both domains is scarce. Here we review the evidence of multimodal imitation in cetaceans, one of the few living mammalian species that have been reported to display multimodal imitative learning besides humans, and their role in sociality, communication and group cultures. We propose that cetacean multimodal imitation was acquired in parallel with the evolution and development of behavioral synchrony and multimodal organization of sensorimotor information, supporting volitional motor control of their vocal system and audio-echoic-visual voices, body posture and movement integration.

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“…Live females call and so, when presented with a live female, male birds would experience both visual and auditory stimuli. Such multimodality is known to be essential for learning from a tutor (Varkevisser et al, 2022b) and multimodal signals are common in the courtship displays of other songbird species (Mitoyen et al, 2019; Ota et al, 2015). Given the absence of auditory cues in the videos, longer duration videos may give birds more time to notice the video and decide to sing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another possibility is to use colour corrections based on the bird’s visual system. Such colour-corrected videos have been shown to increase the attention of juvenile birds to videos of tutors (Varkevisser et al, 2022b). In our own experiments, the response of some birds to colour control animations suggests the possibility that the colour scale was not realistic enough.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CineFinch: An animated female zebra finch for studying courtship interactions

Phaniraj

Joshi

Trimbake

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Dummies, videos and computer animations have been used extensively in animal behaviour to study simple social interactions. These methods allow complete control of one interacting animal, making it possible to test hypotheses about the significance and relevance of different elements of animal displays. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of videos and interactive displays for studying more complex courtship interactions in the zebra finch, a well-studied songbird. Here, we extended these techniques by developing an animated female zebra finch and showed that ~40% of male zebra finches (n=5/12) sing to this animation. To study real-time social interactions, we developed two possible methods for closed loop control of animations; (1) an arduino based system to initiate videos/animations based on perch hops and (2) a video game engine based system to change animations. Overall, our results provide an important tool for understanding the dynamics of complex social interactions during courtship.

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Multimodality during live tutoring is relevant for vocal learning in zebra finches

Cited by 10 publications

References 50 publications

Song preferences predict the quality of vocal learning in zebra finches

Song preferences predict the quality of vocal learning in zebra finches

Multimodal imitative learning and synchrony in cetaceans: A model for speech and singing evolution

CineFinch: An animated female zebra finch for studying courtship interactions

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