Songs of the Cocos Flycatcher: Vocal Behavior of a Suboscine on an Isolated Oceanic Island

Kroodsma, Donald E.; Ingalls, Victoria; Werner, Tracey K.

doi:10.2307/1368761

Cited by 26 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a stronger vocal role in territory defence for females than males. Observational studies found that females sang more frequently than males in streaked-backed orioles Icterus pustulatus (Price et al 2008), in breeding New Zealand bellbirds Anthornis melanura (Brunton & Li 2006) and Cocos flycatchers Nesotriccus ridgwayi (Kroodsma et al 1987), but all three studies lack information on sex differences in territorial response. An additional study of female bellbirds found that the subjects used song in territory defence (Brunton et al 2008), but the oriole and flycatcher studies lack information on song function.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A female songbird out-sings male conspecifics during simulated territorial intrusions

Illes

Yunes-Jiménez

2008

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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While birdsong is a model system for animal communication studies, our knowledge is derived primarily from the study of only one sex and is therefore incomplete. The study of song in a role-reversed species would provide a unique opportunity to study selective pressures and mechanisms specific to females, and to test the robustness of current theories in an empirically novel manner. We investigated function of female song in stripe-headed sparrows (Aimophila r. ruficauda), a Neotropical, duetting passerine, and found that during simulated territorial intrusions by a female, male or duetting pair, females: (i) sang more than males to same-sex and duet playback, (ii) played a leading singing role in all contexts, and (iii) showed a longer term song response than males. These results suggest that females sing competitively against other females, and that intrasexual selection may be greater among females than among males. This is the first songbird study to show a stronger vocal role in territory defence for females than males. Stripe-headed sparrows are group-living cooperative breeders, and preliminary data suggest that polyandry and/or resource defence may explain strong female singing behaviour. Stripe-headed sparrows may be a useful study species for expanding our knowledge of vocal communication in female animals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A female songbird out-sings male conspecifics during simulated territorial intrusions

Illes

Yunes-Jiménez

2008

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…obs.) and Cocos Flycatchers ( Nesotriccus ridgewayi, Kroodsma et al 1987) as well as a parrot (Yellow‐naped Amazon, Amazona auropalliata ; Wright and Dahlin 2007), the rhythmic sequence of songs may provide information about the intentions of the singers. Interactive experiments that vary the degree of overlap of duet components would be illustrative.…”

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confidence: 99%

A review of acoustic playback techniques for studying avian vocal duets

Douglas

Mennill

2010

Journal of Field Ornithology

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Playback experiments involve the broadcast of natural or synthetic sound stimuli and provide a powerful tool for studying acoustic communication in birds. Playback is a valuable technique for exploring vocal duetting behavior because it allows investigators to test predictions of the various hypotheses for duet function. Here, we adopt a methodological perspective by considering various challenges specific to studying duetting behavior, and highlighting the utility of different playback designs for testing duet function. Single‐speaker playback experiments allow investigators to determine how duetting birds react to different stimuli, but do not simulate duets in a spatially realistic manner. Multi‐speaker playback experiments are superior to single‐speaker designs because duet stimuli are broadcast with spatial realism and unique and additional predictions can be generated for testing duet function. In particular, multi‐speaker playback allows investigators to evaluate how birds respond to male versus female duet contributions separately, based on reactions to the different loudspeakers. Interactive playback allows investigators to ask questions about the time‐ and pattern‐specific singing behavior of birds, and to understand how singing strategies correspond to physical behavior during vocal interactions. Although logistically challenging, interactive playback provides a powerful tool for examining specific elements of duets (such as the degree of coordination) and may permit greater insight into their functions from an operational perspective. Interactive playback designs where the investigator simulates half of a duet may be used to describe and investigate the function of pair‐specific and population‐wide duet codes. Regardless of experimental design, all playback experiments should be based on a sound understanding of the natural duetting behavior of the species of interest, and should aim to produce realistic and carefully controlled duet simulations. Future studies that couple playback techniques with other experimental procedures, such as Acoustic Location System recordings for monitoring the position of birds in dense vegetation or multimodal techniques that combine acoustic with visual stimuli, are expected to provide an even better understanding of these highly complex vocal displays.

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“…Many duetting bird species are sexually monomorphic and it has been assumed that males initiate the duet and females reply (Thorpe, 1972). In contrast, Levin (1996) found that it was females leading the duets, a fact that has also been described in four bird species (Todt, 1970;Kroodsma et al, 1987;Coates, 1990). In primates, such as gibbons, females lead the duet (Mitani, 1987).…”

Section: Sex Dominance and Duetting In Primatesmentioning

confidence: 78%

Duetting—A mechanism to strengthen pair bonds in a dispersed pair‐living primate (Lepilemur edwardsi)?

Méndez-Cárdenas

Zimmermann

2009

American J Phys Anthropol

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Duetting is defined as an interactively organized pair display in which one pair partner coordinates its vocalizations in time with those of the other. It is widespread among tropical birds and cohesive pair-living primates, in which it is suggested to strengthen pair bonds. We know very little about the presence and function of duetting in dispersed pair-living mammals. We studied duetting behavior in a solitary foraging, but pair-sleeping, primate, the Milne Edwards' sportive lemur, in a dry deciduous forest of north-western Madagascar. We radio-tracked six pairs throughout 1 year and recorded their sleeping sites and associations, home-range use, and vocal and behavioral interactions. Three different periods were covered (mating, pregnancy, and offspring care). Sleeping partners form long-term pair bonds, indicated by an almost exclusive pair-specific usage of sleeping sites and home-ranges across periods. We explored three functional hypothesis of duetting: mate reunion, pair reunion, and joint-territorial defense. Pairs regularly engaged in duet calling. Duetting increased significantly during the offspring care period. Duetting occurred significantly more often at feeding sites than at sleeping sites. Pair partners synchronized behavioral activities after duetting. The activity most often synchronized was locomotion. Pair partners played an equal role in duetting with no difference between sexes in starting or terminating duetting. Altogether, our results provide support for the hypothesis that in dispersed pair-living primates, duetting evolved as a mechanism to coordinate activities between pair partners dispersed in space, to strengthen pair bonds, and, perhaps, to limit infanticide and nutritional stress in lactating females.

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Songs of the Cocos Flycatcher: Vocal Behavior of a Suboscine on an Isolated Oceanic Island

Cited by 26 publications

References 22 publications

A female songbird out-sings male conspecifics during simulated territorial intrusions

A female songbird out-sings male conspecifics during simulated territorial intrusions

A review of acoustic playback techniques for studying avian vocal duets

Duetting—A mechanism to strengthen pair bonds in a dispersed pair‐living primate (Lepilemur edwardsi)?

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