A SOFTWARE BIRD CALL DETECTOR AND ITS APPLICATION TO AUTOMATED PLAYBACK EXPERIMENTS

AbstractForaging vocalizations given by Japanese and rhesus momkeys reared by their biological mothers differed from each other in a single parameter. Calls made by a Japanese monkey fostered by a rhesus female were dissimilar to those of conspecifics reared by their biological mothers, but similar to those of rhesus monkeys reared by their biological mothers, and the vocalizations given by rhesus monkeys fostered by Japanese monkey mothers were dissimilar to those of conspecifics reared by their biological mothers, but similar to those of Japanese monkeys reared by their biological mothers. Playback experiments revealed that both Japanese and rhesus monkeys distinguished between the calls of Japanese monkeys reared by their biological mothers and of the cross-fostered rhesus monkeys on one hand, and the vocalizations of rhesus monkeys reared by their biological mothers and of the cross-fostered Japanese monkey on the other hand. Thus, production of species-specific vocalizations was learned by each species, and it was the learned species-difference which the monkeys themselves discriminated.

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Numerical assessment in the wild: insights from social carnivores

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2016.0508 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 373 (1740) ◽

pp. 20160508 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Sarah Benson-Amram ◽

Geoff Gilfillan ◽

Karen McComb

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Future Research ◽

Wild Animals ◽

Playback Experiments ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Numerical Assessment ◽

Individual Discrimination ◽

In Captivity ◽

Assessment Skills ◽

In The Wild

Playback experiments have proved to be a useful tool to investigate the extent to which wild animals understand numerical concepts and the factors that play into their decisions to respond to different numbers of vocalizing conspecifics. In particular, playback experiments have broadened our understanding of the cognitive abilities of historically understudied species that are challenging to test in the traditional laboratory, such as members of the Order Carnivora. Additionally, playback experiments allow us to assess the importance of numerical information versus other ecologically important variables when animals are making adaptive decisions in their natural habitats. Here, we begin by reviewing what we know about quantity discrimination in carnivores from studies conducted in captivity. We then review a series of playback experiments conducted with wild social carnivores, including African lions, spotted hyenas and wolves, which demonstrate that these animals can assess the number of conspecifics calling and respond based on numerical advantage. We discuss how the wild studies complement those conducted in captivity and allow us to gain insights into why wild animals may not always respond based solely on differences in quantity. We then consider the key roles that individual discrimination and cross-modal recognition play in the ability of animals to assess the number of conspecifics vocalizing nearby. Finally, we explore new directions for future research in this area, highlighting in particular the need for further work on the cognitive basis of numerical assessment skills and experimental paradigms that can be effective in both captive and wild settings. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The origins of numerical abilities’.

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THE EFFECT OF CHANGING CALL DURATION AND CALLING BOUTS ON VIGILANCE IN BRANTS' WHISTLING RAT, PAROTOMYS BRANTSII

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/15685390152822229 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 138 (10) ◽

pp. 1287-1302 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Aliza Le Roux ◽

Michael Cherry ◽

Tim Jackson

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Low Risk ◽

Alarm Calls ◽

Playback Experiments ◽

Call Duration ◽

Alarm Calling ◽

Functionally Referential ◽

Long Calls

AbstractThe function of variation in single call duration and alarm calling bouts was investigated in Brants' whistling rat, Parotomys brantsii, by means of playback experiments and video analyses of the vigilance displayed. Short calls are produced in high-risk situations, and long calls in low-risk encounters, but these calls apparently do not communicate this variance in risk to conspecifics. Both short and long single calls induced heightened vigilance in receivers, but rats did not respond differentially to the two call types, and it was concluded that P.brantsii alarm calls are not functionally referential. Multiple calls maintained a state of increased alertness in receivers for a longer period than single calls, even after the bouts had ended, but long bouts (duration: 64 s) did not lead to longer periods of vigilance than short bouts (29 s). Thus the tonic communication hypothesis is only partially supported by our study.

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A Cryptic New Species of Flycatcher (Tyrannidae: Suiriri) From the Cerrado Region of Central South America

The Auk ◽

10.1093/auk/118.1.56 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 118 (1) ◽

pp. 56-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Kevin J. Zimmer ◽

Andrew Whittaker ◽

David C. Oren

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Natural History ◽

South America ◽

Color Pattern ◽

Playback Experiments ◽

History Of ◽

Central South ◽

A New Species

AbstractA new species of tyrant flycatcher (Suiriri islerorum) is described from the cerrado region of Brazil and adjacent eastern Bolivia. The species previously had been confused with Suiriri suiriri affinis, with which it is syntopic at multiple sites. The new species was first identified by voice. Although cryptically similar to S. s. affinis in many respects, the new species is readily identified by all vocalizations, bill size, color pattern of the tail, and shape of the central rectrices. Most distinctive are the male–female duets, which are accompanied by dramatic wing-lifting displays not performed by any congeners. Reciprocal playback experiments of tape-recorded vocalizations demonstrated that the new species and S. s. affinis do not respond to one another's vocalizations. We provide information on the natural history of the new flycatcher, along with spectrograms of its various vocalizations. We also provide vocal analysis of all other named taxa in Suiriri, and discuss the various intrageneric relationships. In particular, S. s. affinis and S. s. bahiae, although distinct morphologically, are vocally and behaviorally similar, and respond to one another's vocalizations in playback experiments.

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Heterospecific alarm-call recognition in two warbler hosts of common cuckoos

Animal Cognition ◽

10.1007/s10071-019-01307-9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 1149-1157 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jiangping Yu ◽

Hailin Lu ◽

Wei Sun ◽

Wei Liang ◽

Haitao Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alarm Call ◽

Alarm Calls ◽

Reed Warbler ◽

Cuculus Canorus ◽

Common Cuckoo ◽

Playback Experiments ◽

Call Recognition ◽

Accipiter Nisus ◽

Main Host ◽

The Common

Abstract Species facing similar selection pressures should recognize heterospecific alarm signals. However, no study has so far examined heterospecific alarm-call recognition in response to parasitism by cuckoos. In this study, we tested whether two sympatric host species of the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, Oriental reed warbler Acrocephalus orientalis (ORW, main host), and black-browed reed warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps (BRW, rare host), could recognize each other’s alarm calls in response to cuckoos. Dummies of common cuckoo (parasite) and Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus (predator) were used to induce and record alarm calls of the two warbler species, respectively. In the conspecific alarm-call playback experiments, ORW responded more strongly to cuckoo alarm calls than to sparrowhawk alarm calls, while BRW responded less strongly to cuckoo alarm calls than to sparrowhawk alarm calls. In the heterospecific alarm-call playback experiments, both ORW and BRW responded less strongly to cuckoo alarm calls than sparrowhawk alarm calls. BRW seemed to learn the association between parasite-related alarm calls of the ORW and the cuckoo by observing the process of ORW attacking cuckoos. In contrast, alarm calls of BRW to cuckoos were rarely recorded in most cases. BRW with low parasite pressure still developed recognition of heterospecific parasite-related alarm call. Unintended receivers in the same community should recognize heterospecific alarm calls precisely to extract valuable information.

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Responses To Songs With Altered Tonal Quality By Adult Song Sparrows (Melospiza Melodia)

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853996x00099 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 133 (3-4) ◽

pp. 161-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Stephen Nowicki ◽

Jared Strote

Keyword(s):

Adult Male ◽

Distinctive Feature ◽

Pure Tone ◽

Playback Experiments ◽

Perceptual Salience ◽

Song Recognition ◽

Song Sparrows ◽

Sensitive Phase ◽

Pure Tones

AbstractPure-tone sounds are a common and distinctive feature of many birdsongs. We used field playback experiments to test whether this tonal quality is perceptually salient to adult male song sparrows in the context of song recognition, by comparing responses to playback of normal songs with responses elicited by songs that had harmonics added. This species was chosen for study based on the recent finding that young song sparrows do not show a preference for songs with pure tones over songs with harmonics when choosing model songs to copy during their sensitive phase for learning. We found adult song sparrows to be significantly more responsive to normal song than to harmonic song, consistent with results from adult birds of other species. We conclude that the perceptual salience of the tonal quality of song changes during ontogeny or is context-dependent.

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Song discrimination by male Mourning Warblers (Geothlypis philadelphia) and implications for population divergence across the breeding range

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v128i4.1636 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 128 (4) ◽

pp. 408

Author(s):

Jay Pitocchelli

Keyword(s):

Nova Scotia ◽

Reproductive Isolation ◽

Geographic Variation ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Population Divergence ◽

Playback Experiments ◽

Breeding Range ◽

Song Discrimination ◽

Song Types ◽

Song Playback

Geographic variation in song may reduce or eliminate the ability of some populations to recognize each other as conspecifics, possibly leading to assortative mating, reproductive isolation, and speciation. Song playback experiments, used to evaluate the significance of geographic variation in song, have been particularly useful in discovering divergence among previously unknown populations of sibling species. In this study, I report the results of song playback to male Mourning Warblers (Geothlypis philadelphia) from populations throughout the breeding range and discuss the implications for population divergence. Four regions in the breeding range contain unique song types or regiolects: western, eastern, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Results of reciprocal song playback experiments showed that males from the western and Newfoundland regiolects respond more aggressively to songs in their own regiolect than those in the other regiolects. Interior populations, i.e., eastern and Nova Scotia regions, showed little or no difference in aggressive response toward their own versus other regiolects. This pattern may be due to a combination of geographic proximity of populations belonging to different regiolects, song learning, experience, and contact during migration. Song discrimination by populations from the western Prairie Provinces and Newfoundland is consistent with the existence of at least partial reproductive isolation at the geographic extremes of the breeding range.

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