AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Effects of Breeding Stage and Behavioral Context on Singing Behavior of Male Indigo Buntings

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2010
Authors:Beckett, MD, Ritchison, G
Journal:The Wilson Journal of Ornithology
Volume:122
Issue:4
Date Published:2010
ISBN Number:1559-4491
Keywords:Cardinalidae, Emberiza, Emberiza godlewskii, Emberizidae, Passerina, Passerina cyanea
Abstract:Abstract We studied the effects of breeding stage and behavioral context on the singing behavior of male Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea; n ?=? 15) during the 2004 breeding season in Madison County, Kentucky, USA, to better understand how males with a single-song repertoire vary the characteristics of their song to convey different information. Playback experiments were conducted in 2005 in territories of focal males (n ?=? 14) to further examine the possible effect of male-male interactions on singing behavior. We analyzed 10,919 songs of 15 male Indigo Buntings with songs consisting of a series of figures that were usually paired (i.e., phrases). Mean song duration was 2.30 ± 0.13 (SE) sec (range ?=? 1.44?3.40 sec) with males varying song duration by varying the number of figures and phrases in each song. Singing rates varied significantly (P < 0.0001) among breeding stages and were highest prior to pairing, suggesting singing has a role in mate attraction. Singing rates also differed (P ?=? 0.013) during playback experiments with rates higher during playback and post-playback periods (? ?=? 4.4 songs/min) than during the pre-playback period (? ?=? 2.9 songs/min). These results suggest that singing also has a role in territory defense. Songs of male buntings tended to be shorter prior to pairing and were generally longer in duration after pairing. Playback experiments revealed that bunting songs were longer (P ?=? 0.03) during and after playback (? ?=? 2.6 sec) than during the pre-playback period (? ?=? 2.0 sec). These results suggest male Indigo Buntings vary singing rates and song duration to convey different information, appearing to use shorter songs uttered at high rates to attract mates and longer songs to convey aggression during male-male interactions.Abstract We studied the effects of breeding stage and behavioral context on the singing behavior of male Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea; n ?=? 15) during the 2004 breeding season in Madison County, Kentucky, USA, to better understand how males with a single-song repertoire vary the characteristics of their song to convey different information. Playback experiments were conducted in 2005 in territories of focal males (n ?=? 14) to further examine the possible effect of male-male interactions on singing behavior. We analyzed 10,919 songs of 15 male Indigo Buntings with songs consisting of a series of figures that were usually paired (i.e., phrases). Mean song duration was 2.30 ± 0.13 (SE) sec (range ?=? 1.44?3.40 sec) with males varying song duration by varying the number of figures and phrases in each song. Singing rates varied significantly (P < 0.0001) among breeding stages and were highest prior to pairing, suggesting singing has a role in mate attraction. Singing rates also differed (P ?=? 0.013) during playback experiments with rates higher during playback and post-playback periods (? ?=? 4.4 songs/min) than during the pre-playback period (? ?=? 2.9 songs/min). These results suggest that singing also has a role in territory defense. Songs of male buntings tended to be shorter prior to pairing and were generally longer in duration after pairing. Playback experiments revealed that bunting songs were longer (P ?=? 0.03) during and after playback (? ?=? 2.6 sec) than during the pre-playback period (? ?=? 2.0 sec). These results suggest male Indigo Buntings vary singing rates and song duration to convey different information, appearing to use shorter songs uttered at high rates to attract mates and longer songs to convey aggression during male-male interactions.
URL:http://dx.doi.org/10.1676/09-204.1
Short Title:The Wilson Journal of Ornithology
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith