Bird Song Activity in Relation to Breeding Cycle, Spring Weather, and Environmental Phenology

Abstract

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The influence of weather conditions on the detection of birds during Common Birds Census fieldwork

“…Such results suggest the temperature correlations are biologically founded rather than the result of observer bias. Table II showed that ambient temperature was the most important weather variable, a conclusion also reached by Slagsvold (1977). Cox (1944) noted that bird song in England was largely independent of changes in sky and atmosphere in spring and summer, though snowfall in March in one year depressed song output.…”

“…The findings for these last two species, of course, do not preclude the coincidence of seasonal song peaks with periods of calm nor of sunshine respectively, suggested earlier in explanation. DISCUSSION Slagsvold (1973, 1977 has documented the effects of date and spring weather on the output of song by passerines on his Norwegian census plots. He found a consistency of seasonal pattern, with song output rising steeply in April and declining slowly into June when his census work ended.…”

Using occupancy modeling to monitor dates of peak vocal activity for passerines in California

“…Improved monitoring of avian diversity is required to inform effective conservation planning responding to climate change and other stressors (Manly et al 2005, DeWan and Zipkin 2010. Estimating peak dates of vocal activity is a more direct measure of reproductive phenology than migration arrival dates, which excludes resident species (Slagsvold 1977, Strebel et al 2014. Multi-species occupancy modeling is an efficient tool for combining data from multiple species to simultaneously estimate peak detection dates as well as a variety of other parameters of conservation interest (Iknayan et al 2014).…”

“…For many species, vocalization rate is related to pairing status, peaks during nest building, and functions in territorial defense against rival males (Slagsvold 1977, Catchpole and Slater 2008, McClure et al 2011. Moreover, patterns in vocal activity can be highly correlated with seasonal or daily variation in precipitation and temperature (Gordo et al 2008, McGrann andFurnas 2016).…”

Playback of colony sound alters the breeding schedule and clutch size in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) colonies

“…Only the male produces song, and song production peaks just before egg production (Slagsvold 1977). Being opportunistic breeders and living in extremely unpredictable environments, the females' gonads are permanently activated, which allows them to respond rapidly to the sudden appearance of favourable breeding conditions.…”