Neurogenomic insights into the behavioral and vocal development of the zebra finch

Abstract

The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is a socially monogamous and colonial opportunistic breeder with pronounced sexual differences in singing and plumage coloration. Its natural history has led to it becoming a model species for research into sex differences in vocal communication, as well as behavioral, neural and genomic theories of imitative auditory learning. As scientists tap into the genetic and behavioral diversity of both wild and captive lineages, the zebra finch will continue to inform research into culture, learning and social bonding, as well as adaptability to a changing climate.

Zebra finch song is a very short-range signal in the wild: evidence from an integrated approach

“…These findings are in line with the results of our transects showing that singing individuals are in more than 85% of the observations in very close proximity to conspecifics and they demonstrate that vocalizations would not be heard by birds gathering in the wider vicinity. Together these results shed new light on the communication distance and thus the potential function of vocalizations in one of the main study species for avian acoustics around the world ( Griffith and Buchanan 2010 ; Hauber et al 2021 ). By relating our findings with well-established studies on hearing physiology of this prime model organism on avian acoustics in the lab, we are able in an unprecedented way to make much more accurate estimates on vocal communication distance in animals, and specifically with this integration obtain a better understanding of the ecology of avian acoustics.…”

“…One of the main model bird species is the Australian zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata castanotis ), providing the primary avian model organism in laboratory studies world-wide ( Griffith and Buchanan 2010 ; Griffith et al 2021 ). Zebra finches have been key in studies on mate choice ( Slater et al 1988 ; Riebel 2009 ; Kniel et al 2015 ), long term effects of early developmental stress ( Spencer et al 2005 ; Monaghan et al 2012 ; Honarmand et al 2015 ), and specifically are a textbook model for the physiology, neurobiology and genetics of the song system ( Haesler et al 2004 ; Gil et al 2006 ; Warren et al 2010 ; Ma et al 2020 ) including song development and learning ( Slater et al 1988 ; Kriengwatana et al 2016 ; Hauber et al 2021 ; Tchernichovski et al 2021 ). Yet, very few studies have addressed zebra finch song in the wild ( Dunn and Zann 1996a , 1996b ; Woodgate et al 2012 ), so that the ecological context and perspective on the findings from laboratory studies is largely lacking and often based on anecdotal observations ( Immelmann 1968 ; Zann 1996 ).…”

Reciprocal processes of sensory perception and social bonding: an integrated social‐sensory framework of social behavior

“…109,110 Zebra finches are a predominant study system for a range of biological disciplines including genetics/genomics, physiology, behavior, ecology and neuroscience. 109,110 Indeed, the second avian genome sequenced was the zebra finch. 111 Monogamy is overwhelmingly the most common mating system in birds, exhibited by 90% of species.…”

“…104,106,116 Zebra finches are one of the most well studied avian species with respect to monogamy and pair bonding. 106,110,[116][117][118][119][120] Like prairie voles, putative mechanisms subserving bonding in zebra finches involve nonapeptide and dopaminergic signaling within brain regions in the SDMN, and research with zebra finches has contributed to our understanding of conserved neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying pair bonding across vertebrates (Box 1). 36,119,[121][122][123] The most profound contribution of zebra finches to neuroscience research has been in establishing a basic understanding of the neurobiology and neurogenomic mechanisms underlying communication and vocal learning.…”

Mate Choice, Sex Roles and Sexual Cognition: Neuronal Prerequisites Supporting Cognitive Mate Choice

“…These mechanisms contribute to the adaptive plasticity of social support (e.g., Snell-Rood and Snell-Rood, 2020). In addition, they enable adaptive plasticity in social learning including, but not limited to copying mate choice (e.g., Gouda-Vossos et al, 2018;Zhuang et al, 2021), vocal learning, tutoring, and preference in early sensory periods (e.g., Hauber et al, 2021), dealing with nutritional stress (and its consequences, e.g., on offspring growth, brain development, and learning; e.g., Nowicki et al, 2002), or disgust (e.g., to enable pathogen and/or toxin avoidance; Kavaliers et al, 2019 for a review). Likewise, acquiring sexual information triggers numerous regulatory neuronal processes to allow social individuals to assess and respond quickly and appropriately to a potential mate's courtship display, but taking into account their own social and/or sexual role, motivation, and cognitive abilities (Kavaliers and Choleris, 2017).…”