Song and plumage phenotypes in a contact zone between subspecies of the White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

Abstract

LEIN, M. R., and CORBIN, K. W. 1990. Song and plumage phenotypes in a contact zone between subspecies of the White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) . Can. J. Zool. 69: 2625-2629.We examined the transitions in a plumage character (lore color) and a learned behavioral character (song pattern) across a 400-km intergrade zone between two subspecies of the White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) in southwestern Alberta. The proportion of birds with black lores, characteristic of Z. I. oriantha, shifted gradually from over 80% in southernmost localities to less than 20% at the northern end of the zone, where most individuals had grey lores, characteristic of Z. I. gambelii. The song pattern of males also showed a complete transition across the zone, but the change was significantly more abrupt than for lore color, occurring over 50-100 km in the center of the intergrade zone. We suggest that this apparent difference in degree of introgression between the two characters may result either from differential dispersal of males and females or from switches in the song patterns of young males that immigrate into populations in which a different song type predominates. Our findings indicate that male song pattern may not be an accurate.indicator of the genetic history of populations in this species.LEIN, M. R., et CORBIN, K. W. 1990. Song and plumage phenotypes in a contact zone between subspecies of the White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys). Can. J. Zool. 69 : 2625-2629. Nous avons examine les changements d'une caracteristique du plumage (coloration des lores) et d'un comportement d'apprentisage (ie chant) dans une zone de transition de 400km entre deux sous-especes de Bruants a couronne blanche (Zonotrichia leucophrys) dans le sud-ouest de 1'Alberta. La proportion d'oiseaux a lores noires caracteristiques de Z. I. oriantha, passe graduellement de plus de 80% dans les localites les plus australes, a moins de 20% a la limite boreale de la zone, oh la plupart des individus ont les lores de couleur grise, caracteristiques de Z. I. gambelii. Les caracteristiques du chant des miles subissent Cgalement des changements complets dans la zone, mais le changement est significativement plus brusque que dans le cas de la coloration, puisque la transition se fait sur une distance de 50-100 km au milieu de la zone d'intergradation. 11 est possible que la difference dans l'importance de l'introgression entre les deux caracteristiques provienne de la dispersion differente des miles et des femelles, ou de l'adoption d'un nouveau chant chez les jeunes miles qui migrent au sein de populations oh un type de chant different predomine. Nos resultats indiquent que le chant des miles n'est probablement pas un bon indicateur de l'evolution genetique des populations chez ette espece.[Traduit par la revue]

Habitat‐linked genetic structure for white‐crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys): Local factors shape population genetic structure

“…Previous studies suggest levels of gene flow differ among subspecies (Austen & Handford, 1991;Chilton et al, 1990;Lein & Corbin, 1990;Soha et al, 2004) and hybridization has been reported between two Z. l. gambelii and Z. l. oriantha (Lein & Corbin, 1990). To date, no studies have extensively examined the factors contributing to genetic variation within this species.…”

“…It is a widespread North American passerine whose range spans multiple barrier types and is composed of five subspecies with different song dialects, habitat preferences, phenotype, and migration behaviors (Figure 1 ). Previous studies suggest levels of gene flow differ among subspecies (Austen & Handford, 1991 ; Chilton et al., 1990 ; Lein & Corbin, 1990 ; Soha et al., 2004 ) and hybridization has been reported between two Z. l. gambelii and Z. l. oriantha (Lein & Corbin, 1990 ). To date, no studies have extensively examined the factors contributing to genetic variation within this species.…”

Range-wide patterns of geographic variation in songs of Golden-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia atricapilla)

“…In contrast, White-crowned Sparrow subspecies with shorter migration distances have correspondingly smaller dialect regions. The Mountain White-crowned Sparrows (Z. l. oriantha) exhibit an intermediate migration distance, and their dialect regions can span up to 275 km (Baptista and King 1980, Lein and Corbin 1990, Harbison et al 1999. The short-distance migrant Puget Sound subspecies of White-crowned Sparrows (Z. l. pugetensis) have dialects that span tens of kilometers (Baptista 1977), while populations of the sedentary subspecies (Z. l. nuttalli) can contain multiple dialects within 2-3 km (Marler and Tamura 1962, Baptista 1975, Trainer 1983, Baker and Thompson 1985, Cunningham et al 1987.…”

Ecological influences on vocal development in the white-crowned sparrow

“…Block 2 contained eight gambelii song types (four Alaskan, four Churchill), four oriantha, and four Puget Sound white-crowned sparrow, Z. l. pugetensis, song types. Gambel's and mountain white-crowned sparrows are sympatric in Alberta (Lein & Corbin 1990), and gambelii migrate through pugetensis (Chilton and Lein 1996) and oriantha (Morton & Pereyra 1987) habitat, and so encounter these songs in nature. To facilitate identifying tutor imitations, I chose song types as acoustically distinct as possible (Nelson & Marler 1993).…”