Vocal learning in White-crowned Sparrows: sensitive phase and song dialects

Cunningham, Michael; Baker, Myron Charles

doi:10.1007/bf00299673

Cited by 92 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…In one, acquisition of song in the first few months of life combined with limited prebreeding dispersal would result in song sharing (Marler and Tamura 1962;Nottebohm 1970;Cunningham and Baker 1983). The second process assumes that song acquisition occurs after prebreeding dispersal at the time males establish breeding territories (Kroodsma 1974;Payne 1981).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Song overproduction and selective attrition lead to song sharing in the field sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Nelson

1992

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

130

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Male field sparrows settling on particular territories for the first time often sing two or more song types. Vocal experience with neighboring males then leads in most cases to the deletion from the male's repertoires of all but one song type. In 2 years, settling males retained the song type that most closely resembled that of a neighbor. Focal observations in 1 year revealed that the most actively singing neighbor was the one the new birds resembled. Songs were not selected on the basis of their absolute acoustic characteristics, but rather by their resemblance to neighbors' songs. After the attrition process is complete, males retain their song for the rest of their lives. Evidence supports the hypothesis that the actual acquisition of a song need not take place at the time and place as males occupy territories. Rather, males may acquire an abundance of song models earlier in life and then select songs from this repertoire that most closely resemble those of their neighbors. The development of mature repertoires and of local dialects is the outcome of one process in this species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Song overproduction and selective attrition lead to song sharing in the field sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Nelson

1992

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

130

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“…Ifdialect populations originate by colonization, these founder events may be the source of the original genetic divergence. With secondary contact of dialects, genetic differences may be maintained or even enhanced if gene flow is reduced by ethological "barriers" (Baker et aI., 1982a;Baker 1983;Cunningham and Baker, 1983;Tomback et al 1983). If gene flow is unrestricted, loss of genetic differences may follow.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reply to “Allozymes and Song Dialects: A Reassessment”

Baker

Cunningham

et al. 1984

Evolution

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“…To date, there has been no conclusive study of where and when juvenile white-crowned sparrows learn their song in the natural population. We believe that our studies come the closest to the goal of understanding song learning in the natural setting (Baker et al, 1982b;Cunningham and Baker, 1983): our field study indicated that young birds remained in their natal area for at least the first 50 days of life, and our laboratory study indicated that the songs heard during this first 50 days largely determined what the birds learned to sing-not the songs heard after 50 days of age.…”

mentioning

confidence: 80%