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Variation in the song of a sub-oscine, the vermilion flycatcher

2005; Brill; Volume: 142; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1163/156853905774405326

1568-539X

Katharina Riebel, Alejandro Ariel Ríos Chelén, Constantino Macı́as Garcı́a,

Animal Behavior and Reproduction

[Most studies on song variation have focused on oscine birds, whereas sub-oscine singing has seldom been described in detail, with variation in song structure and performance rarely quantified. Yet this information is required to formulate hypotheses regarding possible coding of individuality, motivational or breeding status, and also for a more informed comparison of oscine versus sub-oscine song. To this end we recorded songs of 12 territorial males of a Central Mexican population of the vermilion flycatchers ( Pyrocephalus rubinus ) throughout the breeding season. We found that: (1) although all males sang only one general form of song, both song structure and performance showed substantial seasonal and inter-individual variation; (2) this variation was most pronounced in the number of introductory elements; (3) after the onset of nest construction, both the number of introductory elements and the song rate changed. We discuss some possible functions of this variation. La mayoria de los estudios sobre variacion del canto se han enfocado a aves oscinas, mientras que la actividad del canto en suboscinos rara vez se ha descrito en forma detallada y casi no hay cuantificaciones de la variacion en estructura del canto y en desempeno. Empero, esta informacion es necesaria para formular hipotesis relacionadas con una posible codificacion de la individualidad, del estado motivacional o reproductivo, y para poder comparar con mas informacion el canto de los oscinos con el canto de los suboscinos. Con este fin grabamos cantos de 12 machos territoriales de papamoscas cardenalito ( Pyrocephalus rubinus ), en una poblacion del centro de Mexico, durante la temporada reproductiva. Encontramos que: (1) aunque todos los machos cantaron una sola forma general de canto, tanto aspectos de la estructura como del desempeno mostraron variacion substancial entre machos y a traves de la temporada; (2) esta variacion fue mas pronunciada en el numero de elementos introductorios; (3) despues del inicio de la construccion del nido, el numero de elementos introductorios y la tasa de canto se modificaron. Discutimos algunas posibles funciones de esta variacion. , Most studies on song variation have focused on oscine birds, whereas sub-oscine singing has seldom been described in detail, with variation in song structure and performance rarely quantified. Yet this information is required to formulate hypotheses regarding possible coding of individuality, motivational or breeding status, and also for a more informed comparison of oscine versus sub-oscine song. To this end we recorded songs of 12 territorial males of a Central Mexican population of the vermilion flycatchers (Pyrocephalus rubinus) throughout the breeding season. We found that: (1) although all males sang only one general form of song, both song structure and performance showed substantial seasonal and inter-individual variation; (2) this variation was most pronounced in the number of introductory elements; (3) after the onset of nest construction, both the number of introductory elements and the song rate changed. We discuss some possible functions of this variation.]