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The evolution of bird song: Male and female response to song innovation in swamp sparrows

Publication ,  Journal Article
Nowicki, S; Searcy, WA; Hughes, M; Podos, J
Published in: Animal Behaviour
January 1, 2001

Closely related species of songbirds often show large differences in song syntax, suggesting that major innovations in syntax must sometimes arise and spread. Here we examine the response of male and female swamp sparrows, Melospiza georgiana, to an innovation in song syntax produced by males of this species. Young male swamp sparrows that have been exposed to tutor songs with experimentally increased trill rates reproduce these songs with periodic silent gaps (Podos 1996, Animal Behaviour, 51, 1061-1070). This novel temporal pattern, termed 'broken syntax', has been demonstrated to transmit across generations (Podos et al. 1999, Animal Behaviour, 58, 93-103). We show here that adult male swamp sparrows respond more strongly in territorial playback tests to songs with broken syntax than to heterospecific songs, and equally strongly to conspecific songs with normal and broken syntax. In tests using the solicitation display assay, adult female swamp sparrows respond more to broken syntax than to heterospecific songs, although they respond significantly less to conspecific songs with broken syntax than to those with normal syntax. We conclude that sexual selection by female choice is in this case conservative, acting against the spread of innovation. The conservative effect of female preferences must sometimes be overcome, however, to allow the evolution of the major structural differences in song observed between species. © 2001 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Animal Behaviour

DOI

ISSN

0003-3472

Publication Date

January 1, 2001

Volume

62

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1189 / 1195

Related Subject Headings

  • Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
 

Citation

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Nowicki, S., Searcy, W. A., Hughes, M., & Podos, J. (2001). The evolution of bird song: Male and female response to song innovation in swamp sparrows. Animal Behaviour, 62(6), 1189–1195. https://doi.org/10.1006/anbe.2001.1854
Nowicki, S., W. A. Searcy, M. Hughes, and J. Podos. “The evolution of bird song: Male and female response to song innovation in swamp sparrows.” Animal Behaviour 62, no. 6 (January 1, 2001): 1189–95. https://doi.org/10.1006/anbe.2001.1854.
Nowicki S, Searcy WA, Hughes M, Podos J. The evolution of bird song: Male and female response to song innovation in swamp sparrows. Animal Behaviour. 2001 Jan 1;62(6):1189–95.
Nowicki, S., et al. “The evolution of bird song: Male and female response to song innovation in swamp sparrows.” Animal Behaviour, vol. 62, no. 6, Jan. 2001, pp. 1189–95. Scopus, doi:10.1006/anbe.2001.1854.
Nowicki S, Searcy WA, Hughes M, Podos J. The evolution of bird song: Male and female response to song innovation in swamp sparrows. Animal Behaviour. 2001 Jan 1;62(6):1189–1195.
Journal cover image

Published In

Animal Behaviour

DOI

ISSN

0003-3472

Publication Date

January 1, 2001

Volume

62

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1189 / 1195

Related Subject Headings

  • Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 30 Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences