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Responses to songs with altered tonal quality by adult song sparrows (melospiza melodia)

Publication ,  Journal Article
Strote, J; Nowicki, S
Published in: Behaviour
January 1, 1996

Pure-tone sounds are a common and distinctive feature of many birdsongs. We used field playback experiments to test whether this tonal quality is perceptually salient to adult male song sparrows in the context of song recognition, by comparing responses to playback of normal songs with responses elicited by songs that had harmonics added. This species was chosen for study based on the recent finding that young song sparrows do not show a preference for songs with pure tones over songs with harmonics when choosing model songs to copy during their sensitive phase for learning. We found adult song sparrows to be significantly more responsive to normal song than to harmonic song, consistent with results from adult birds of other species. We conclude that the perceptual salience of the tonal quality of song changes during ontogeny or is context-dependent.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Behaviour

DOI

ISSN

0005-7959

Publication Date

January 1, 1996

Volume

133

Issue

3-4

Start / End Page

161 / 172

Related Subject Headings

  • Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology
  • 3109 Zoology
  • 3104 Evolutionary biology
  • 3103 Ecology
  • 0608 Zoology
  • 0603 Evolutionary Biology
  • 0602 Ecology
 

Citation

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Strote, J., & Nowicki, S. (1996). Responses to songs with altered tonal quality by adult song sparrows (melospiza melodia). Behaviour, 133(3–4), 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853996x00099
Strote, J., and S. Nowicki. “Responses to songs with altered tonal quality by adult song sparrows (melospiza melodia).” Behaviour 133, no. 3–4 (January 1, 1996): 161–72. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853996x00099.
Strote J, Nowicki S. Responses to songs with altered tonal quality by adult song sparrows (melospiza melodia). Behaviour. 1996 Jan 1;133(3–4):161–72.
Strote, J., and S. Nowicki. “Responses to songs with altered tonal quality by adult song sparrows (melospiza melodia).” Behaviour, vol. 133, no. 3–4, Jan. 1996, pp. 161–72. Scopus, doi:10.1163/156853996x00099.
Strote J, Nowicki S. Responses to songs with altered tonal quality by adult song sparrows (melospiza melodia). Behaviour. 1996 Jan 1;133(3–4):161–172.
Journal cover image

Published In

Behaviour

DOI

ISSN

0005-7959

Publication Date

January 1, 1996

Volume

133

Issue

3-4

Start / End Page

161 / 172

Related Subject Headings

  • Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology
  • 3109 Zoology
  • 3104 Evolutionary biology
  • 3103 Ecology
  • 0608 Zoology
  • 0603 Evolutionary Biology
  • 0602 Ecology