Assessing the similarity of song-type transitions among birds: evidence for inter-species variation

Hedley, Richard W.; Logue, David M.; Benedict, Lauryn; Mennill, Daniel J.

Assessing the similarity of song-type transitions among birds: evidence for inter-species variation

dc.contributor.author	Hedley, Richard W.
dc.contributor.author	Logue, David M.
dc.contributor.author	Benedict, Lauryn
dc.contributor.author	Mennill, Daniel J.
dc.date.accessioned	2020-08-20T21:59:29Z
dc.date.available	2020-08-20T21:59:29Z
dc.date.issued	2018
dc.description	Permission to archived accepted author manuscript	en_US
dc.description.abstract	In many species of songbird, individuals sing multiple song types, some of which are shared with their neighbours. Individuals may also share syntactical rules that govern the transitions between different song types, but few studies have attempted to study this kind of sharing. Progress has been inhibited by a lack of statistical tools to compare song-type transitions among individuals. We present a straightforward method for comparing song transitions based on Markov transition matrices. The method calculates the number of mutually preferred song-type-to-different-song-type transitions found in the song sequences of two birds, then assesses whether that number is significantly greater than would be expected if the two birds ordered their songs independently of one another. We applied this method to song sequences from five songbird species. All pairwise comparisons among male Cassin's vireos, Vireo cassinii, showed significant similarity in song transitions, as did a minority of comparisons among Adelaide's warblers, Setophaga adelaidae, and one pair of marsh wrens, Cistothorus palustris. In contrast, dyads of rock wrens, Salpinctes obsoletus, and rufous-and-white wrens, Thryophilus rufalbus, did not share song-type transitions at levels exceeding chance. Interterritory distance was not significantly related to our measure of song transition similarity in any of our study species. These results provide evidence that interindividual similarity in song-type transitions is a trait that varies considerably among species. We discuss the potential drivers of similarity in song transitions, but note that assessing its evolutionary breadth will require a larger sample of species. The application of our method to additional species will provide a more comprehensive understanding of signal use and vocal interaction in songbirds.	en_US
dc.description.peer-review	Yes	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Hedley, R. W., Logue, D. M., Benedict, L., & Mennill, D. J. (2018). Assessing the similarity of song-type transitions among birds: Evidence for interspecies variation. Animal Behaviour, 140, 161-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.04.008	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/10133/5747
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.publisher	Elsevier	en_US
dc.publisher.department	Department of Psychology	en_US
dc.publisher.faculty	Arts and Science	en_US
dc.publisher.institution	University of California, Los Angeles	en_US
dc.publisher.institution	University of Lethbridge	en_US
dc.publisher.institution	University of Northern Colorado	en_US
dc.publisher.institution	University of Windsor	en_US
dc.publisher.url	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.04.008	en_US
dc.subject	Adelaide's warbler	en_US
dc.subject	Birdsong	en_US
dc.subject	Rock wren	en_US
dc.subject	Rufous-and-white wren	en_US
dc.subject	Syntax	en_US
dc.subject.lcsh	Birdsongs
dc.subject.lcsh	Songbirds--Behavior
dc.subject.lcsh	Cassin's vireo
dc.subject.lcsh	Setophaga
dc.subject.lcsh	Marsh wren
dc.subject.lcsh	Selpinctes obsoletus
dc.subject.lcsh	Thryothorus
dc.title	Assessing the similarity of song-type transitions among birds: evidence for inter-species variation	en_US
dc.type	Article	en_US