Publications by authors named "Fiona Backhouse"
Article Synopsis
- Some oscine passerines, like the Chinese blackbird, use vocal mimicry to incorporate sounds from other species and even human-made noises into their songs.
- This study on blackbirds imitating Cuculidae calls shows that the mimics learn partially from their own kind, as some unique mimetic sounds were shared among neighboring birds.
- The research indicates that the mimetic calls, while similar to the original, have noticeable differences and suggests a social learning element in the development of vocal mimicry among birds.
Article Synopsis
- - The study explores how male Albert's lyrebirds enhance their mating displays by manipulating their physical environment, specifically shaking the vegetation on their display platform.
- - This "stage shaking" occurs in two rhythmic patterns, one of which syncs with the bird's vocalizations during performance.
- - The findings suggest that this behavior is a crucial part of the lyrebird's complex communication and sexual display strategy, shedding light on how environmental manipulation can play a role in attracting mates.
Most studies of acoustic communication focus on short units of vocalization such as songs, yet these units are often hierarchically organized into higher-order sequences and, outside human language, little is known about the drivers of sequence structure. Here, we investigate the organization, transmission and function of vocal sequences sung by male Albert's lyrebirds (), a species renowned for vocal imitations of other species. We quantified the organization of mimetic units into sequences, and examined the extent to which these sequences are repeated within and between individuals and shared among populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGeographic variation in bird song has received much attention in evolutionary studies, yet few consider components within songs that may be subject to different constraints and follow different evolutionary trajectories. Here, we quantify patterns of geographic variation in the socially transmitted "whistle" song of Albert's lyrebirds (), an oscine passerine renowned for its remarkable vocal abilities. Albert's lyrebirds are confined to narrow stretches of suitable habitat in Australia, allowing us to map likely paths of cultural transmission using a species distribution model and least cost paths.
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