Presentation Details
| A Comprehensive Test of Multiple Song Functions in Female Red-winged Blackbirds Cristina M.Barros, Lauryn Benedict. University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, USA |
Abstract
Research on female birdsong has revealed that females and males don’t always sing in the same contexts, especially among temperate-zone species. Yet, how acoustic song features aid in conveying information, & influencing social behavior, are still poorly understood. I used recordings of female red-winged blackbird songs to compare sexually dimorphic traits in song features, test for six possible song functions, & then relate those to reproductive success. Spectro-temporal analyses showed females exhibit wide intraindividual variation, & these features differ significantly from males. During playbacks, females exhibited the shortest singing latencies, & adjusted song features in response to songs of their mates & conspecific females. Female song rates significantly decreased in response to unfamiliar female rattle songs, & changes in spectral song features were negatively correlated with fledging success. My results support intra-pair communication, intrasexual competition, & parent-offspring communication functions for female song in this species, indicating female song is multi-functional. This study helps deepen our knowledge of animal communication systems & how they evolve.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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