Presentation Details
| Optimal tuning not required: birds communicate effectively with mismatched auditory filters. Matías Muñoz1, 2, Wouter Halfwerk2. 1Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.2Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands |
Abstract
Birds have one of the most remarkable vocal capacities among vertebrates, yet we know little about how their hearing relates to vocal traits across broad phylogenetic scales, or whether these traits coevolve tightly or loosely. We collected vocal and auditory data for 72 bird species across 15 orders and tested whether hearing is finely tuned to the spectral composition of their vocalizations (the matched-filter hypothesis). We found that audition does not predict vocal frequency, and mismatches between hearing and vocalizations are widespread. These mismatches arise from allometry: auditory tuning and vocal spectra scale differently with body mass. Despite this, hearing remains sensitive to key spectral components of vocalizations. Our results challenge the idea that sensory systems must be finely tuned to conspecific signals for effective communication. Instead, selection for broader auditory tuning may allow birds to communicate while maintaining general environmental awareness. We argue that hearing–vocal relationships in birds are better described as diffuse coevolution shaped by broader ecological contexts rather than strict dyadic interactions.
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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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