Ch. 10 [Ultimate and Proximate Causes of Animal Behavior] Part 2

Question 1

What is the difference between bird songs and calls?

Answer 1

calls- short bursts of sound

songs- melodious/ trilly with variable notes

Question 2

What are the disadvantages of birds learning songs?

Answer 2

attract predators

Question 3

How is song learning adaptive?

Answer 3

• learning local songs allows for better transmission of song through the environmental conditions
• learning local songs help show neighbors that the male is knowledgeable of the area and not an intruder

Question 4

3 Reasons for Birds to Learn Songs

Answer 4

• to defend territories
• to attract mates
• indicates no predator is present

Question 5

How do songs attract females? (3)

Answer 5

• good genes
• healthy mates (physically)
• healthy mates (brains)

Question 6

For females, what does good genes mean in males?

Answer 6

males with local songs learned them when young, indicating they are from the area and adapted to the local conditions

Question 7

For females, what does healthy mates (physically) mean in males?

Answer 7

males w/ greater repertories have more fat, likely due to health and thus able to help in parental care

Question 8

For females, what does healthy mates (brains) mean in males?

Answer 8

males w/ greater repertories have well developed brains, indicating health during development

Question 9

Did sog learning evolve twice or lost multiple times?

Answer 9

lost multiple times

Question 10

Marler’s lab-reared eggs experiment

Answer 10

• those hearing no sound begin twittering but no singing

- those hearing songs develop ‘plastic’ song and refine it as they sing it