Vocal Learning Flashcards
1
Q
ACOUSTIC STRUCTURE OF BIRD SONG
A
- syntax = specific timing & ordering of song elements:
1. note
2. element
3. syllable
4. phrase
2
Q
MARLER & TAMURA (1962)
A
- song dialects in dif populations of white-crowned sparrows
- San Francisco Bay; sparrows from Marin/Berkeley/Sunset Beach (city regions) differ in song dialects
3
Q
GOULD & MARLER (1987)
A
- isolated young white-crowned sparrows distinguish/learn own-species song from tape tutors
- young males recognise/learn species-specific songs played along w/several songs from other species
4
Q
BOLHUIS & GAHR (2006)
A
- zebrafinch song development
- CA 60-80 days = plastic song
- CA 100 days = full song
5
Q
BRAINARD & DOUPE (2002)
A
- birds raised in isolation DON’T develop full songs
- adult zebra finch tutor = full song(ish) at late stage
- zebra finch raised in acoustic isolation = broken “plastic” song
- seasonality/overlap between sensory/sensorimotor phase in dif bird species
- sparrows/zebra finches sing same song all life long; canaries change annually
6
Q
KONISHI (1965); NORDEEN & NORDEEN (1992)
A
- role of auditory feedback in control of vocalisation in white-crowned sparrow
- auditory feedback = necessary for maintenance of stereotypes song in adult zebra finches
- birds deafened (cochlea removal) prior to onset of subsong stage = no normal song
- birds match produced song to memorised song template
- auditory feedback = also important for maintenance of full songs
7
Q
NELSON, MARLER & PALLERONI (1995)
A
- comparative approach to vocal learning; intraspecific variation in learning process
- developmental plasticity during sensitive period
- sensitive period = constrained onset/end time BUT environmental factors can modulate it:
1. local adaptiations in length/onset of breeding season (ie. coastal VS montane populations of white-crowned sparrows)
2. length/frequency of social exposure to singing males (ie. male zebrafinches raised by females could learn songs post exposure to males long after end of normally occurring sensitive period)
3. group housing accelerates song learning in adolescent zebra finches
8
Q
BAPTISTA & PETRINOVICH (1984)
A
- some types of social experience can override bio predisposition for own-species song
- white-crowned sparrows exposed to both strawberry finch tutors/own-species song playbacks
9
Q
HOW DO BIRDS SING?
A
- cervical sac
- interclavicular sac
- anterior thoracic sac
- posterior thoracic sac
- cervical sac
- abdominal sac
THE SYRINX - trachea
- syringeal muscles
- bronchial rings
- lateral labium
- internal tympaniform membranes
- bronchus
10
Q
BIRD SONG PRODUCTION
A
- neurally controlled
- song production pathway = posterior vocal pathway
- NCM = caudiomedial neostratium
- brain areas involved in song production in typical songbird:
1. HVC (higher vocal centre)
2. RA (robust nucleus of arcopallium)
3. nXIIts (hypoglossal nucleus; projection neurons/motor neurons innervate syrnix muscles from here)
11
Q
NOTTEBOHM & ARNOLD (1976)
A
- RA = robust nucleus of arcopallium; critical role in bird song production
- male/female zebrafinches
- RA lesions/cutting RA-nXIITs projection affects bird song production
- RA = larger in white-crowned sparrow males > non-singing females & Carolina wren
- RA grows/shrinks seasonally in white-crowned sparrow males
12
Q
BRENOWITX & KROODSMA (1996)
A
- sexual dimorphism in HVC volumes
- dif in HVC volume systematically relate to difs in singing between sexes
- zebra finches = ONLY males sing
13
Q
NORDEEN & NORDEEN (1990); KIRN & DEVOOGD (1989)
A
- neural reconstruction/neurogenesis in adult bird braun
- seasonal variations in HVC/RA volume
- HVC/RA volumes correlate w/size of song repertoire/song system
14
Q
BIRD SONG LEARNING PATHWAY
A
- aka. anterior forebrain pathway (Area X)
- brain areas involved in song learning in typical songbird:
1. LMAN (lMAN; lateral portion of magnocellular nucleus of anterior neostriatum)
2. DLM (medial portion of dorsolateral thalamus) - lesions of said nuclei affect song during learning BUT not production of crystallised songs
15
Q
WHAT MAKES SPECIES A VOCAL LEARNER?
A
- dependent on beh/psychoacoustics/communication
- assess acoustic signals imitated
- describe change of acoustic parameters