Research of plain wren duets could help further understand fundamentals of conversation
Public Release: 27-Feb-2015
Research of plain wren duets could help further understand fundamentals of conversation
University of Miami researcher finds that plain wren couples give each other cues to perform precisely coordinated duets
University of Miami
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (February 27, 2015) - Known for their beautiful singing duets, plain wrens of Costa Rica perform precise phrase-by-phrase modifications to the duration between two consecutive phrases, achieving careful coordination as their songs unfold, according to a new study published in the Journal of Avian Biology.
Duetting is a highly complex collaboration, yet little is known about the mechanisms underlying this behavior. The plain wren males and females alternate sounds so quickly that sometimes it seems as if a single bird is singing.
"Hearing a plain wren pair singing a spotless duet is overwhelming," said Karla D. Rivera-Càceres, Ph.D. student in the Department of Biology at the University of Miami (UM) College of Arts and Sciences and principal investigator of the study. "This intricate coordination between mating partners is achieved by a complex and dynamic process, where individuals use rules to determine how, or if the vocal interaction is to continue."
The new study shows that these songbirds achieve precise coordination by adjusting the period between two consecutive phrases (inter-phrase intervals), depending on whether their song is answered, the phrase type used in the duet and the position of the inter-phrase interval within the duet.
More:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-02/uom-rop022715.php
