Individuality in the contact calls of cooperatively breeding long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus).

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Title: Individuality in the contact calls of cooperatively breeding long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus).
Authors: Sharp, S. P, Hatchwell, B. J.
Source: Behaviour. Nov/Dec2005, Vol. 142 Issue 11/12, p1559-1575. 17p. 4 Charts, 3 Graphs.
Subjects: Cooperative breeding in animals, Long-tailed tit, Kin recognition in animals, Aegithalos, Animal behavior
Abstract: The ability to discriminate between individuals or groups of individuals is important for the evolution of sociality. Individual vocal recognition is thought to be widespread in social birds, yet few studies have investigated its role in cooperatively breeding species. In long-tailed tits, helpers preferentially provide care to close kin, and individuals are able to discriminate between the vocalisations of kin and non-kin. However, the mechanism underlying this recognition system is unknown. Here we quantify the relative variation between and within individuals in three of the contact calls used by this species. Spectrographic cross-correlation revealed that two of these calls, the 'churr' and the 'triple', were individually distinct. We therefore analysed the variation in a series of acoustic parameters in each of these two vocalisations. For both the churr and the triple, discriminant function analysis was able to allocate calls to the correct individuals according to variation in several frequency parameters. We hypothesise that long-tailed tits are able to discriminate between the calls of conspecifics based on these parameters. This is the first quantitative description of potential recognition cues in a cooperatively breeding bird in which vocal discrimination is known to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Behaviour is the property of Brill Academic Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Individuality in the contact calls of cooperatively breeding long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus).
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sharp%2C+S%2E+P%22">Sharp, S. P</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hatchwell%2C+B%2E+J%2E%22">Hatchwell, B. J.</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Behaviour%22">Behaviour</searchLink>. Nov/Dec2005, Vol. 142 Issue 11/12, p1559-1575. 17p. 4 Charts, 3 Graphs.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cooperative+breeding+in+animals%22">Cooperative breeding in animals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Long-tailed+tit%22">Long-tailed tit</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kin+recognition+in+animals%22">Kin recognition in animals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Aegithalos%22">Aegithalos</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Animal+behavior%22">Animal behavior</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The ability to discriminate between individuals or groups of individuals is important for the evolution of sociality. Individual vocal recognition is thought to be widespread in social birds, yet few studies have investigated its role in cooperatively breeding species. In long-tailed tits, helpers preferentially provide care to close kin, and individuals are able to discriminate between the vocalisations of kin and non-kin. However, the mechanism underlying this recognition system is unknown. Here we quantify the relative variation between and within individuals in three of the contact calls used by this species. Spectrographic cross-correlation revealed that two of these calls, the 'churr' and the 'triple', were individually distinct. We therefore analysed the variation in a series of acoustic parameters in each of these two vocalisations. For both the churr and the triple, discriminant function analysis was able to allocate calls to the correct individuals according to variation in several frequency parameters. We hypothesise that long-tailed tits are able to discriminate between the calls of conspecifics based on these parameters. This is the first quantitative description of potential recognition cues in a cooperatively breeding bird in which vocal discrimination is known to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Behaviour is the property of Brill Academic Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1163/156853905774831918
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 1559
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Cooperative breeding in animals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Long-tailed tit
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kin recognition in animals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Aegithalos
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      – SubjectFull: Animal behavior
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      – TitleFull: Individuality in the contact calls of cooperatively breeding long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus).
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              Text: Nov/Dec2005
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              Y: 2005
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