Bird test 2

Sound

Alternating low and high pressure particle bands caused by something vibrating

Amplitude

The “loudness” or maximum energy of a sound.

Ambient pressure - compression.

Frequency

The pitch or tone of a sound.

Unit is hertz or kiloHertz.

Glissando

Blending of one sound into another

Wavelength

Cycles/time(in seconds). Determines the frequency of a sound.

Harmonic Frequency

The frequency above a fundemental frequency giving it some of its quality.

Basillar papila

Can hear 100 Hz to 10 kHz. teardrop shaped. Has fine-tuned hairs

Contrasts with cochlea, which can hear 20Hz to 20kHz

Sound is described by:

Frequency, amplitude, and duration

Motor pathway

Controls the sound producing muscles

Anterior forebrain pathway

Controls vocal learning. 1.5x - 2x larger in males. Smaller during the nonbreeding season. Neurogenesis occurs to grow back the section and produce more ear hairs.

Syrinx

Independently attached to each lung. Allows the production of 2 sounds at a time.

Birds that can learn

Oscine passerines, parrots (Psittaciformes) and Apodiformes (hummingbirds)

Theories for Evolution of vocal learning (watch video)

1) duplication of motor learning pathway

2) Continuum theory

3) Sexual selection for complex xongs

4) Social complexity theory

Steps in Oscine Learning

1) Sensory

2) sensorimotor

3) Crystallization

3 types of oscine learning

1) Distinct steps

2) Overlapping steps

3) overlapping steps that repeat

Repitoire of songs

Multiple sonds. In song sparrows is indicative of male

quality

Frequency of songs

Lower pitch = larger male and more prefered. Purple crowned fairy wrens

Consistency of songs

Blue tits. Increased vocal consistency indicates increased clutch size.

Complexity in songs

Japanese bush warblers are more complex on mainland than island due to increased sexual selection

Output of songs

Male Eurasian Blackcaps who sing more songs are more likely to have successful mates. Also BAWWs & BTBWs both responded to BAWW playback

suboscine

alder flycatcher

A/1 song

Intersexual. For the study, habitat quality and # of songs is <

B/2 song

Intrasexual. For the study, it increases with habitat complexity regardless

5 calls

Contact calls, alarm calls, flight calls, food calls, mobbing calls

Seet calls

High, doesn’t give away location. tufted titmouse and 21 other species. learned use of innate song. There was complexity for Conspecific, Sympatric heterospecific, and Allopatric heterospecific

Prebasic Molt

In the summer following the breeding season. Results in prebasic plumage

Preformative molt

First year molt after prejuvenile bc prejuvenile is low quality. Preformative invludes body, secondaries, tertials, and central retrices

Cuckoos

Put their eggs in other nests. Even smart birds cant figure it out sometimes. If theyre found out though, the egg will be dropped

Reptile shedding

Evolved into molting

Type A shedding

Only prejuvenile, preformative, prebasic

Type B molt

Prejuvenile, preformative, prealternite, prebasic. Short PF and PB

Type C molt

Prejuvenile, preformative, prealternite, prebasic. long PF and PB later on

Wolfe-Ryder-Pyle

Determines cycle, molt status, and plumage of bird from feathers

First Letter of WRP

F = 1st. S = 2nd. T = 3rd. D = Definitive

Second Letter of WRP

C = Mid-cycle. P = In molt. U = unkown

Third Letter of WRP

Juvenile, Formative, Alternate, Basic, Auxillary formative (X), Supplemental, Unknown

Joe bird takeaway

1st year feathers present until Secondary prebasic molt, which results in a definitive basic plumage.

MAPS

Measuring Avian Productivity and Survivorship

Productivity and Recruitment

Amount of offspring produced and that return in the following season

Grasshopper sparrow vs. Savannah Sparrow

Savannah sparrow has yellow supercilium

Ruby vs. Golden Crowned kinglet

Different median stripes

Molt sequence

Primaries: P1 - P9 distally

Tertiaries: S8 to either side

Secondaries: begins at P5-P6. Moves proximally

Retrices: start when P4-6 molt. Goes distally

Type A molting is used by

70% of birds in NA

Type B molting is used by

50% of NA passerines

Molt Limit

Shows specific stage in molting

Juvenile feathers (vs older)

More wear, thinner, more tapered. Light brownish usually

Myrtle (yellow rumped) warbler

Retain juvenile primaries, secondaries, and primary coverts

Second outermost greater covert is formative

Rest are alternative!

3 gens of feathers!

Behavior

A coordinated whole organism response to stimuli

Chematosis

3.5 billion YA in protocells and archaea. moving to resources or from toxins

Multi-level selection

Includes within group and between group selection. Explained using monopoly if you were competing to make the most money OVERALL

Altruism

Selfishness beats altruism within groups. Altruistic groups beat selfish groups.

Safety in numbers

Redshanks are less likely to be successfully attacked in larger flocks

Reciprocity

Pied flycatchers show reciprocity for cooperators vs. defectors and birds who stayed at their nest

Lek mating

Obligate and cooperative but competitive mating

Long tailed manakin

Jumping over each other. More cooperation leafs to more success. (Information centrality)

Referential signaling

More “dee” notes in BC chickadees indicates a smaller predator. Great horned vs pygmy owl

Florida scrub jay

Cooperative breeding with siblings taking care of young and dad guarding. Found in florida desert environments (endemic). Uses high and dry land. Needs fire to survive

Greater Ani

polycule. More breeding pairs have more successful nests and more fledging per individual

Territoriality

Agonistic behavior to protect resources and space. (Mates, habitats, resources, territories)

territory size

Cost is exponential. Benefit is log. Tries to maximize net benefit.

Territoriality in year round spaces

Northern Cardinals. Shown using playback. More intense during breeding season.

Territoriality in foraging

Long billed hermit hummingbirds. Adult Alpha males have sharper and more serrated bills that werent as good for foraging

Territoriality in Mating

Superb fairy wrens often have extra pair paternity. More duets = more genetic monogamy for them

Territoriality wuality

Louisiana waterthrush habitats were more spread out and larger with lower pH.

EPT

Determines water quality. In Lousiana waterthrush, lower mayflies (E) in the water in acidified stream decreases the food supply

General and Natural Selection Evolution

1) genetic variation

2) allele frequency variation over time

1) phenotypic variation

2) heritability

3) Differential reproduction

4) Fitness differences from heritable traits

Zebra finches

1) innate songs exist

2) hearing song too much makes it not work as well

3) through generations, song becomes cultured again