Absolute and relative pitch processing in black-capped chickadees, Parus atricapillus

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Playback studies have often identified note order as a feature in the recognition of conspecific song by passerines. Pitch change between successive notes in song could be an important source of order features. In two experiments, we varied the absolute and relative pitch in conspecific fee bee songs played to captive male black-capped chickadees. In experiment 1, songs beginning appreciably higher or lower in absolute pitch than normal song elicited less social response. In experiment 2, songs played at altered pitch intervals tended to elicit less combined agonistic and territorial response. These experiments indicate that chickadees are sensitive to both absolute and relative pitch information present in conspecific song.