Models for song learning in the zebra finch: fathers or others?

Abstract

Previous research with individually caged breeding pairs of zebra finches, Taenopygia guttata, led to the conclusion that young males imprint upon their fathers at an early age, and model their songs upon their fathers' songs. In this study, an aviary containing 10 breeding paris of zebra finches and two non-breeding males was observed while the offspring were raised to independence. The young remained in the colony until sexual maturity (90 days), when song learning is complete. The songs of young males and their putative fathers were then analysed and compared. The mean number of syllables in the sons' songs was greater than the number in the fathers' songs. Portions of each adult male's song were copied by at least one young male, but sons did not preferentially copy their putative fathers' songs. The majority of the sons copied syllables from at least two of the adult males in the parental population. Two adult males were chosen as song models by a disproportionate number of young males; these two adult males had a greater number of interactions with fledglings and gave a greater amount of parental care to fledglings (including those that were not their own) than did the other adult males in the colony. Young male zebra finches reared in a colonial environment are not restricted to one song model, but may instead make choices about which adult males to copy and, hence, how to represent themselves through their own songs. Likewise, adult males may be able to pass on their songs without successfully reproducing.