Abstract
The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is a socially monogamous and colonial opportunistic breeder with pronounced sexual differences in singing and plumage coloration. Its natural history has led to it becoming a model species for research into sex differences in vocal communication, as well as behavioral, neural and genomic studies of imitative auditory learning. As scientists tap into the genetic and behavioral diversity of both wild and captive lineages, the zebra finch will continue to inform research into culture, learning, and social bonding, as well as adaptability to a changing climate.
Highlights
The zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata is the most intensively studied species of bird that is maintained in captivity in large numbers despite not being a species bred for its meat or eggs, like the chicken or the quail
Due to the pronounced sexual differences in singing and plumage coloration found in the zebra finch (Figure 1), earlier research quickly focused on when and how males learn to copy and produce a tutor(-like) song (e.g., Eales, 1987; Brainard and Doupe, 2002; Figure 2A), and eventually on how females learn from their fathers to prefer particular male vocal displays (Braaten and Reynolds, 1999; Riebel, 2000)
In parallel with its use in early ethological research, the zebra finch became established as an easier model than the canary for studying the neural basis of song, which in turn saw the former species adopted as a model for genomics, neuroscience, and developmental biology
Summary
The zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata is the most intensively studied species of bird that is maintained in captivity in large numbers despite not being a species bred for its meat or eggs, like the chicken or the quail (reviewed in Zann, 1996). By tapping into the existing genetic and behavioral diversity of wild and captive lineages in zebra finches (e.g., Forstmeier et al, 2007; Knief et al, 2015) to perform comparative avian genomic analyses (Jarvis et al, 2014; Feng et al, 2020), interspecific hybridization studies (Woolley and Sakata, 2019; Wang et al 2019), and direct genetic manipulations (Liu et al, 2015; London, 2020), the zebra finch shall continue to serve as a focal subject of integrative research into human language-like vocal culture (Bruno et al, 2021), auditory learning (Theunissen et al, 2014), acoustically-mediated social bonding (Tokarev et al, 2017), and genetic (Balakrishnan et al, 2010) and behavioral (e.g., song) variability (Lansverk et al, 2019; see Box 1).
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