Song Repertoire of the Crimean Chaffinch, Fringilla Coelebs (Fringillidae), and Comparative Analysis of the Vocalization Features of F. C. Solomkoi, F. C. Coelebs and F. C. Caucasica Subspecies

Abstract

Abstract Song repertoire of chaffinch F. c. solomkoi subspecies from Crimea was analyzed. We discerned 38 song types in Crimean chaffinches’ repertoire, 27 of them were more frequent. Comparing Crimean chaffinches’ songs with those of nominative subspecies from Eastern Europe showed no common songs. Comparison of individual song elements showed that songs of F. c. solomkoi consisted of 108 elements, of which 18 were distinctive to Crimean birds, 18 were specific to Crimean chaffinches and Carpa-thian F. c. coelebs population while absent in songs of chaffinches from Eastern Europe plains. Comparison of F. c. solomkoi songs with songs of Caucasian subspecies F. c.caucasica revealed no common types of songs. There are certain similarities in song structures between some Crimean chaffinches and hybrid popula-tion of F. c. caucasica and F. c. solomkoi from Northwest Caucasus. Other specifics of vocalization showed drastic differences in rain-call structures of all subspecies and no after-song “kit“ element for Caucasian sub-species