Song Sharing and Repertoires among Migratory and Resident Rufous-Sided Towhees

Abstract

Among oscines, song sharing with neighbors and large song repertoires may be enhanced in resident populations. This idea was explored with the Rufous-sided Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) by studying singing behavior in a resident Florida and a migratory New York population. Florida males (n = 15) sang an average of eight song types per male, but New York males (n = 15) sang only 3.5. Furthermore, unlike the New York males, the Florida males shared most song types in their larger repertoires with immediate neighbors. These marked differences in sharing and repertoires need further study in the towhees and other species in order to understand more clearly the processes that lead to such population differences.