Splendid songs: the vocal behaviour of Splendid Fairy-wrens (Malurus splendens melanotus)

Abstract

Here we describe the vocal repertoire of a population of Splendid Fairy-wrens (Malurus splendens melanotus) in South Australia. During 2005 and 2006 we identified 14 different vocalisations. The primary vocalisation, Type I song, was given by both males and females throughout the breeding season and appeared to function in territorial defence. Type I song was structurally similar between the sexes, although males sang a more complex version of the song with greater note-versatility (number of note types divided by total number of notes). The rate of female singing did not differ between breeding stages, but the rate of male singing was higher in the early breeding stages than in the later breeding stages. The second major vocalisation, Type II call, was given almost exclusively by males. Type II calls were generally given in response to avian predators, but males also appended Type II calls to the primary song. Additionally, Type II calls featured prominently in the dawn chorus, and the structure of these calls varied significantly between males. We discuss hypotheses for the function of Type I songs and Type II calls and describe the structure of 12 other vocalisations, using contextual information to infer their function.