The Seasonal Pattern of Veery Calls and Song in Relation to Reproductive Contexts

Abstract

Abstract I investigated the seasonal patterns in the use of Veery vocalizations (song and calls) at a breeding site in northern Delaware. The Veery call repertoire consists of 2 continua (harsh and tonal notes) and 4 discrete call types. Veeries use these calls in long-distance (inter-territory) and short-distance (intra-territory) vocal interaction. To gain insight to Veery communication, I tallied calls during twenty-six 10-min point-counts in seven 11-d periods to determine the pattern of call types used by Veeries from nest initiation through fledging. The pattern of calls used varied depending on the corresponding reproductive context and can be in part explained by their acoustic properties in varying social situations. The use of a variety of calls early in the breeding season coupled with a paucity of song confirms that calls are the primary acoustic signal used by Veeries during the first 2 weeks after spring arrival.