The variability of song variability in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) populations.

Allison L. Lansverk,Sarah E. London,Christopher N. Balakrishnan,Simon C. Griffith,David F. Clayton,Katie M. Schroeder

doi:10.1098/rsos.190273

Abstract

Birdsong is a classic example of a learned social behaviour. Song behaviour is also influenced by genetic factors, and understanding the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences remains a major goal. In this study, we take advantage of captive zebra finch populations to examine variation in a population-level song trait: song variability. Song variability is of particular interest in the context of individual recognition and in terms of the neuro-developmental mechanisms that generate song novelty. We find that the Australian zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata castanotis (TGC) maintains higher song diversity than the Timor zebra finch T. g. guttata (TGG) even after experimentally controlling for early life song exposure, suggesting a genetic basis to this trait. Although wild-derived TGC were intermediate in song variability between domesticated TGC populations and TGG, the difference between domesticated and wild TGC was not statistically significant. The observed variation in song behaviour among zebra finch populations represents a largely untapped opportunity for exploring the mechanisms of social behaviour.

Highlights

As a representative of the Oscine Passerines, or songbirds, zebra finches have been the subject of extensive neurobiological and behavioural research with a focus on vocal communication& 2019 The Authors
For a direct comparison of the two subspecies, we included T. g. guttata (TGG) and Taeniopygia guttata castanotis (TGC) birds sampled at University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign (UIUC) and East Carolina University (ECU)
In a group of six TGC and six TGG finches video recorded subsequent to these song analyses, we observed no difference between subspecies in rates of directed versus undirected songs (TGC mean 1⁄4 14.6% directed song (85.4% undirected), TGG mean 1⁄4 13.2% directed song (86.8% undirected), two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test, U 1⁄4 17, z 1⁄4 0.08, p 1⁄4 0.94) so the observed differences in song variability among subspecies cannot be explained by variation in the frequency of directed song

Summary

Introduction

As a representative of the Oscine Passerines, or songbirds, zebra finches have been the subject of extensive neurobiological and behavioural research with a focus on vocal communication. Despite its role as a model system, zebra finch song behaviour is in some 2 ways unusual among songbirds. Zebra finches are highly age-restricted or ‘closed’ learners that do not modify their songs after around 90 days of age [11]. Zebra finches maintain high song structural diversity even within local populations, yet show little evidence for the regional song dialects well-known in songbirds [12,13]

Methods

Results

Conclusion