Learning of song in the Pied Flycatcher - A field study

Abstract

A population of pied flycatchers was studied to examine learning of song syllables within a single breeding season. Males were separated into neighbor groups based on geographical location and access to experienced, potential tutors. A control group containing males which were not neighbors, and which were without access to an experienced tutor, was used to evaluate the results from the other three groups. Non-parametric statistical methods were used to test the associations and correlations of the observed data. One of the three neighbor groups showed a significant amount of repertoire sharing between the males of the group, sharing more song syllables within the group than with the population as a whole, and another group showed a significant correlation between time of recording and repertoire sharing between males. The hypothesis that inexperienced males learned from experienced tutors was not supported by the observed data, nor was the hypothesis that there was an effect of time between recordings of different males on observed song syllable sharing. A difference in song learning between inexperienced adults and juveniles was found, though it was contrary to the prediction that juveniles would learn more than the adults. The control group was not significantly different from the other groups, though this may be due to confounding variables. Inexperienced adults had a higher coefficient of repertoire sharing with experienced males than did the juveniles. Older males shared more song syllables with the population, and experienced males shared the most song syllables with the population. The only clear example of song syllable learning from experienced tutors was found in inexperienced adults. The inexperienced adults shared nearly equal amounts of song syllables with both their tutors, which was something not found in juveniles. A longitudinal study may be necessary to fully chart the learning of song among pied flycatchers.