The quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallers
Abstract Interactions among groups are often mediated through signals, including coordinated calls such as duets, and the degree of temporal coordination within a group can affect signal efficacy. However, in addition to intrinsic duet quality, the spatial arrangement of callers also affects the tim...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-43508-w |
| _version_ | 1797576589095993344 |
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| author | Paweł Ręk Robert D. Magrath |
| author_facet | Paweł Ręk Robert D. Magrath |
| author_sort | Paweł Ręk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Interactions among groups are often mediated through signals, including coordinated calls such as duets, and the degree of temporal coordination within a group can affect signal efficacy. However, in addition to intrinsic duet quality, the spatial arrangement of callers also affects the timing of calls. So, can listeners discriminate temporal effects caused by intrinsic duet quality compared to spatial arrangement? Such discrimination would allow assessment of quality of duets produced by a pair, as distinct from transient extrinsic spatial effects. To address this issue, we studied experimentally the influence of intrinsic duet quality and spatial arrangement on the efficacy of Australian magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) vocal duets. Breeding pairs duet at varying distances from each other and to multiple neighbours. Coordinated duets are more effective territorial signals than uncoordinated duets, but it remains unclear whether listeners can discriminate the effects of quality and spatial arrangement. Our playback experiment showed that any deviation from perfect regularity of partners’ notes reduced duet efficacy, but that lack of coordination due to spatial separation (slower tempo and offset of notes) had a lower effect on efficacy than effects due to intrinsic quality (irregularity). Our results therefore provide experimental evidence that the temporal organisation of group vocalisations could signal coalition quality independently of spatial effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:55:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-08051f59ea834b8bac5cc7a813d5813c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:55:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-08051f59ea834b8bac5cc7a813d5813c2023-11-19T13:07:43ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-09-0113111010.1038/s41598-023-43508-wThe quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallersPaweł Ręk0Robert D. Magrath1Department of Behavioural Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz UniversityDivision of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National UniversityAbstract Interactions among groups are often mediated through signals, including coordinated calls such as duets, and the degree of temporal coordination within a group can affect signal efficacy. However, in addition to intrinsic duet quality, the spatial arrangement of callers also affects the timing of calls. So, can listeners discriminate temporal effects caused by intrinsic duet quality compared to spatial arrangement? Such discrimination would allow assessment of quality of duets produced by a pair, as distinct from transient extrinsic spatial effects. To address this issue, we studied experimentally the influence of intrinsic duet quality and spatial arrangement on the efficacy of Australian magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) vocal duets. Breeding pairs duet at varying distances from each other and to multiple neighbours. Coordinated duets are more effective territorial signals than uncoordinated duets, but it remains unclear whether listeners can discriminate the effects of quality and spatial arrangement. Our playback experiment showed that any deviation from perfect regularity of partners’ notes reduced duet efficacy, but that lack of coordination due to spatial separation (slower tempo and offset of notes) had a lower effect on efficacy than effects due to intrinsic quality (irregularity). Our results therefore provide experimental evidence that the temporal organisation of group vocalisations could signal coalition quality independently of spatial effects.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-43508-w |
| spellingShingle | Paweł Ręk Robert D. Magrath The quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallers Scientific Reports |
| title | The quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallers |
| title_full | The quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallers |
| title_fullStr | The quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallers |
| title_full_unstemmed | The quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallers |
| title_short | The quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallers |
| title_sort | quality of avian vocal duets can be assessed independently of the spatial separation of signallers |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-43508-w |
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