Behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrels
Abstract Vocal communication is an important method squirrels (Sciuridae) use to transfer information from one individual to others. While behaviors associated with vocal communication have been explored in individual species or single call‐types in specific groups of squirrels, no comprehensive rev...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Ecosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3572 |
| _version_ | 1819138571473256448 |
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| author | Corinne A. Diggins |
| author_facet | Corinne A. Diggins |
| author_sort | Corinne A. Diggins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Vocal communication is an important method squirrels (Sciuridae) use to transfer information from one individual to others. While behaviors associated with vocal communication have been explored in individual species or single call‐types in specific groups of squirrels, no comprehensive review of these behaviors exists for Sciuridae. Herein, I review the current literature to describe behaviors associated with vocal communication in three groups of squirrels: ground squirrels, tree squirrels, and flying squirrels. I discuss the behavioral functions of squirrel vocalizations. A wide variety of behaviors are associated with particular call‐types produced by squirrels, including alarm, agonistic, discomfort, affiliative, mating, and neonatal calls. There are large knowledge gaps in cataloging the vocal repertoires and associated behaviors of many species of squirrels, including commonly studied species such as marmots and ground squirrels, as alarm calls are typically focused on and other call‐types are understudied or ignored. Since vocal communication is important to the development, reproduction, and survival of squirrels, further understanding the biological and ecological drivers behind vocal repertoires is critical to evaluating the ethology of this family as a whole. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T11:08:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-84b2b9d5637b4bf5a6f99a9135e29b4d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T11:08:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-84b2b9d5637b4bf5a6f99a9135e29b4d2022-12-21T18:28:13ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252021-06-01126n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.3572Behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrelsCorinne A. Diggins0Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia24061USAAbstract Vocal communication is an important method squirrels (Sciuridae) use to transfer information from one individual to others. While behaviors associated with vocal communication have been explored in individual species or single call‐types in specific groups of squirrels, no comprehensive review of these behaviors exists for Sciuridae. Herein, I review the current literature to describe behaviors associated with vocal communication in three groups of squirrels: ground squirrels, tree squirrels, and flying squirrels. I discuss the behavioral functions of squirrel vocalizations. A wide variety of behaviors are associated with particular call‐types produced by squirrels, including alarm, agonistic, discomfort, affiliative, mating, and neonatal calls. There are large knowledge gaps in cataloging the vocal repertoires and associated behaviors of many species of squirrels, including commonly studied species such as marmots and ground squirrels, as alarm calls are typically focused on and other call‐types are understudied or ignored. Since vocal communication is important to the development, reproduction, and survival of squirrels, further understanding the biological and ecological drivers behind vocal repertoires is critical to evaluating the ethology of this family as a whole.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3572callsflying squirrelground squirrelRodentiaSciuridaetree squirrel |
| spellingShingle | Corinne A. Diggins Behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrels Ecosphere calls flying squirrel ground squirrel Rodentia Sciuridae tree squirrel |
| title | Behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrels |
| title_full | Behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrels |
| title_fullStr | Behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrels |
| title_short | Behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrels |
| title_sort | behaviors associated with vocal communication of squirrels |
| topic | calls flying squirrel ground squirrel Rodentia Sciuridae tree squirrel |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3572 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT corinneadiggins behaviorsassociatedwithvocalcommunicationofsquirrels |