Can they be long or short song types, as stable or diverse, as the individual elements or as the whole pattern?
Really, there are examples of all sorts of variation in avian (and other animal) vocalizations. There is excellent work on the traits that receivers use to distinguish conspecifics from heterspecifics too. One good example comes from Peter and Rosemary Grant's work on Darwin's finches on the Galapagos, in which birds may use visual (beak size and shape) and auditory (song) cues to discriminate between individuals.
Are there more specific, questions that you have?
What these birds song? Complex or simple? Genetic or constantly changing? Birds have many types of songs.
This is an old story. There are many publications accessible via Google Scholar
Thank you very much. I can send my article to you also.
Article Vocal Variability of Chaffinch Song ( Fringilla coelebs L.) ...
I realized that some birds can sing small individual song elements (different small sounds) and make from thier to one continuous song. Other species of birds can sing phrases (composed of a number of similar small sounds) and of these constantly repeating various phrases is their song. And finally, some birds sing duplicate each other song patterns (lines, which consist of different phrases). These are the forms of the songs of birds I have ever met. What else can happen?
Just about every possible permutation has been documented, or is at least not unreasonable. This is an extremely open ended question, and just about every description of a singing system provides some new angle.
Dear Olesya,
Your article on vocal variability in chaffinch song was published this year, but your citation list goes up to the year 1982 (e.g. Kroodsma & Miller). Why?
I think they have more reliable information. What is attached publication?
Olesya, could you download the publication that Marcel attached? It is a very useful (and interesting) publication.
Please, but there's nothing new, everything was already open before me. But I have some traits of the individual look.
Article Vocal Variability of Chaffinch Song ( Fringilla coelebs L.) ...
Yes, there is individual variability of bird song ever. The frequency and length of song birds hear to a great extent, in vain you say that they do not perceive the physical properties of sound.
However, there is a species-specific song - characteristic of birds of the same species, but it different from the songs of birds of other species. Inside of the species the song is similar for all individuals (in terms of frequency, the nature of performance), even if there is individual differences.
Returning to your original post, many species share similar features of songs (such as trill or syllable rate) that effectively elicit behavioral responses among heterospecifics. While running a trill rate manipulation experiment with Jeff Podos on Geospiza fortis in the Galapagos, the fast trill rate elicited aggressive responses from Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechia). Thus, even with species-specific song, ecologically important song features can have cross species appeal!
Yes, the form of song elements in many respects similar in different species of birds, and way of singing too similar – trills, whistles, sharp sounds (there is at different bird species). But different species have different combinations of these song forms, different perform them, which can be seen in sonogramma (graphics of sound). Yes, the vocal cords of all birds are similar in structure, so they can sing some similar song forms (patterns), different from, say, the voice of a human (as the person has another structure of the vocal cords). However, birds even with a limited manifestation of sound elements is able to sing different species-specific patterns that differ from each other (some species sing phrases where phrase is a series of similar form of sounds, and the song can be as complex of different phrases like the Nightingale, thrush, but other species sing entire united patterns that are composed of different song elements). This is interesting – how does work the psyche of birds (which have poorly developed compared to human).
I'm having a bit of of a difficult time following this discussion now. Olesya, perhaps you can rephrase your original discussion question, so that we can fpcus the conversation? There are many people here on ResearchGate with extensive experience with avian bioacoustics (and have worked with many leaders in the field of animal communication), so I am sure there could be many interesting bits of discussion. Now, concerning your last comment:
[1] The form of birds' vocalizations can indeed be distinguished by sonograms (in most cases). But, as Dr. Lambrechts mentioned, individual birds of a given species may not be able to detect the differences that are distinguished by researchers. This, of course, has been the focus on many, many studies in behavioral ecology. Because selection probably has, in most cases, favored rapid transfer of information between individuals, it is expected that only a subset of the infinite features of song structure are actually salient or relevant. Sonograms are incredibly useful to researchers, but they do not tell us how birds perceive their environment (although these visualizations aid in hypothesis generation and testing).
[2] You're right that there are different vocal apparatus for mammals and birds. But, I am confused by your statement that "vocal cords of all birds are similar in structure," especially given the dramatic difference in syringeal structure of Oscine and Suboscine birds. There is even some indication that some bird species produce ecologically relevant calls using the glottis (larynx). But, we should not forget about the critical role the suprasyringeal vocal tract in filtering and modulating the frequencies (and the timing of those frequencies) produced by the syrinx.
[]3 On the "psyche" of birds, this may be good for an alternate post on ResearchGate, as this may be tangential to the present conversation. I think most behavioral ecologists would hesitate to compare the "psyche" or mind of birds to that of humans, yet alone state that birds have poorer mental abilities than humans. I have found that I am not particularly good at laying eggs, building small nests, courting females with feathery capes (though I have tried), or avoiding attacks from large raptors (as evidenced by the scar on the back of my neck produced by the hallux of a Harpy Eagle).
Thank you for the comment. I know that the Class of Birds (Avian) is divided into birds singing and not singing (or sometimes screaming - simple sounds). I don't remember what is the structure of the vocal cords in not singing birds, but in singing birds vocal chords are at the bottom of the trachea as the lower larynx (Syrinx), while in humans the upper larynx (the beginning of the trachea) and therefore a different voice. I think the psyche of human and of birds compare is necessary because birds and human - two parallel branches of the evolution of animals on the Earth. And the bird, and people realize themselves through songs (and speech in humans), spending energy. You see, in human and birds similar nature of the waste of energy by identifying the psyche (or soul, of the spiritual forces). Yes, birds and people - until the last link in the evolution of vertebrates on the planet Earth, so very similar. Have you a scar on head from a predator?