A low‐dimensional model of birdsong production as a tool to study acoustic discrimination and mimicry in birds

Abstract

Playback techniques have long been used to study the function and perception of acoustic signals and, in this regard, completely synthetic stimuli offer an alternative to examine signal properties in a more controlled and replicable way. In this study we applied a physical model of bird phonation to synthesize juvenile vocalizations of a specialist brood parasite, the Screaming Cowbird Molothrus rufoaxillaris, and its primary host, the Greyish Baywing Agelaioides badius. Screaming Cowbird juveniles exhibit vocal mimicry of host young, while Baywings can discriminate between mimetic and non-mimetic juvenile vocalizations. A playback experiment in wild Baywings showed that synthetic vocalizationselicited a similar response compared with natural ones, and higher than the non-mimetic control, thus supporting the validity of the model as a versatile and robust tool for studying acoustic communication in birds.