Ecology of Passerine Vocal Development

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9408520 Kroodsma Abstract Human language is an outstanding example of animal communication. Another outstanding example is the evolution of vocal learning that has led to remarkable and complex vocal behaviors among songbirds. Dr. Kroodsma will study the relationship between vocal learning and various features of natural history, such as nesting, habitat selection and adult singing in a group that lives in a variety of habitats from Canada to Tierra del Fuego. The results of observational field studies and laboratory experiments in several species will help to unravel the ecological and social forces that contribute to the evolution of vocal learning. In the long run, these studies will make an important contribution towards understanding the basic biological principles and mechanisms underlying the evolution of animal communication.