DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Function of Multiple Signals in Avian Vocal Communication

多种信号在鸟类发声交流中的作用斯蒂芬·诺维基·马丁·D·比比许多种动物的雄性中令人费解地出现了非常显著的特征，这被认为是因为这些特征作为潜在配偶的信号，表明了一些表型或基因类型的质量。然而，这种表面上的解决办法并不容易解释个体表现出不止一个显著特征的情况。例如，许多鸣禽在求爱时使用鲜艳的色彩和复杂的声音显示的组合，或者多种求爱发声。如果一个个体的特征可以作为男性素质的指标，那么拥有两个或两个以上这样的特征的附加功能(如果有的话)是什么？这个项目的目的是研究黄莺(Dendroica Petechia)多种发声特征的功能，并测试一个人的不同特征如何作为信号的假说。与北美和欧洲的几种鸣鸟一样，黄莺有两种截然不同的叫声模式：一种相对简单，另一种则比较复杂。以前的研究结果表明，这些歌唱模式专门用来向男性和女性传达不同的信息。这一假说将通过实地研究和实验室研究相结合的方法来检验信号功能的三个重要方面：男性如何使用歌唱模式，歌唱模式传达什么信息，以及男性和女性如何对不同的歌唱模式做出反应。

The function of multiple signals in avian vocal communicationStephen NowickiMartin D. BeebeeThe puzzling occurrence of highly conspicuous traits in the males of many species of animals is thought to be explained by the fact that these traits act as signals to potential mates, indicating something about phenotypic or genotypic quality. This apparent resolution, however, does not easily explain cases in which individuals exhibit more than one conspicuous trait. For example, many songbirds use a combination of bright coloration and complex vocal displays in courtship, or multiple kinds of courtship vocalizations. If an individual trait can act as an indicator of male quality, what is the added function, if any, of possessing two or more such traits? The goal of this project is to study the function of multiple vocal traits in the yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia), and test a hypothesis for how different traits of an individual might function as signals. As with several groups of North American and European songbirds, yellow warblers have two distinct modes of singing: one relatively simple and one more complex. Results from previous work suggest that these singing modes are specialized for communicating different messages to males and females. This hypothesis will be evaluated using a combination of field and laboratory studies to examine three important aspects of signal function: how the singing modes are used by males, what kinds of information the singing modes convey, and how males and females respond to the different singing modes.