Behavioral Ecology of Vocal Diversity

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Behavioral Ecology of Vocal DiversityVocal mimicry appears to be a pre-adaptation for the evolution of speech in humans, and the reasons for its independent evolution in other species are of great interest. Although songbirds show vocal mimicry, this is usually limited to the male sex, only a portion of the vocal repertoire, acquisition during a short age span, and breeding contexts. In contrast, and more like humans, mimicry for most of the vocal repertoire is seen in both sexes of parrots throughout life and in nearly all social contexts. Why parrots have evolved vocal mimicry remains a mystery. This project examines the functions of vocal mimicry in three wild parrot species in Costa Rica and Bonaire. Using advanced interactive playback and array recording technology, the project will test a detailed series of hypotheses concerning the role of vocal mimicry in mediating the highly dynamic fission/fusion of wild parrot groups, and the establishment of local dominance within such groups. The three species represent different ecological contexts and taxonomic affinities which should allow for the extraction of general patterns. The study will concurrently provide important data for tropical parrot conservation and training in advanced field techniques to both local residents and U.S. students.