Precision/Acoustic Variation: Vocal Production

描述（由申请人提供）：虎皮鹦鹉是小鹦鹉，像鸣禽，有一个复杂的，学习声乐曲目。杜林实验室先前的研究结果表明，虎皮鹦鹉和人类一样，表现出伦巴德效应-改变它们的发声强度，以响应环境噪音水平的增加（Manabe等人，1998年）。试点工作，我已经完成了扩展这些发现在频域和建议，虎皮鹦鹉可能只能改变他们的发声的音高由几百Hz或less. Here我建议探索潜在的机制，在虎皮鹦鹉发声使用操作性条件反射的方法。具体来说，我将研究声学变化的典型范围（特别是在频率，持续时间和幅度域）测量这些鸟类的接触呼叫，以及这些鸟类是否可以改变他们的电话的各种声学参数。我特别感兴趣的是确定接触呼叫产生中声学变化的极限。这些研究的结果将大大有助于我们了解该物种发声的机制，并通过与鸣禽和人类的比较，提供对发声行为的见解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Budgerigars are small parrots that, like songbirds, have a complex, learned vocal repertoire. Previous findings in the Dooling lab have indicated that budgerigars, like humans, exhibit the Lombard effect - altering the intensity of their vocalizations in response to an increase in ambient noise level (Manabe et al., 1998). Pilot work that I have completed extends these findings in the frequency domain and suggests that budgerigars may only be able to alter the pitch of their vocalizations by a few hundred Hz or less. Here I propose to explore the potential mechanisms underlying vocal production in budgerigars using operant conditioning methods. Specifically, I will examine the typical range of acoustic variation (especially in the frequency, duration, and amplitude domains) measured in the contact calls of these birds and whether these birds can alter the various acoustic parameters of their calls. I am especially interested in determining the limits of acoustic change in contact call production. Results of these studies will contribute greatly to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying vocal production in this species and also offer insights into vocal behavior generally through comparisons with both songbirds and humans.