Neuroethology of Songbird Acoustic Communication: Behaviour, Cognition, and Neurobiology

我的研究项目的主要目的是了解鸣鸟的声音交流。我使用鸣禽作为模型系统有很多原因。鸣禽从模型中学习它们的发声方式类似于人类的语音学习。我还研究鸣禽和它们的声音交流，因为和人类一样，鸣鸟的声音交流对它们的生存至关重要。声音交流在交配、领土建立和防御以及反捕食者行为中发挥着关键作用。我的总体研究问题是：“鸣鸟是如何用它们的歌声和叫声进行交流的？”我们使用了许多不同的研究方法，目的都是为了回答这个首要的研究问题，以不同的方式处理这个问题。例如，我们测量和描述鸣禽发出的叫声，包括：它们用来吸引配偶的叫声；以及它们的叫声，用于各种目的，包括当探测到捕食者时发出警报。一旦详细描述了感兴趣的特定发声，我们就会确定该特定发声的哪些特征使其有别于其他类似的发声。为了做到这一点，我们使用统计技术来识别在每个发声中重要的特征。这些分析为设计野外或实验室中的鸟类行为实验提供了依据。这第二个实验阶段是最初描述步骤的关键后续步骤，以便了解鸟类在感知到特定的发声时自己认为重要的是什么。我们还调查了鸟类在听它们发声时使用了哪些大脑区域。为了完成这方面的工作，我们让鸟类听到各种发声，然后使用解剖学技术评估它们大脑中的活动模式，这些技术能够告诉我们哪些细胞是活跃的，这些细胞位于大脑的哪个位置，以及它们对哪些信号最敏感。最后，我们考察了早期经验在声音知觉中的作用；也就是，环境对成年鸟类的知觉有什么影响。我们在不同的条件下(例如，与其他物种)饲养幼鸟，并与从野外捕获的鸟类进行比较，测试它们的感知能力。综上所述，我们试图获得对鸣禽如何交流的广泛理解，并通过这样做，阐明我们自己的人类交流系统中的共同机制。

The main objective of my research program is to understand songbird vocal communication. I use songbirds as a model system for many reasons. Songbirds learn their vocalizations from a model in a manner analogous to human speech learning. I also study songbirds and their vocal communication because, as with humans, vocal communication in songbirds is critical to their survival. Vocal communication plays a key role in mating, territory establishment and defence, as well as in anti-predator behaviour. My overall research question is: "How do songbirds communicate using their songs and calls?" We use many different research techniques that are all aimed at answering this one overarching research question, approaching the question in different ways. For instance, we measure and characterize the vocalizations that songbirds produce including: their songs, used to attract mates; and their calls, used for a variety of purposes, including raising alarm when a predator is detected. Once the particular vocalization of interest has been described in detail, we then determine what features of that particular vocalization sets it apart from other, similar vocalizations. To do this, we use statistical techniques designed to identify the features that are important in each vocalization. These analyses inform the design of behavioural experiments with birds in the field or in the laboratory. This second, experimental stage is a critical follow up to the initial descriptive step in order to understand what the birds themselves deem important when they perceive a particular vocalization. We also investigate which brain areas are used when birds listen to their vocalizations. To complete this aspect of our work, we expose birds to various vocalizations and then assess the patterns of activity in their brains using anatomical techniques that are able to tell us what cells are active, where in the brain these cells are located, and for which signals they are most responsive. Finally, we examine the role that early experience plays in vocal perception; that is, what impact the environment plays in birds' perception in adulthood. We raise young songbirds in different conditions (e.g., with another species) and test their perception compared to that of birds captured from the wild. Taken together, we seek to gain a broad understanding of how songbirds communicate, and in so doing, shed light on common mechanisms in our own, human, communication system.