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

我的研究计划的主要目标是了解鸣禽的声音沟通。我使用鸣鸟作为模型系统有很多原因。鸣禽从一个模型中学习发声，其方式类似于人类的语音学习。我也研究鸣禽和它们的声音交流，因为和人类一样，鸣禽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行为中起着关键作用。我的总体研究问题是：“鸣禽如何用它们的歌声和叫声进行交流？“我们使用许多不同的研究技术，这些技术都旨在回答这一总体研究问题，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声音，包括：它们的歌声，用于吸引配偶;它们的叫声，用于各种目的，包括在检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，我们就可以确定该特定发声的哪些特征将其与其他类似发声区分开来。为了做到这一点，我们使用统计技术，旨在确定在每个发声的重要功能。这些分析为在野外或实验室中进行鸟类行为实验的设计提供了信息。第二个实验阶段是最初描述步骤的关键后续步骤，目的是了解鸟类在感知特定发声时认为什么是重要的。我们还调查了鸟类在听声音时使用的大脑区域。为了完成这方面的工作，我们将鸟类暴露在各种声音中，然后使用解剖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，这些细胞在大脑中的位置，以及它们对哪些信号最敏感。最后，我们研究了早期经验在声音感知中的作用;也就是说，环境对鸟类成年后的感知有什么影响。我们在不同的条件下饲养幼鸟（例如，与另一个物种），并测试他们的感知相比，从野外捕获的鸟类。总之，我们试图获得一个广泛的了解如何鸣禽沟通，并在这样做，阐明共同的机制，在我们自己的，人类的，通信系统。

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.