Vocal behaviour of the quail finch ortygospiza atricollis
TL;DR: The predominantly terrestrial habits and grassland habitat of this species ma have been important in the evolution of a specialized vocal repertoire, particularly of sex-specific vocalizations necessary for sexual and individual recognition, and the maintenance of contact between individuals.
Abstract: Summary Nuttall, R.J. 1993. Vocal behaviour of the Quail Finch Ortygospiza atricollis. Ostrich 64:97-104. Vocalizations (contact, take-off, flight, alarm, beckon, nestling begging and nestling threat calls, contact phrases and song of the Quail Finch Ortygospiza atricollis are described from observations and recordings of wild-caught aviary birds, and from individuals in the field. The predominantly terrestrial habits and grassland habitat of this species ma have been important in the evolution of a specialized vocal repertoire, particularly of sex-specific vocalizations necessary for sexual and individual recognition, and the maintenance of contact between individuals.
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Book•
01 Jan 1997
TL;DR: In this paper, a major work covering the breeding and non-breeding birds of the Southern African sub-region is presented, which sets new standards in its scope and in its methods, for setting a measured baseline against which to judge environmental trends across the great range of southern Africa.
Abstract: This is a major work covering the breeding and non-breeding birds of the Southern African sub-region. Published in two volumes, Volume One includes introductory chapters describing methodology and the 'avi'-geography of the region, with habitat photos, and coverage of the non-passerines, whilst Volume Two covers the passerines. Some 900 species are covered in total, including 200 vagrants, with detailed species accounts, maps and statistics for at least 500 species. Conservation issues are discussed for most species. '...sets new standards in its scope and in its methods...it will come to be valued ever more as years go by, for setting a measured baseline against which to judge environmental trends across the great range of southern Africa.' - Colin Bibby, "BirdLife International".
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Journal Article•
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Cites background from "Vocal behaviour of the quail finch ..."
...3 are loudsongs, either complete or incomplete (contra Nuttall 1993, 2005, who did not recognise these as ‘song’); the other vocalisations consist of the same kinds of shorter calls....
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...The klik klak kloik... songs of ‘white-chinned’ birds in The Gambia, Nigeria and Cameroon (Barlow et al. 2002; British Library Natural Sound Archive [NSA]; RBP), Murchison National Park, Uganda (RBP), southern Zambia (Stjernstedt 1993; NSA) and South Africa (Nuttall 1993; NSA), and in ‘black-chinned’ birds in northern Zambia (Stjernstedt 1994; NSA) are all similar....
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...Sclater (1930a) recognised one species of quailfinch, O. atricollis, with seven subspecies, one being O. a. polyzona (Temminck, 1823) which Sclater (1930a: 784) recognised as being like the pale birds in South Africa; his footnote remarked that Temminck’s description of the male involved the Gambian form....
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...The South African races of the quail finch....
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...Nevertheless, not all South African specimens are darker than O. a. muelleri from south-central Zambia and east Africa; the dark specimens from Transvaal are worn and soiled (MCZ) when compared with birds in fresh plumage from the same areas (USNM), and these fresh series are not distinguishable from most O. a. muelleri....
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Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provided valuable information on the breeding biology of the African Quailfinch and demonstrated that the various citizen science databases possess a wealth of information which may improve our knowledge of secretive and poorly known species.
Abstract: ... In conclusion, the present study provided valuable information on the breeding biology of the African Quailfinch. It demonstrated that the various citizen science databases possess a wealth of information which may improve our knowledge of secretive and poorly known species. This, in turn, can serve as a baseline for the design of field-based studies or provide basic knowledge to inform biodiversity management decisions.
3 citations
Cites background from "Vocal behaviour of the quail finch ..."
...Their presence is usually revealed by its characteristic contact calls in flight or when they gather in flocks to drink (Penry 1986; Nuttall 1992, 1993) (Plate 1)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on the breeding ecology of a population of wild Quailfinches as observed at 62 nests in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 breeding seasons.
Abstract: The Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) is a widespread African estrildid that features in specialist avicultural collections. However, the species is poorly known and has proven difficult to maintain in captivity, and as such, most captive stock represent wild-caught specimens. Here we report on the breeding ecology of a population of wild Quailfinches as observed at 62 nests in the 2012–2013 and 2013–2014 breeding seasons. Although Quailfinch bred during the wet season, incidental observations suggest rainfall patterns and the availability of suitable habitat for nesting, specifically habitat structure, may influence the onset of the breeding season at a local scale. Both sexes participated in all aspects of nest construction, including collection of material, construction, and maintenance. Nests were occupied for extensive periods prior to the commencement of laying, fulfilling a possible nest guarding or pair bonding function. Mean clutch size was 4.8 eggs (SD 0.2) and there were no significant seasonal differences in clutch size. Both sexes incubated and the incubation period lasted 14 d (SD 0.8). In common with many other estrildid species, there was considerable variation in the onset of incubation. Mean nest attendance during incubation was 83% and was similar between the sexes. The mean nestling period lasted 16.8 d (SD 0.8) and both sexes brooded and provisioned the nestlings with seeds and occasionally invertebrates. Growth was unusually rapid for estrildids, but within the range expected for ground-nesting passerines. The overall breeding success was 12% with predation being the main cause of nest failure.
References
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TL;DR: In this article, sound propagation tests were made in forest, edge, and grassland habitats in Panama to quantify pure tone and random noise band sound transmission levels, and the sounds of birds in each habitat were analyzed to determine the emphasized frequency, frequency range, and sound type (whether pure tonelike or highly modulated).
Abstract: This study describes selection derived from habitat acoustics on the physical structure of avian sounds. Sound propagation tests were made in forest, edge, and grassland habitats in Panama to quantify pure tone and random noise band sound transmission levels. The sounds of bird species in each habitat were analyzed to determine the emphasized frequency, frequency range, and sound type (whether pure tonelike or highly modulated). Forest habitats differ from grass and edge in that a narrow range of frequencies (1,585-2,500 Hz) has lower sound attenuation than lower or higher frequencies. Attenuation increases rapidly above 2,500 Hz. Bird sounds from species occurring at the lower forest levels were found to be predominantly pure tonelike with a frequency emphasized averaging 2,200 Hz, conforming to the predictions based on sound propagation tests. The edge habitat is characterized by a wide range of frequencies having a generally similar attenuation rate. Pure tone and random noise band sounds did not diffe...
1,373 citations
TL;DR: Differences were found with respect to number of introductory elements, number of motifs, speed of performance, and rigidity in sequence in males, indicating two distinct song types.
Abstract: A description of the general principles underlying Zebra Finch song is given in standardized terminology. Differences were looked for in songs produced in two different contexts: courtship song and undirected song. In more than 7 males (domesticated and wild ones), clear differences were found with respect to number of introductory elements, number of motifs, speed of performance, and rigidity in sequence, indicating two distinct song types. Motivational problems and the adaptive value are discussed.
379 citations
TL;DR: The Zebra Finch (Poephila guttata) is a small Australian Ploceid which is ideal for the laboratory study of bird behaviour and its attacking, fleeing, threatening and submissive behaviour are described and discussed.
Abstract: The Zebra Finch (Poephila guttata) is a small Australian Ploceid which is ideal for the laboratory study of bird behaviour. Its attacking, fleeing, threatening and submissive behaviour are described and discussed. In this species there is no elaborate code of signals involved in this behaviour. Most disputes are settled mainly by actual fighting. This species builds a domed nest with a side entrance, the material for which is collected by the male. A special ceremony exists which apparently serves to strengthen the relationship between a pair in relation to a particular nest or nest-site. The pre-copulatory behaviour is described and analysed. The courtship of the male consists of an upright pivoting dance, during which it always sings and advances towards the female. The courtship of the latter takes the form of a horizontal body posture accompanied by a rapid quivering of the tail. The courtship of both sexes involves the three conflicting drives of attacking, fleeing and mating. In different species, the relative importance of these three drives will vary. In the Zebra Finch, the main conflict in pre-copulatory behaviour is between fleeing and mating. The female is more active than the male in incubating and rearing the young. The nestling possess brightly marked mouths which presumably facilitate feeding by the parents in the dark nest. Under certain circumstances, males were seen to perform the female courtship display and occasionally females responded with male behaviour, resulting in the occurrence of reversed mountings. The possible causation of this behaviour is discussed. It appears that the pseudofemale behaviour of the male is caused by strong sexual thwarting (as a result of the unresponsiveness of the female) in combination with the arousal of the drive to flee. Displacement activities which occur in this species are enumerated and described. They include various comfort movements, sleep, feeding, mounting, foodbegging and nest-building. Some of these occur as True, and other as Apparent, Alternative Displacement Activities. In the case of displacement beak-wiping it is possible to analyse accurately the differences between the displacement activity and its autochthonous form. There are differences in orientation, amplitude, velocity, and in the number of wipes per wiping-bout. This last difference is analysed quantitatively. Various other aspects of the reproductive behaviour are briefly mentioned, particularly the nature of territory and the strength of the pair-bond. The family Ploceidae show many degrees of socialisation and the defence of the territory by the Zebra Finch is often spasmodic, except when actually rearing young. The occurrence of attempted "rape", when a new female is introduced, is discussed and the durability of the pair-bond after separation is investigated. A Redirection Activity is recorded, namely redirected mounting. A possible reason for the complexity of the markings of the Zebra Finch is discussed. Many of the component markings of the species are shared with various other Australian Grassfinches, and the demands of specificity can only be met by a unique combination of a number of these markings.
283 citations
01 Jan 1982
206 citations