How to identify dear enemies: the group signature in the complex song of the skylarkAlauda arvensis

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.013359
• Publication Date: 2008-01-18T21:38:39Z
• Authors: Elodie Briefer; Thierry Aubin; Katia Lehongre; Fanny Rybak
• Keywords: Variation (astronomy)

SUMMARY Song geographic variation and Neighbour–Stranger (N–S)discrimination have been intensively but separately studied in bird species,especially those with small- to medium-sized repertoires. Here, we establish a link between the two phenomena by showing that dialect features are used for N–S recognition territorial species large repertoire, skylark Alauda arvensis. In this species, during breeding season, many pairs settle stable adjoining territories gathered locations spaced few kilometres. first step, songs produced males established different were recorded, analyzed compared identify possible microgeographic at syntax level. Particular common sequences of syllables (phrases) found all same location (neighbours), whereas (strangers) shared only no sequences. second playback experiments conducted provided evidence discrimination consistent dear-enemy effect,i.e. reduced aggression from birds towards neighbours than strangers. addition, similar response was observed when `chimeric'signal (shared phrases artificially inserted song stranger) neighbour broadcast, indicating recognized identified as markers group identity. We thus show experimentally neighbouring constitute signature discrimination, serve basis effect.