scholarly journals Sexually dimorphic SCAMP1 expression in the forebrain motor pathway for song production of juvenile zebra finches

2007 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 474-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Ping Tang ◽  
Camilla Peabody ◽  
Michelle L. Tomaszycki ◽  
Juli Wade
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Motor Pathway ◽  
Song Production

Projection neurons within a vocal motor pathway are born during song learning in zebra finches

Nature ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 334 (6178) ◽  
pp. 149-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy W. Nordeen ◽  
Ernest J. Nordeen
Keyword(s):  
Song Learning ◽  
Projection Neurons ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Motor Pathway

scholarly journals Behavioural responses to video and live presentations of females reveal a dissociation between performance and motivational aspects of birdsong

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Logan S. James ◽  
R. Fan ◽  
J.T. Sakata
Keyword(s):  
Courtship Song ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Acoustic Features ◽  
Neural Models ◽  
Song Production ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Control ◽  
Video Presentations ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Social Behaviours

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the regulation of social behavioural expression requires insight into motivational and performance aspects of social behaviours. While a number of studies have independently investigated motivational or performance aspects of social behaviours, few have examined how these aspects relate to each other. By comparing behavioural variation in response to live or video presentations of conspecific females, we analysed how variation in the motivation to produce courtship song covaries with variation in performance aspects of courtship song in male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Consistent with previous reports, we observed that male zebra finches were less motivated to produce courtship songs to videos of females than to live presentations of females. However, we found that acoustic features that reflect song performance were indistinguishable between songs produced to videos of females and songs produced to live presentations of females. For example, songs directed at video presentations of females were just as fast and stereotyped as songs directed at live females. These experimental manipulations and correlational analyses reveal a dissociation between motivational and performance aspects of birdsong and suggest a refinement of neural models of song production and control. In addition, they support the efficacy of videos to study both motivational and performance aspects of social behaviours.

Differential responsiveness in brain and behavior to sexually dimorphic long calls in male and female zebra finches

2009 ◽  
Vol 516 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon M.H. Gobes ◽  
Sita M. ter Haar ◽  
Clémentine Vignal ◽  
Amélie L. Vergne ◽  
Nicolas Mathevon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Brain And Behavior ◽  
Differential Responsiveness ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Long Calls

scholarly journals The variability of song variability in wild and domesticated zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison L. Lansverk ◽  
Sarah E. London ◽  
Simon C. Griffith ◽  
David F. Clayton ◽  
Christopher N. Balakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Finch ◽  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Purifying Selection ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Song Production ◽  
Research Goal ◽  
Cross Fostering

ABSTRACTBirdsong is a classic example of a learned social behavior. Like many traits of interest, however, song production is also influenced by genetic factors and understanding the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences remains a major research goal. In this study we take advantage of genetic variation among captive zebra finch populations to examine variation in a population-level song trait: song variability. We find that zebra finch populations differ in levels of song variability. Domesticated T. g. castanotis populations displayed higher song diversity than more recently wild-derived populations of both zebra finch subspecies T. g. castanotis and T. g. guttata, the Timor zebra finch. To determine whether these differences could have a genetic basis, we cross-fostered domesticated T. g. castanotis and Timor zebra finches to Bengalese finches Lonchura striata domestica. Following cross-fostering, domesticated T. g. castanotis maintained a higher level of song diversity than T. g. guttata. We suggest that the high song variability of domesticated zebra finches may be a consequence of reduced purifying selection acting on song traits. Intraspecific differences in the mechanisms underlying song variability therefore represent an untapped opportunity for probing the mechanisms of song learning and production.

scholarly journals A subcortical circuit linking the cerebellum to the basal ganglia engaged in vocal learning

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludivine Pidoux ◽  
Pascale Leblanc ◽  
Arthur Leblois
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Vocal Learning ◽  
Song Learning ◽  
Sensorimotor Learning ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Song Production ◽  
Cerebellar Lesions ◽  
Avian Song

AbstractSpeech is a complex sensorimotor skill, and vocal learning involves both the basal ganglia and the cerebellum. These subcortical structures interact indirectly through their respective loops with thalamo-cortical and brainstem networks, and directly via subcortical pathways, but the role of their interaction during sensorimotor learning remains undetermined. While songbirds and their song-dedicated basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuitry offer a unique opportunity to study subcortical circuits involved in vocal learning, the cerebellar contribution to avian song learning remains unknown. We demonstrate that the cerebellum provides a strong input to the song-related basal ganglia nucleus in zebra finches. Cerebellar signals are transmitted to the basal ganglia via a disynaptic connection through the thalamus and then conveyed to their cortical target and to the premotor nucleus controlling song production. Finally, cerebellar lesions impair juvenile song learning, opening new opportunities to investigate how subcortical interactions between the cerebellum and basal ganglia contribute to sensorimotor learning.

The metabolic cost of birdsong production

2001 ◽  
Vol 204 (19) ◽  
pp. 3379-3388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin Oberweger ◽  
Franz Goller
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Consumption ◽  
Sound Intensity ◽  
Metabolic Cost ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
European Starlings ◽  
Temporal Complexity ◽  
Complex Song ◽  
Rate Of Oxygen Consumption ◽  
Song Production

SUMMARY The metabolic cost of birdsong production has not been studied in detail but is of importance in our understanding of how selective pressures shape song behavior. We measured rates of oxygen consumption during song in three songbird species, zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), Waterslager canaries (Serinus canaria) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). These species sing songs with different acoustic and temporal characteristics: short stereotyped song (zebra finch), long song with high temporal complexity (canary) and long song with high acoustic, but low temporal, complexity (starling). In all three species, song slightly increased the rate of oxygen consumption over pre-song levels (1.02–1.36-fold). In zebra finches, the metabolic cost per song motif averaged 1.2 μl g–1. This cost per motif did not change over the range of song duration measured for the four individuals. Surprisingly, the metabolic cost of song production in the species with the temporally most complex song, the canary, was no greater than in the other two species. In starlings, a 16 dB increase in sound intensity was accompanied by a 1.16-fold increase in the rate of oxygen consumption. These data indicate that the metabolic cost of song production in the songbird species studied is no higher than that for other types of vocal behavior in various bird groups. Our analysis shows that the metabolic cost of singing is also similar to that of calling in frogs and of human speech production. However, difficulties with measurements on freely behaving birds in a small respirometry chamber limit the depth of analysis that is possible.

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