Receivers respond differently to chick-a-dee calls varying in note composition in Carolina chickadees, Poecile carolinensis

Author： Freeberg T.M. Lucas J.R.

Publisher： Elsevier

ISSN： 0003-3472

Source： Animal Behaviour, Vol.63, Iss.5, 2002-05, pp. : 837-845

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Abstract

The chick-a-dee call of the avian genus Poecile is a structurally complex vocal system because it possesses a set of simple rules that governs how the notes of the call are ordered, and variable numbers of each of the note types strung together can generate an extraordinary number of unique calls. Whereas it has been hypothesized that chick-a-dee calls with different notes may convey different information, no experimental evidence has been offered in support of the hypothesis. Previously published studies suggested that flock members use chick-a-dee calls in the context of moving to or from a feeding site. Here, we tested Carolina chickadees' responses to playbacks of chick-a-dee calls that differed in note composition. Playbacks were conducted in the field in the context of a novel food source. Our pilot data had indicated that chick-a-dee calls with relatively large numbers of ‘C’ notes were given by birds on their first contact with a novel seed stand. In the present study, we found that chickadees flew in close to the playback speaker and subsequently took seed from a seed stand more often during playbacks of chick-a-dee calls containing C notes than chick-a-dee calls not containing C notes or than control playbacks. Vocal responses of chickadees to the playbacks also differed in relation to the particular vocal signal being played back. These results indicate that receivers respond differently to chick-a-dee calls containing different compositions of note types and represent a first step to link variation in note composition and ordering in these calls to possible meanings..