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Show 81 college of science Learned vocal behavior is a characteristic of both humans and song birds, and each requires auditory feedback for maintenance of proper vocalizations. It is largely unknown how specific the acoustic information in this feedback needs to be in order to be effective. To test this question in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), we replace song in muted birds with synthesized song that matches the bird's own song (BOS) during spontaneous singing. For this method to work, we need to establish the perceptual salience of synthesized song. In our study male zebra finches were tested for song recognition using heart rate. Heart rate accelerated upon playback of song but then habituated to repeated playback of both BOS, and other conspecific songs. Each male's heart rate response differed to playback of BOS. As a result of these observations the playback protocol for heart rate analysis was changed in order to allow for better comparison of BOS to another song. In this new protocol, heart rate is analyzed for dishabituation response to an inserted song after repeated playback (8 times) of the same BOS. Heart rate responses to playbacks in three different zebra finches show that dishabitua-tion to playback of synthesized song was smaller than dishabituation to a conspecific's song. Further-more, the observed dishabituation to synthesized song was not stronger than that to the insertion of another rendition of a BOS (see figure). The synthesized song used was modeled after the BOS to which the bird was habituated. These data indicate that the synthesized song does not sound differ-ent enough to the male zebra finch to be perceived as another bird's song, validating the model used to synthesize the song. USING HEART RATE TO STUDY VOCAL RECOGNITION IN BIRDS Brent K. Young (Franz Goller) Department of Biology University of Utah UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS Brent K. Young Franz Goller Figure: Dishabituation response to inserted playback. Solid lines represent BOS playback and dotted line represents inserted playback. Top: Insert of synthesized song. Bottom: Insert of another rendition of BOS. |