Different vocal signals, but not prior experience, influence heterospecific from conspecific discrimination

摘要: Efficient communication between animals requires specificity to ensure that distinguish relevant signals from background noise. Research on discrimination the acoustic of heterospecific versus conspecific animals, especially in birds, has focused songs produced by breeding males, spite fact produce other types such as calls and duets. We used playback experiments evaluate whether tropical white-eared ground-sparrows, Melozone leucotis , use calls, male solo duets discriminate competitors. also evaluated prior experience influences competitors' comparing responses among populations ground-sparrows are allopatric sympatric with a congeneric competitor species (Prevost's biarcuatum ). White-eared displayed more intense vocalizations than they did vocalizations. The response exhibited higher bandwidth maximum frequency, lower minimum frequency longer duration playback. These results suggest information encoded competitors noncompetitor species. observed were not influenced previous experience; similar lived sympatry or allopatry congener simulated through Our expand our understanding how different signals.