- Main
High-capacity auditory memory for vocal communication in a social songbird
Published Web Location
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abe0440Abstract
Effective vocal communication often requires the listener to recognize the identity of a vocalizer, and this recognition is dependent on the listener's ability to form auditory memories. We tested the memory capacity of a social songbird, the zebra finch, for vocalizer identities using conditioning experiments and found that male and female zebra finches can remember a large number of vocalizers (mean, 42) based solely on the individual signatures found in their songs and distance calls. These memories were formed within a few trials, were generalized to previously unheard renditions, and were maintained for up to a month. A fast and high-capacity auditory memory for vocalizer identity has not been demonstrated previously in any nonhuman animals and is an important component of vocal communication in social species.
Many UC-authored scholarly publications are freely available on this site because of the UC's open access policies. Let us know how this access is important for you.