2005/07/01 by Andrew Farnsworth · 15 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Marine animal studies overview
paper · doi:10.1093/auk/122.3.733
MюћѦ ѝюѠѠђџіћђ яіџёѠ and their relatives uĴ er fl ight calls, species-specifi c vocalizations given primarily during sustained fl ight, especially during migration.References to fl ight calls appeared in the ornithological literature as early as the 1890s, but some of the most basic features of these calls remain poorly known, including their functions, origins, ontogeny, distances over which they are used, and how much individual variation exists in the characters of the calls and their rates.With improved knowledge of these vocalizations, fl ight calls possibly will have a variety of applications.Identifying their function could illuminate how birds refi ne migration strategies during crucial decision-making periods.Because fl ight calls are relatively simple vocalizations, compared with many others that birds use, they provide useful characters for future evolutionary and comparative analyses.Monitoring fl ight calls can be a powerful method for studying nocturnal migration.However, such applications require more detailed knowledge of fl ight-calling behavior.Here, I summarize the available information on fl ight calls and highlight areas where future research may improve and expand this knowledge. Fљієѕѡ CюљљѠ юћё SѝђѐіђѠ ѡѕюѡ Uѡѡђџ TѕђњFlight calls of passerines, as well as cuckoos and woodpeckers, among others, are defi ned as species-specifi c notes, either frequencymodulated or pure, of up to several syllables that generally are in the 1-9 kHz frequency band and 50-300 ms in duration.Spectrograms of representative passerine fl ight calls are shown in Figure 1.These calls are the primary vocalizations given by many species of birds during long, sustained fl ights, particularly migratory fl ights (Evans and O'Brien 2002).Despite the name "fl ight" call, birds may produce these calls in several contexts other than migration, including while perched (notably the cardueline fi nches; Mundinger 1970) and while interacting with fl edged young (notably parulid warblers; A. Farnsworth pers.observ.).Many species also uĴ er fl ight calls year-round (Evans and O'Brien 2002), and some regularly give them while fl ying during the day (e.g.Yellowrumped Warbler [Dendroica coronata]; Evans and O'Brien 2002).Flight calls are distinct from songs and, more importantly, they are distinct from other types of short calls, such as "chip" notes and alarm calls.Nearctic and Neotropical species.-Flightcalls have been studied most intensively in North America, and Evans and O'Brien (2002) compiled a guide to the fl ight calls of migratory birds that