Abstract
We report here the first field investigation of the relationship between the songs experienced by female songbirds early in life and those produced by their mates. Our 6-yr study of the great tit (Parus major) showed that females in a ringed population tended to be mated with males singing slightly ‘unfamiliar’ songs, where ‘familiar’ songs are defined as those sung by the female's father. This result parallels recent findings on sexual imprinting in birds1,2.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bateson, P. P. G. Nature 273, 659–660 (1978).
Bateson, P. P. G. Z. Tierpsychol. 53, 231–244 (1980).
McGregor, P. K. & Krebs, J. R. Behaviour (in the press).
Goodbody, I. M. Br. Birds 45, 279–285 (1952).
Hinde, R. A. Behav. Suppl. 2, 1–201 (1952).
Greenwood, P. J., Harvey, P. H. & Perrins, C. M. J. Anim. Ecol. 48, 123–142 (1979).
Bateson, P. P. G. Nature 295, 236–237 (1982).
Price, M. V. & Waser, N. M. Nature 277, 659–660 (1978).
Pulliam, H. R. & Dunford, C. Programmed to Learn, 50–52 (Columbia University Press, 1980).
Lumsden, C. J. & Wilson, E. O. Genes, Mind and Culture. The Co-evolutionary Process (Harvard University Press, 1981).
Greenwood, P. J., Harvey, P. H. & Perrins, C. M. Nature 271, 52–54 (1978).
Baker, M. C. Evolution 29, 226–241 (1975).
Searcy, W. A. & Marler, P. Science 213, 926–928 (1981).
Baker, M. C., Spitler-Nabors, K. J. & Bradley, D. C. Science 214, 819–821 (1981).
Krebs, J. R., Avery, M. I. & Cowie, R. Anim. Behav. 29, 635–637 (1981).
Shields, W. M. in The Ecology of Animal Movement (eds Swingland I. R. & Greenwood, P. J.) (Oxford University Press, 1981).
Falls, J. B., Krebs, J. R. & McGregor, P. K. Anim. Behav. 30 (in the press).
Levin, D. A. Ann. Miss. bot. Gard. 68, 233–253 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McGregor, P., Krebs, J. Mating and song sharing in the great tit. Nature 297, 60–61 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/297060a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/297060a0
This article is cited by
-
No reproductive fitness benefits of dear enemy behaviour in a territorial songbird
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (2022)
-
Repeatability of signalling traits in the avian dawn chorus
Frontiers in Zoology (2019)
-
The high-output singing displays of a lekking bat encode information on body size and individual identity
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (2018)
-
Song plasticity over time and vocal learning in clay-colored thrushes
Animal Cognition (2015)
-
Syllable sharing and changes in syllable repertoire size and composition within and between years in the great reed warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Journal of Ornithology (2010)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
