All articles tagged with #zebra finches
A study on captive zebra finches suggests that their dawn singing intensity is driven by anticipation of sunrise, with their vocal activity increasing in response to delayed dawn and early light triggers, possibly to warm up their vocal cords and enhance reproductive success.
A study on zebra finches shows that the amygdala influences social selectivity in song learning, guiding young birds to prefer certain tutors based on social cues, although it is not essential for the actual imitation of songs.
Research on zebra finches shows that stress can spread within social groups, affecting even those not directly exposed to stressors. This stress contagion leads to reduced movement and altered social behaviors, such as fewer social bonds, impacting group cohesion and resource access. The study highlights how environmental stressors like urbanization and climate change can ripple through animal communities, potentially affecting survival and reproduction.
Scientists are using AI and machine learning to understand what makes a birdsong beautiful, particularly in the case of male zebra finches. Research shows that while the songs may sound similar to humans, female finches can distinguish between them based on the complexity of the song. By analyzing spectrograms and using machine learning, researchers found that female finches prefer songs with longer "paths" between syllables. This preference suggests that the complexity of a song may be an honest signal of the male bird's underlying quality, similar to other species where more complex signals are more appealing to potential mates.
Oxytocin, the hormone associated with social bonding, plays a key role in the way young male zebra finches learn song from older males. Blocking the young birds’ oxytocin receptors while they listened to a male biased the birds against that male’s song. The findings provide insights into the neurochemistry of social learning, potentially contributing to our understanding of language acquisition and autism.