Language-like efficiency and structure in house finch song

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 291(2020)

Published: April 2, 2024

Communication needs to be complex enough functional while minimizing learning and production costs. Recent work suggests that the vocalizations gestures of some songbirds, cetaceans great apes may conform linguistic laws reflect this trade-off between efficiency complexity. In studies non-human communication, though, clustering signals into types cannot done a priori , decisions about appropriate grain analysis affect statistical in data. The aim study was assess evidence for language-like structure house finch ( Haemorhous mexicanus ) song across three levels granularity syllable clustering. results show strong Zipf's rank–frequency law, law abbreviation Menzerath's law. Additional analyses songs have small-world structure, thought systematic syntax, mutual information decay sequences is consistent with combination Markovian hierarchical processes. These patterns are robust clustering, pointing limited form scale invariance. sum, it appears has been shaped by pressure efficiency, possibly offset costs female preferences

Language: Английский

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Community algorithms reveal song type themes in Adelaide’s warbler song type sequence networks

Bioacoustics, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 16

Published: Feb. 6, 2025

Language: Английский

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The relationship between preference and switching in flower foraging by bees

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 78(3)

Published: March 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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A densely sampled and richly annotated acoustic data set from a wild bird population

Animal Behaviour, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 211, P. 111 - 122

Published: March 25, 2024

We present a high-resolution, densely sampled data set of wild bird songs collected over multiple years from single population great tits, Parus major, in the U.K. The includes 1 100 000 individual acoustic units 109 963 richly annotated songs, sung by more than 400 birds, and provides unprecedented detail on vocal behaviour birds. Here, we describe collection processing procedures provide summary data. also discuss potential research questions that can be addressed using this set, including behavioural repeatability stability, links between performance reproductive success, timing song production, syntactic organization production learning wild. have made associated software tools publicly available with aim other researchers benefit resource use it to further our understanding

Language: Английский

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Overcoming bias in the comparison of human language and animal communication

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 120(47)

Published: Nov. 13, 2023

Human language is a powerful communicative and cognitive tool. Scholars have long sought to characterize its uniqueness, but each time property proposed set human apart (e.g., reference, syntax), some (attenuated) version of that found in animals. Recently, the uniqueness argument has shifted from linguistic rules capacities underlying them. argue unique because it relies on ostension inference, while animal communication depends simple associations largely hardwired signals. Such characterizations are often borne out published data, these empirical findings driven by radical differences ways studied. The field been dramatically shaped "code model," which imagines as involving information packets encoded, transmitted, decoded, interpreted. This framework standardized methods for studying meaning signals, does not allow nuance, ambiguity, or contextual variation seen humans. code model insidious. It rarely referenced directly, significantly shapes how we study To compare language, must acknowledge biases resulting different theoretical models used. By incorporating new approaches break away searching codes, may find characterized degree rather than kind.

Language: Английский

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Syntactic modulation of rhythm in Australian pied butcherbird song

Royal Society Open Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 9(9)

Published: Sept. 1, 2022

The acoustic structure of birdsong is spectrally and temporally complex. Temporal complexity often investigated in a syntactic framework focusing on the statistical features symbolic song sequences. Alternatively, temporal patterns can be rhythmic that focuses relative timing between elements. Here, we investigate merits combining both frameworks by integrating analyses Australian pied butcherbird ( Cracticus nigrogularis ) songs, which exhibit organized syntax diverse rhythms. We show rhythms bouts our sample are categorically predictable song’s first-order sequential syntax. These remain distributed strongly associated with even after controlling for variance note length, suggesting silent intervals notes induce discuss implication syntactic–rhythmic relations as relevant feature respect to signals such human speech music, advocate broader conception takes into account syntax, rhythm, their interaction other perceptual features.

Language: Английский

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Seasonal changes in Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) song syntax

Avian Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15, P. 100171 - 100171

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

In many songbird species, birdsong features phonological syntax, meaning that the units within their vocal sequences are ordered in a non-random way adheres to rule. While such syntactical patterns have been richly described comparatively little is known about how those contribute song achieving its important functions. For each of song's main functions, territorial defense and mate attraction, evidence role for syntax limited. One species which has thoroughly Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus), present types from repertoires semi-predictable order and, doing so, rapidly cycle up down frequency spectrum. The objective study was explore importance through within-subject examination measures as predictability type sequences, shift over breeding season. We hypothesized that, if characteristics behaviour, they would be most prominent at start season when activity associated with territory establishment attraction intense. Analysis revealed predicted, rigidness ordering highest declined thereafter. That were predictable vitally early part fit our hypothesis this aspect functions related and/or attraction. Future work will clarify whether relates one two or serves transmission some broader way.

Language: Английский

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Temporal variability enhances vocal learning

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 18, 2024

Species-typical behaviors are organized into species-typical patterns, and deviations away from these patterns often diminish the strength of behavioral sensory responses to such stimuli. In songbirds like zebra finch, songs consist acoustic elements (syllables) arranged stereotyped (i.e., highly predictable) sequences with timing. However, degree which temporal modulate vocal learning fidelity imitation) remains unknown. Here we tutored 123 juvenile finches stimuli that varied in stereotypy syllable sequencing contrast prediction would learning, sequence or timing did not decrease how well juveniles imitated structure syllables. Moreover, presenting syllables species-atypical randomized sequences) enhanced imitation birds were later development. This unexpected enhancement birdsong by variability resembles effects contextual diversity on speech acquisition indicates can benefit even for very behaviors.

Language: Английский

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WhaleLM: Finding Structure and Information in Sperm Whale Vocalizations and Behavior with Machine Learning

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 1, 2024

Abstract Language models (LMs), which are neural sequence predictors trained to model distributions over natural language texts, have come play a central role in human technologies like machine translation and information retrieval. They also contributed the scientific study of itself, enabling progress on long-standing questions about learnability, optimality, universality key features languages. Many analogous exist communication between non-human animals—for which, many cases, we only preliminary understanding signals’ structure use. Can help us understand these animal systems as well? We use characterize content sperm whale vocalizations. Sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus ) engage complex, coordinated behaviours foraging navigation darkness ocean while exchanging sequences rhythmic clicks known codas. However, little is whether there any systematic patterns governing coda production, or how codas influence group decision-making behaviour. To begin answer questions, first train (a ‘sperm model’) predict whales’ future vocalizations from their conversational history. By systematically manipulating available this model, measuring change predictive accuracy, show that exhibit order dependence, long-range dependencies up past eight an exchange, predictable turn-taking. Second, behaviour vocal exchanges, find both current behavioural context actions predictable, with accuracies 72% 86% respectively, sequences. Our provides evidence contain could be used coordinate More generally, it offers framework for using modern learning tools hypothesis generation assist investigating function unknown systems.

Language: Английский

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Syntactic rules predict song type matching in a songbird

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 77(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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