Zebra finches are an important model for vocal learning and avian mate choice. The two are
contingent on each other: males' learned songs are addressed at females with learned …

Sleep is one of the few truly ubiquitous animal behaviours, and though many animals spend
enormous periods of time asleep, we have only begun to understand the consequences of …

Mechanistically linking movement behaviors and ecology is key to understanding the
adaptive evolution of locomotion. Predator evasion, a behavior that enhances fitness, may …

The function of song has been well studied in numerous taxa and plays a role in mediating
both intersexual and intrasexual interactions. Humpback whales are among few mammals …

The intensity of a signal is crucial for animal communication because a high signal-to-noise
ratio improves signal reception. However, variation in amplitude may also have signalling …

The evolution of bird song is closely related to sexual selection as birds use their songs for
mate attraction and territorial defense. Recently, it has been shown that song amplitude can …

Why we can't resist listening in on our neighbours Eavesdropping has a bad name. It is a
form of human communication in which the information gained is stolen, and where such …

Studying the macroevolution of the songs of Passeriformes (perching birds) has proved
challenging. The complexity of the task stems not just from the macroevolutionary and …

The evolution of communication through intrasexual selection is expected to lead signalers
to transmit honest information on their fighting ability. Here we studied the information …

Previous studies of learned bird song have suggested the existence of species-universal
patterns in song organization: clear clusters in produced songs that do not vary within a …