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Bird Song Learning in an Eavesdropping Context

Bird Song Learning in an Eavesdropping Context. - Phil Conroy, Lesley MacDonald, Val Schmidt, Kate Strangway. Background. Beecher His research: Social interaction in bird song learning (2005) The role of unshared song in singing interaction between neighboring song sparrows (2005)

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Bird Song Learning in an Eavesdropping Context

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  1. Bird Song Learning in an Eavesdropping Context -Phil Conroy, Lesley MacDonald, Val Schmidt, Kate Strangway

  2. Background • Beecher • His research: • Social interaction in bird song learning (2005) • The role of unshared song in singing interaction between neighboring song sparrows (2005) • Other papers for their research: • Peter Marler, 1970

  3. Previous research has led to two main hypotheses: • Direct interaction • Social eavesdropping

  4. Direct Interaction vs. Social eavesdropping…

  5. Method • 8 song sparrows (3-4 days post-hatch) • Tutoring began day 15 • 4 hours/day for 15 days • All daylight hours after for another 30 days • 2 Phases Figure 1 – Simple diagram of both Phase 1 & 2 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347207000516

  6. Method Cont’d • Phase 1: • Separated into two rooms • Exposed to two adult tutors • Rotated between rooms every 4 days • Began singing ~day 60 • 5 month hiatus of tutors • Kept in sound proof room

  7. Method Cont’d • Phase 2: • Tutoring resumed end of 5 months • Only used 2 of original 4 tutors • Half subjects had cloth between them and tutor for 1 day of 4 day cycle; day 2 in chamber but tutor was heard over loudspeaker • For other 2 days, heard nothing and as in original cage

  8. Figure 2 - Procedure of Phase 2 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347207000516

  9. Conclusions • Learn more from eavesdropping • Average 1.55-3.88 songs learned • Limited songs to learn

  10. Major Findings: What Can Be Done With This Knowledge? • Behavioral reasoning • Improving conservation efforts • Parallel to children

  11. Any Questions??

  12. References • Beecher, M. D. & Burt, J. M. 2004. The role of social interaction in bird song learning. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 13, 224e228. • Beecher M. D., Burt J. M., O'Loghlen A. L., Templeton C. N., Campbell S. E. 2007 Bird song learning in an eavesdropping context. Animal Behaviour, 73,929–935. • Beecher, M. D. & Campbell, S. E. 2005. The role of unshared songs in singing interactions between neighbouring song sparrows. Animal Behaviour, 70, 1297e1304. • Marler, P. 1970a. Birdsong and speech development: could there be parallels? American Scientist, 58, 669e673. • http://theintrepidtourist.blogspot.ca/2011/05/africa-trip-40th-anniversary.html

  13. Our Questions For You • 1) If song learning in birds is a reasonable model for human learning what kind of implications might these results have on current methods of teaching in schools? • 2) The authors contemplate that males may eavesdrop to discover potential territory. What might be other reasons for developing the behaviour of eavesdropping? • 3) In what ways would it be beneficial for song sparrows to learn through eavesdropping compared to learning straight from a tutor? • 4) Were the results of the study what you expected? What are some possible negative’s to learning through eavesdropping? • Discussion Time!! • Separate into four groups

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