Vocal Communication in Sooty-headed Bulbul; Pycnonotus aurigaster
Studies of vocal communication in Sooty-headed
Bulbul were carried out from January to December 2011. Vocal
recordings and behavioral observations were made in their natural
habitats at some localities of Lampang, Thailand. After editing, cuts
of high quality recordings were analyzed with the help of Avisoft-
SASLab Pro (version 4.40) software. More than one thousand
element repertoires in five groups were found within two vocal
structures. The two structures were short sounds with single element
and phrases composed of elements, the frequency ranged from 1-10
kHz. Most phrases were composed of 2 to 5 elements that were often
dissimilar in structure, however, these phrases were not as complex
as song phrases. The elements and phrases were combined to form
many patterns. The species used ten types of calls; i.e. alert, alarm,
aggressive, begging, contact, courtship, distress, exciting, flying and
invitation. Alert and contact calls were used more frequently than
other calls. Aggressive, alarm and distress calls could be used for
interspecific communication among some other bird species in the
same habitats.
[1] C. K. Catchpole and P. J. B. Slater, Bird Song: Biological Themes and
Variations. 2nd ed. Cambridge : Cambridge University, 2008, pp. 1-10.
[2] M. Borowiec and J. Lontkowski, "Sexual selection and the evolution of
song in birds of the genus Acrocephalus", Biol Bull Ponzan, vol. 37, pp.
69-77, 2000.
[3] D. Bhatt, A. Kumar, Y. Singh and R. B. Payne, "Territorial songs and
calls in Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis", Curr Sci., vol. 78,
pp. 722-728, 2000.
[4] W. J. Smith, "Patterned daytime singing of the Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens", Anim Behav., vol. 36, pp. 1111-1123, 1988.
[5] L. S. Johnson and L. H. Kermott, "The functions of song in male House
Wrens (Troglodytes aedon)", Behaviour, vol. 116, pp. 190-206, 1991.
[6] G. Ritchison, "The flight songs of Common Yellow-throats: Description
and causation", Condor, vol. 93, pp. 12-18, 1991.
[7] G. Ritchison, "The function of singing in female Black-heded Grosbeaks
(Pheucticus melanocephalus): family-group maintenance", Auk, vol. 100,
pp. 105-116, 1983.
[8] R. Cooney and A. Cockburn, "Territorial defense is the major function of
female song in the Superb Fairy-Wren (Malurus cyaneus)", Anim Behav.,
vol. 49, pp. 1635-1647, 1995.
[9] A. Kumar and D. Bhatt, "Characteristics and significance of song in
female Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis", J Bombay Nat Hist
Soc., vol. 99, pp. 54-58, 2002.
[10] M. G. Kelsey, "A comparison of the song and territorial behaviour of a
long-distance migrant, the Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris in
summer and winter", Ibis, vol. 131, pp. 403-414, 1989.
[11] S. Geoff, Bird songs and calls of Britain and northern Europe. London
Harper Collians Publ., 1996, pp. 100-120.
[12] A. Kumar, "Acoustic communication in the Red-vented Bulbul
Pycnonotus cafer", Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, vol.76,
pp. 350-358, 2004.
[13] A. Kumar and D. Bhatt, "Vocal signals in a tropical avian species the
Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer: Their characteristics and
importance", J Biosci., vol. 25, pp. 387-396, 2000.
[14] B. Lekagul and P. D. Round, A Guide to the Birds of Thailand.
Bangkok : Saha Karn Bhaet, 1991, pp. 420.
[15] B. E. Byers, "Messages encoded in the songs of chestnut-sided
warblers," Anim Behav., vol. 52, pp. 691-705, 1996.
[16] M. S. Ficken and J. Popp, "A comparative analysis of passerine
mobbing calls," Auk, vol. 113, pp. 370-380, 1996.
[17] D. Colombelli-Negrel, J. Robertson, F. J. Sulloway and S. Kleindorfer,
"Extended parental care of fledglings: parent birds adjust anti-predator
response according to predator type and distance," Behaviour, vol. 147,
pp. 853-870, 2010.
[18] T. N. Suzuki, "Parental alarm calls warn nestlings about different
predatory threats," Current Biology, vol. 21, pp. R15-R16, 2011.
[19] D. L. Neudorf and S. G. Sealy, "Distress call of birds in a neotropical
cloud forest," Biotropica, vol. 34, pp. 118-126, 2002.
[20] R. D. Magrath, B. J. Pitcher and J. L. Gardner, "A mutual
understanding? Interspecific response by birds to each other-s aerial alarm
calls," Behavioral Ecology, vol. 18, pp. 944-951, 2007.
[21] E. Goodale and S. W. Kotagama, "Response to conspecific and
heterospecific alarm calls in mixed-species bird flocks of a Sri Lankan
rainforest," Behavioral Ecology, vol. 19, pp. 887- 894, 2008.
[22] R. A. Stefanski and J. B. Falls, "A study of distress calls of Song,
Swamp and White-throated Sparrows (Aves: Fringillidae). II.
Interspecific responses and properties used in recognition," Canadian
Journal of Zoology, vol. 50, pp. 1513-1525, 1972.
[1] C. K. Catchpole and P. J. B. Slater, Bird Song: Biological Themes and
Variations. 2nd ed. Cambridge : Cambridge University, 2008, pp. 1-10.
[2] M. Borowiec and J. Lontkowski, "Sexual selection and the evolution of
song in birds of the genus Acrocephalus", Biol Bull Ponzan, vol. 37, pp.
69-77, 2000.
[3] D. Bhatt, A. Kumar, Y. Singh and R. B. Payne, "Territorial songs and
calls in Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis", Curr Sci., vol. 78,
pp. 722-728, 2000.
[4] W. J. Smith, "Patterned daytime singing of the Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens", Anim Behav., vol. 36, pp. 1111-1123, 1988.
[5] L. S. Johnson and L. H. Kermott, "The functions of song in male House
Wrens (Troglodytes aedon)", Behaviour, vol. 116, pp. 190-206, 1991.
[6] G. Ritchison, "The flight songs of Common Yellow-throats: Description
and causation", Condor, vol. 93, pp. 12-18, 1991.
[7] G. Ritchison, "The function of singing in female Black-heded Grosbeaks
(Pheucticus melanocephalus): family-group maintenance", Auk, vol. 100,
pp. 105-116, 1983.
[8] R. Cooney and A. Cockburn, "Territorial defense is the major function of
female song in the Superb Fairy-Wren (Malurus cyaneus)", Anim Behav.,
vol. 49, pp. 1635-1647, 1995.
[9] A. Kumar and D. Bhatt, "Characteristics and significance of song in
female Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis", J Bombay Nat Hist
Soc., vol. 99, pp. 54-58, 2002.
[10] M. G. Kelsey, "A comparison of the song and territorial behaviour of a
long-distance migrant, the Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris in
summer and winter", Ibis, vol. 131, pp. 403-414, 1989.
[11] S. Geoff, Bird songs and calls of Britain and northern Europe. London
Harper Collians Publ., 1996, pp. 100-120.
[12] A. Kumar, "Acoustic communication in the Red-vented Bulbul
Pycnonotus cafer", Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, vol.76,
pp. 350-358, 2004.
[13] A. Kumar and D. Bhatt, "Vocal signals in a tropical avian species the
Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer: Their characteristics and
importance", J Biosci., vol. 25, pp. 387-396, 2000.
[14] B. Lekagul and P. D. Round, A Guide to the Birds of Thailand.
Bangkok : Saha Karn Bhaet, 1991, pp. 420.
[15] B. E. Byers, "Messages encoded in the songs of chestnut-sided
warblers," Anim Behav., vol. 52, pp. 691-705, 1996.
[16] M. S. Ficken and J. Popp, "A comparative analysis of passerine
mobbing calls," Auk, vol. 113, pp. 370-380, 1996.
[17] D. Colombelli-Negrel, J. Robertson, F. J. Sulloway and S. Kleindorfer,
"Extended parental care of fledglings: parent birds adjust anti-predator
response according to predator type and distance," Behaviour, vol. 147,
pp. 853-870, 2010.
[18] T. N. Suzuki, "Parental alarm calls warn nestlings about different
predatory threats," Current Biology, vol. 21, pp. R15-R16, 2011.
[19] D. L. Neudorf and S. G. Sealy, "Distress call of birds in a neotropical
cloud forest," Biotropica, vol. 34, pp. 118-126, 2002.
[20] R. D. Magrath, B. J. Pitcher and J. L. Gardner, "A mutual
understanding? Interspecific response by birds to each other-s aerial alarm
calls," Behavioral Ecology, vol. 18, pp. 944-951, 2007.
[21] E. Goodale and S. W. Kotagama, "Response to conspecific and
heterospecific alarm calls in mixed-species bird flocks of a Sri Lankan
rainforest," Behavioral Ecology, vol. 19, pp. 887- 894, 2008.
[22] R. A. Stefanski and J. B. Falls, "A study of distress calls of Song,
Swamp and White-throated Sparrows (Aves: Fringillidae). II.
Interspecific responses and properties used in recognition," Canadian
Journal of Zoology, vol. 50, pp. 1513-1525, 1972.
@article{"International Journal of Biological, Life and Agricultural Sciences:51826", author = "Surakan Payakkhabut", title = "Vocal Communication in Sooty-headed Bulbul; Pycnonotus aurigaster", abstract = "Studies of vocal communication in Sooty-headed
Bulbul were carried out from January to December 2011. Vocal
recordings and behavioral observations were made in their natural
habitats at some localities of Lampang, Thailand. After editing, cuts
of high quality recordings were analyzed with the help of Avisoft-
SASLab Pro (version 4.40) software. More than one thousand
element repertoires in five groups were found within two vocal
structures. The two structures were short sounds with single element
and phrases composed of elements, the frequency ranged from 1-10
kHz. Most phrases were composed of 2 to 5 elements that were often
dissimilar in structure, however, these phrases were not as complex
as song phrases. The elements and phrases were combined to form
many patterns. The species used ten types of calls; i.e. alert, alarm,
aggressive, begging, contact, courtship, distress, exciting, flying and
invitation. Alert and contact calls were used more frequently than
other calls. Aggressive, alarm and distress calls could be used for
interspecific communication among some other bird species in the
same habitats.", keywords = "Vocal communication, Call, Bird, Sooty-headed
Bulbul", volume = "6", number = "4", pages = "131-6", }
