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Communication of male quality in owl hoots.

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 18:51 authored by Loïc A Hardouin, David Reby, Christian Bavoux, Guy Burneleau, Vincent Bretagnolle
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 encoded in the acoustic structure of the territorial calls of a nocturnal raptor. During territorial contests, male scops owls give hoots composed of a downward frequency shift followed by a stable plateau. We found that the frequency of the hoot was negatively correlated with the body weight of the vocalizer. We shifted the frequency contour of natural hoots in order to create re-synthesized calls corresponding to individuals of varying body weight, and used these stimuli in playback experiments simulating an intrusion into the territory of established breeders. Territory owners responded less intensely when played hoots simulating heavier intruders, and males with heavier apparent weight tended to give hoots with a lower plateau in response to playbacks simulating heavier intruders.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

American Naturalist

ISSN

0003-0147

Issue

4

Volume

169

Page range

552-562

Pages

11.0

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Notes

Senior Author. Reby supervised Hardouin (PhD Marie Curie Fellow). Reby came up with the idea and the design of the playback experiment, designed the stimulus re-synthesis procedure, and wrote most of the manuscript. The first two authors contributed equally, the others had minor roles.

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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