10.5061/DRYAD.2JM63XSNS
Friis, Jakob Isager
University of Copenhagen
Sabino, Joana
University of Porto
Santos, Pedro
University of Porto
Dabelsteen, Torben
University of Copenhagen
Cardoso, Goncalo C.
University of Porto
Data from: The allometry of sound frequency bandwidth in songbirds
Dryad
dataset
2021
FOS: Biological sciences
2021-01-28T00:00:00Z
2021-01-28T00:00:00Z
en
7266984 bytes
2
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Theory predicts that allometric constraints on sound production should be
stronger for the lower frequencies of vocalizations than for their higher
frequencies, which could originate an allometry for sound frequency
bandwidth, but this was never tested. Using song recordings of ca. 1000
passerine species (from >75% passerine genera), we show a
significantly steeper allometry for the lower than the higher song
frequencies, resulting in a positive allometry of frequency bandwidth:
larger species can use wider bandwidths than smaller species. The
bandwidth allometry exists in songbirds (oscines), but not non-oscine
passerines, indicating that it emerges from a combination of physical
constraint and the evolved behavior of oscines: unlike the narrow
bandwidths of most non-oscine songs, the learned songs of oscines often
use wide bandwidths that can be limited by both the lower and upper limits
of sound frequency production. This bandwidth allometry has implications
for several research topics in acoustic communication.