Vocal learning & sociality in parrots
CCE (Aplin) Lab
1. Vocal Complexity and Social Networks in Monk Parrots
Does the need to navigate a complex social life drive a corresponding increase in vocal complexity? If so, how does this exhibit, in vocal diversity or repertoire size? In collaboration with Dr Juan Carlos Senar and Dr Mary Brooke McElreath, we are investigating these question in a wild population of monk parakeets in central Barcelona. Monk parakeets build communal stick nests that are also often clumped in small colonies, but forage in fission-fusion flocks. This leads to a potentially fascinating multi-level social dynamic. Dr Senar's population of monk parakeets is individually tagged, providing a unique opportunity to explore what consequences this social system for individual variation in vocalisations.
2) How to balance the need for individual recognisability and signalling of group membership?
Do parrots use calls to signal group membership? If so, how do they balance the need for distinctiveness with the need for conformity? We are manipulating group composition in captive groups of cockatiels to test hypotheses related to the the formation and maintenance of dialects in parrots. In these experiments, we continuous tracking both social networks and vocalisations using barcoded microphone backpacks.