[Tweeters] Fwd: Cowbird Songs: How?

[Elaine Chuang]

The late Bob Sundstrom created an episode of BirdNote that touches on this adaptable specie’s path to vocalization.  https://www.birdnote.org/listen/shows/cowbird-song-and-password.  That episode references source material that will entice you down a proverbial rabbit-hole, including one by  GrrlScientist <https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/>:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2017/05/11/cowbirds-secret-identity-is-unlocked-by-a-vocal-password/?sh=e75fb953ce38 

Notably, this particular rabbit has just enjoyed thinking back on Bob via BirdNote (https://www.birdnote.org/birdnote-celebrates-work-bob-sundstrom), and thereby discovered that all BirdNote episodes are accessible in one, search-friendly place in addition to the venerable program itself:  https://americanarchive.org/special_collections/birdnote

Elaine
Seattle
  elc at uw dot org


From: Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson at comcast.net <mailto:dennispaulson at comcast.net>>
Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2022 3:06 PM
To: Joshua Hayes <joshuaahayes at protonmail.com <mailto:joshuaahayes at protonmail.com>>
Cc: tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu> <tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Cowbird Songs: How?
 
Hi Josh,

Cowbird song is genetically programmed, as it is in the vast majority of birds. Mostly the birds that learn their songs are Oscine passerine birds, the “songbirds.” Cowbirds are songbirds, but I guess along with their brood-parasitic habits, they have reverted to a preprogrammed song. Not that it’s any great shakes as a song.

Dennis Paulson
Seattle




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       Elaine

From: Joshua Hayes <joshuaahayes at protonmail.com <mailto:joshuaahayes at protonmail.com>>
Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2022 2:15 PM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu> <tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: [Tweeters] Cowbird Songs: How?
 
Hi Tweets,

If juvenile birds learn their songs from adult birds around them (which is the general idea, right?), then how do cowbirds learn to sing the (admittedly quite simple) cowbird song? I was watching one I had located by its song, over at North Seattle College, and it suddenly occurred to me that they don't have adult conspecifics around to learn from. So, how do they do it? Any ideas/references on the matter?

Josh Hayes
Joshuaahayes at proton.me <mailto:Joshuaahayes at proton.me>

Sent with Proton Mail <https://proton.me/> secure email. 

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