Sex differences in song syntax and syllable diversity in testosterone-induced songs of adult male and female canaries.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Behavioral sex differences are widespread in the animal world. These differences can be qualitative (i.e., behavior present in one sex but not the other, a true sex dimorphism) or quantitative (behavior is present at a higher rate or quality in one sex compared to the other). Singing in oscine songbirds is associated with both types of differences. In canaries, female rarely sing spontaneously but they can be induced to do so by treatments with steroids. Song in these females is, however, not fully masculinized and exhibits relatively subtle differences in quality as compared with male song. We analyzed here sex differences in syllable content and syllable use between singing male and female canaries.

Methods

Songs were recorded from three groups of castrated male

SUBMITTER: Dos Santos EB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10394978 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature