The vocal repertoire by the Stone-curlew is broad and complex. Recent studies have shown that some adult calls are used in well-defined circumstances (e.g. in sexual or anti-predatory context), which suggests that they have specialized functions. The meaning of other calls is still unknown, but most of them are always used in non-random combination with the most typical vocalizations (gallop and kurlee call), suggesting the existence of a vocal syntax. The two typical chick calls were quantitatively described only recently; they develop well before hatching and remain almost structurally unchanged until fledging. Preliminary data on the vocal ontogeny indicate that near fledging young stone curlews undergo a process of voice breaking, consisting in the sudden emergence of new call types, which differ from the chick’s ones, while tending to take on the characteristics of adult vocalizations. In this period both chick calls and attempts to vocalize as adults coexist. The study of chick vocalizations and of the vocal relationships between parent and offspring can provide interesting insights on the presence and possibly on the mechanisms of parental recognition in this species. Future developments of bioacoustic researches on the Stone-curlew are further discussed.
La vocalità dell’occhione (Burhinus oedicnemus): conoscenze attuali e nuove prospettive
GIUNCHI, DIMITRI
2015-01-01
Abstract
The vocal repertoire by the Stone-curlew is broad and complex. Recent studies have shown that some adult calls are used in well-defined circumstances (e.g. in sexual or anti-predatory context), which suggests that they have specialized functions. The meaning of other calls is still unknown, but most of them are always used in non-random combination with the most typical vocalizations (gallop and kurlee call), suggesting the existence of a vocal syntax. The two typical chick calls were quantitatively described only recently; they develop well before hatching and remain almost structurally unchanged until fledging. Preliminary data on the vocal ontogeny indicate that near fledging young stone curlews undergo a process of voice breaking, consisting in the sudden emergence of new call types, which differ from the chick’s ones, while tending to take on the characteristics of adult vocalizations. In this period both chick calls and attempts to vocalize as adults coexist. The study of chick vocalizations and of the vocal relationships between parent and offspring can provide interesting insights on the presence and possibly on the mechanisms of parental recognition in this species. Future developments of bioacoustic researches on the Stone-curlew are further discussed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
