Abstract
Vocal learning in birds is typically restricted to a sensitive period early inlife, with the few exceptions reported in songbirds and parrots. Here, wepresent evidence of open-ended vocal learning in a hummingbird, thethird avian group with vocal learning. We studied vocalizations at fourleks of the long-billed hermitPhaethornis longirostrisduring a four-yearperiod. Individuals produce a single song repertoire, although severalsong-types can coexist at a single lek. We found that nine of 49 birdsrecorded on multiple days (18%) changed their song-type between consecu-tive recordings. Three of these birds replaced song-types twice. Moreover,the earliest estimated age when song replacement occurred ranged from186 to 547 days (mean¼307 days) and all nine birds who replaced song-types produced a crystallized song before replacement. The findings indicatethat song-type replacement is distinct from an initial early learning sensitiveperiod. As half of lekking males do not survive past the first year of life inthis species, song learning may well extend throughout the lifespan. This be-haviour would be convergent to vocal learning programmes found inparrots and songbirds.
Marcelo Araya-Salas
Research Associate
My research interests include evolutionary behavioral ecology, cultural evolution, scientific programming and all possible combinations of them.