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Daily vocal exercise is necessary for peak performance singing in a songbird

Author

Listed:
  • Iris Adam

    (University of Southern Denmark)

  • Katharina Riebel

    (Leiden University)

  • Per Stål

    (Umea University)

  • Neil Wood

    (University of Vermont)

  • Michael J. Previs

    (University of Vermont)

  • Coen P. H. Elemans

    (University of Southern Denmark)

Abstract

Vocal signals, including human speech and birdsong, are produced by complicated, precisely coordinated body movements, whose execution is fitness-determining in resource competition and mate choice. While the acquisition and maintenance of motor skills generally requires practice to develop and maintain both motor circuitry and muscle performance, it is unknown whether vocal muscles, like limb muscles, exhibit exercise-induced plasticity. Here, we show that juvenile and adult zebra finches (Taeniopygia castanotis) require daily vocal exercise to first gain and subsequently maintain peak vocal muscle performance. Experimentally preventing male birds from singing alters both vocal muscle physiology and vocal performance within days. Furthermore, we find females prefer song of vocally exercised males in choice experiments. Vocal output thus contains information on recent exercise status, and acts as an honest indicator of past exercise investment in songbirds, and possibly in all vocalising vertebrates.

Suggested Citation

  • Iris Adam & Katharina Riebel & Per Stål & Neil Wood & Michael J. Previs & Coen P. H. Elemans, 2023. "Daily vocal exercise is necessary for peak performance singing in a songbird," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-43592-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43592-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Karan J. Odom & Michelle L. Hall & Katharina Riebel & Kevin E. Omland & Naomi E. Langmore, 2014. "Female song is widespread and ancestral in songbirds," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-6, May.
    2. Dina Lipkind & Anja T. Zai & Alexander Hanuschkin & Gary F. Marcus & Ofer Tchernichovski & Richard H. R. Hahnloser, 2017. "Songbirds work around computational complexity by learning song vocabulary independently of sequence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Michael S. Brainard & Allison J. Doupe, 2000. "Interruption of a basal ganglia–forebrain circuit prevents plasticity of learned vocalizations," Nature, Nature, vol. 404(6779), pages 762-766, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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