Development of a contact call in black-capped chickadees ( Poecile atricapillus ) hand-reared in different acoustic environments

Abstract

The tseet contact call, common to black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and mountain chickadees (P. gambeli), is the most frequently produced vocalization of each species. Previous work has characterized the tseet call of black-capped and mountain chickadees from different geographic locations in terms of nine acoustic features. In the current study, using similar methods, the tseet call of black-capped chickadees that were hand reared with either conspecifics, heterospecifics (mountain chickadees), or in isolation from adult chickadees are described. Analysis of call features examined which acoustic features were most affected by rearing environment, and revealed that starting frequency and the slope of the descending portion of the tseet call differed between black-capped chickadees reared with either conspecific or heterospecific adults. Birds reared in isolation from adults differed from the other hand-reared groups on almost every acoustic feature. Chickadee tseet calls are more individualized when they are reared with adult conspecifics or heterospecifics compared to chickadees that are reared in isolation from adults. The current results suggest a role of learning in this commonly used contact call.