Vocal mimicry in songbirds - Ext led

  • Magrath, Robert (PI)
  • Welbergen, Justin A. (PI)

    Project: Research

    Project Details

    Description

    Many of the worlds largest clade of birds - the songbirds - incorporate vocal mimicry in their songs, but whilescientific interest in vocal mimicry dates from Aristotle, limited progress has been made. With our unique researchprogram we aim to provide an empirically based, theoretically informed understanding of avian vocal mimicry. In an important advance, we will examine both sexes to test long-held male-centric assumptions about evolutionary origins and maintenance of this trait. Crucially, we focus on lineages found only in Australia and PNG, where songbirds originated, to develop a robust scientific understanding of vocal mimicry across the entire songbird clade, and so provide an important new perspective on why and how song began.
    StatusActive
    Effective start/end date11/10/2431/12/26

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