Ortolan Buntings Emberiza hortulana mimicking other species and other dialects of own species

Authors

  • Tomasz S. Osiejuk
  • Katarzyna Ratyńska
  • Svein Dale
  • Øyvind Steifetten
  • Jakub P. Cygan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/on.v27i0.199

Abstract

We present new acoustically well-documented observations of Ortolan Bunting males from Norway, singing atypical songs with syllables copied from other species and from non-neighbouring, distant populations of own species. The first case concerns a male singing strophes containing syllables of Yellowhammer and Ortolan Bunting, both most probably copied in central Europe. These songs often had broken syntax. The second case concerns a male that sang both typical strophes and strophes that had the initial part copied from a local dialect of Redwing, but with a typical syntax for the species. That male mated successfully. Causes and consequences of vocal mimicry in the species are discussed.

Published

2004-01-01

How to Cite

Osiejuk, T. S., Ratyńska, K., Dale, S., Steifetten, Øyvind, & Cygan, J. P. (2004). Ortolan Buntings Emberiza hortulana mimicking other species and other dialects of own species. Ornis Norvegica, 27, 73–79. https://doi.org/10.15845/on.v27i0.199

Issue

Section

Articles