Lawrie:
I have also noticed distinct regional dialects of Currawongs.
Assuming that this specie is highly social and probably learns much of its
vocal repertoire, it isn't surprising to find that birds in
different population use dramatically different sounding calls, etc.
However, it would be very interesting to determine if there
is an underlying pattern to sounds (similarity in structural components of
calls) common to all populations. I would predict that the calls which
are most strikingly different are those that are sexually selected (i.e.
females used to select a mate etc.). There is currently, intense interest
in how an individual's social experience influences vocal dialects in
birds. The currawong would be a good species to study. I hope you find
my comments of interest.
Cheers, Jim
Dr. Wm. James Davis
e-mail
On Mon, 5 Jan 1998, Conole, Lawrie wrote:
> > The Lord Howe Island Currawongs are regarded as a separate subspecies
> > _Strepera graculina crissalis_. Their voices, loud and mostly
> > melodious,
> > while clearly recognisable as Currawong are noticeably different from
> > mainland Currawong voices.
> >
> I spent my short holiday over Xmas-New Year in Gariwerd (the Grampians)
> National Park in western Victoria, and Daylesford-Hepburn Springs
> (Australia's Spa Capital!!) in central Victoria. One thing that struck
> me was the extreme variation between regional dialects of Pied
> Currawongs in those two places, compared with the ones around my home in
> Geelong, southern Victoria. Some birds in the far west of Gariwerd made
> a few calls that sounded remotely like Black Currawongs (Tasmanian
> endemic). Pied Currawong dialects seem quite extreme, and even allowing
> that I have not heard the Lord Howe one, I suspect it would be no more
> remarkable than the variations of the mainland population - any
> comments??
>
> Lawrie Conole
> 2/45 Virginia Street
> Newtown 3220 Victoria
> AUSTRALIA
>
>
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