Zebra finch ≈ Zebra finchZebra finch
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Repeated divergent selection on pigmentation genes in a rapid finch radiation Open
Selection acted repeatedly on regions that may regulate the expression of genes underlying coloration differences in seedeaters.
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Deep learning‐based methods for individual recognition in small birds Open
Individual identification is a crucial step to answer many questions in evolutionary biology and is mostly performed by marking animals with tags. Such methods are well‐established, but often make data collection and analyses time‐consumin…
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Fitness Benefits of Mate Choice for Compatibility in a Socially Monogamous Species Open
Research on mate choice has primarily focused on preferences for quality indicators, assuming that all individuals show consensus about who is the most attractive. However, in some species, mating preferences seem largely individual-specif…
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Inhibition protects acquired song segments during vocal learning in zebra finches Open
Fixation on learned syllables Zebra finches learn their beautiful songs by listening to other zebra finches. Vallentin et al. observed zebra finch brains as learning proceeded, only to find that inhibition of the neuronal circuits was crit…
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Categorical perception of colour signals in a songbird Open
In many contexts, animals assess each other using signals that vary continuously across individuals and, on average, reflect variation in the quality of the signaller1,2. It is often assumed that signal receivers perceive and respond conti…
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Interplay of Inhibition and Excitation Shapes a Premotor Neural Sequence Open
In the zebra finch, singing behavior is driven by a sequence of bursts within premotor neurons located in the forebrain nucleus HVC (proper name). In addition to these excitatory projection neurons, HVC also contains inhibitory interneuron…
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EM connectomics reveals axonal target variation in a sequence-generating network Open
The sequential activation of neurons has been observed in various areas of the brain, but in no case is the underlying network structure well understood. Here we examined the circuit anatomy of zebra finch HVC, a cortical region that gener…
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Low-dimensional learned feature spaces quantify individual and group differences in vocal repertoires Open
Increases in the scale and complexity of behavioral data pose an increasing challenge for data analysis. A common strategy involves replacing entire behaviors with small numbers of handpicked, domain-specific features, but this approach su…
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Dopaminergic Contributions to Vocal Learning Open
Although the brain relies on auditory information to calibrate vocal behavior, the neural substrates of vocal learning remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that lesions of the dopaminergic inputs to a basal ganglia nucleus in a songbird spe…
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Personality over ontogeny in zebra finches: long-term repeatable traits but unstable behavioural syndromes Open
A crucial assumption of animal personality research is that behaviour is consistent over time, showing a high repeatability within individuals. This assumption is often made, sometimes tested using short time intervals between behavioural …
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Roadmap on Recent Progress in FINCH Technology Open
Fresnel incoherent correlation holography (FINCH) was a milestone in incoherent holography. In this roadmap, two pathways, namely the development of FINCH and applications of FINCH explored by many prominent research groups, are discussed.…
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Sex Reversal and Comparative Data Undermine the W Chromosome and Support Z-linked DMRT1 as the Regulator of Gonadal Sex Differentiation in Birds Open
The exact genetic mechanism regulating avian gonadal sex differentiation has not been completely resolved. The most likely scenario involves a dosage mechanism, whereby the Z-linked DMRT1 gene triggers testis development. However, the poss…
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Experimental disturbances reveal group-level costs of social instability Open
In group-living species, social stability is an important trait associated with the evolution of complex behaviours such as cooperation. While the drivers of stability in small groups are relatively well studied, little is known about the …
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The Avian Basal Ganglia Are a Source of Rapid Behavioral Variation That Enables Vocal Motor Exploration Open
The basal ganglia (BG) participate in aspects of reinforcement learning that require evaluation and selection of motor programs associated with improved performance. However, whether the BG additionally contribute to behavioral variation (…
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Experimental heatwaves negatively impact sperm quality in the zebra finch Open
For sexually reproducing species, functionally competent sperm are critical to reproduction. While high atmospheric temperatures are known to influence the timing of breeding, incubation and reproductive success in birds, the effect of tem…
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Patterns of call communication between group-housed zebra finches change during the breeding cycle Open
Vocal signals such as calls play a crucial role for survival and successful reproduction, especially in group-living animals. However, call interactions and call dynamics within groups remain largely unexplored because their relation to re…
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Admixture mapping in a hybrid zone reveals loci associated with avian feather coloration Open
Identifying the genetic bases for colour patterns has provided important insights into the control and expression of pigmentation and how these characteristics influence fitness. However, much more is known about the genetic bases for trai…
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Molecular architecture of the zebra finch arcopallium Open
The arcopallium, a key avian forebrain region, receives inputs from numerous brain areas and is a major source of descending sensory and motor projections. While there is evidence of arcopallial subdivisions, the internal organization or t…
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Behavior-Linked FoxP2 Regulation Enables Zebra Finch Vocal Learning Open
Mutations in the FOXP2 transcription factor cause an inherited speech and language disorder, but how FoxP2 contributes to learning of these vocal communication signals remains unclear. FoxP2 is enriched in corticostriatal circuits of both …
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Higher temperatures during development reduce body size in the zebra finch in the laboratory and in the wild Open
The most commonly documented morphological response across many taxa to climatic variation across their range follows Bergmann's rule, which predicts larger body size in colder climates. In observational data from wild zebra finches breedi…
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Variation in Reproductive Success Across Captive Populations: Methodological Differences, Potential Biases and Opportunities Open
Our understanding of fundamental organismal biology has been disproportionately influenced by studies of a relatively small number of ‘model’ species extensively studied in captivity. Laboratory populations of model species are commonly su…
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“Bird Song Metronomics”: Isochronous Organization of Zebra Finch Song Rhythm Open
The human capacity for speech and vocal music depends on vocal imitation. Songbirds, in contrast to non-human primates, share this vocal production learning with humans. The process through which birds and humans learn many of their vocali…
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A comparative analysis of the dopaminergic innervation of the executive caudal nidopallium in pigeon, chicken, zebra finch, and carrion crow Open
Despite the long, separate evolutionary history of birds and mammals, both lineages developed a rich behavioral repertoire of remarkably similar executive control generated by distinctly different brains. The seat for executive functioning…
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Extended haplotype phasing of <i>de novo</i> genome assemblies with FALCON-Phase Open
Haplotype-resolved genome assemblies are important for understanding how combinations of variants impact phenotypes. These assemblies can be created in various ways, such as use of tissues that contain single-haplotype (haploid) genomes, o…
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Courtship song preferences in female zebra finches are shaped by developmental auditory experience Open
The performance of courtship signals provides information about the behavioural state and quality of the signaller, and females can use such information for social decision-making (e.g. mate choice). However, relatively little is known abo…
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Sex-biased microRNA expression in mammals and birds reveals underlying regulatory mechanisms and a role in dosage compensation Open
Sexual dimorphism depends on sex-biased gene expression, but the contributions of microRNAs (miRNAs) have not been globally assessed. We therefore produced an extensive small RNA sequencing data set to analyze male and female miRNA express…
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Zebra Finch Song Phonology and Syntactical Structure across Populations and Continents—A Computational Comparison Open
Learned bird songs are often characterized by a high degree of variation between individuals and sometimes between populations, while at the same time maintaining species specificity. The evolution of such songs depends on the balance betw…
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Norepinephrine Modulates Coding of Complex Vocalizations in the Songbird Auditory Cortex Independent of Local Neuroestrogen Synthesis Open
The catecholamine norepinephrine plays a significant role in auditory processing. Most studies to date have examined the effects of norepinephrine on the neuronal response to relatively simple stimuli, such as tones and calls. It is less c…
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Sound sequences in birdsong: how much do birds really care? Open
The complex and melodic nature of many birds' songs has raised interest in potential parallels between avian vocal sequences and human speech. The similarities between birdsong and speech in production and learning are well established, bu…
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Categorical colour perception occurs in both signalling and non-signalling colour ranges in a songbird Open
Although perception begins when a stimulus is transduced by a sensory neuron, numerous perceptual mechanisms can modify sensory information as it is processed by an animal's nervous system. One such mechanism is categorical perception, in …