Honey Im Home.

Many studies have been done on mutual display among birds associated with partner choice but not much has been done in studying what happens beyond that to keep the pair together. For instance not much is known about the behaviors that keep a monogomous pair together beyond courtship. This article suggests that private forms of duet exist in monogomous birds. Using Zebra Finch as a study subject they recorded communication between mates from inside the nest boxes. Two sequences were measured, the meeting seqeunce and the sentinal sequence. It then had to be determined whether these sequences fit the ctriteria for bird duets: call alteration, temporal precision and the relative participation and initiation by each partner. It was found that within these bouts three types of calls were used by both male and female at the nests, whines, tets, and distance call. Although it may not show the level of complexity that some songbirds have it was found that privated forms of duets do exist as part of display behavior in monogomous birds. Both sequences meet the criteria for bird duets, they showed temporal precision and a high level of alternation between mates. It was also found that these duets are not sex specific but rather location specific ie inside the box or outside the box. These interactive sequences represent a private form of vocal duet that may facilitate bond maintenance.

Kelly Grover