SONG SHARING AND REPERTOIRES AMONG MIGRATORY AND RESIDENT RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEES

Among oscines, song sharing with neighbors and large song repertoires may be enhanced in resident populations. This idea was explored with t he Rufous-sided Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) by studying singing b ehavior in a resident Florida and a migratory New York population. Flo rida males (n = 15) sang an average of eight song types per male, but New York males (n = 15) sang only 3.5. Furthermore, unlike the New Yor k males, the Florida males shared most song types in their larger repe rtoires with immediate neighbors. These marked differences in sharing and repertoires need further study, in the towhees and other species i n order to understand more clearly the processes that lead to such pop ulation differences.