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Owls' dawn and dusk concerts promote visual communication
April 08, 2009Press release from PLoS ONE
Reporting in the online, open-access journal PLoS ONE April 8, Vincenzo Penteriani and Maria Delgado of the Estacion Biologica de Doñana, Spain, describe the evolution of white throat badges in association with dawn and dusk vocal signals in certain species of nocturnal bird, which maximise the potential for these species to communicate during hours when light is low.
Previous research has suggested that visual communication is important only for diurnal species of bird, the variety and colour of birds' feathers being one of the best examples of the evolution of visual signalling. However, at sunset, colours become progressively indistinguishable, requiring a more effective mode of visual communication.
Penteriani and Delgado found that eagle owls (Bubo bubo) show both a peak of vocal displays at sunrise and sunset and a white "badge" on their throats-a patch of white feathers, which is inflated and deflated at each call and so is only visible during call displays. At dawn and dusk, when the light is low, contrast is more important than colour in visual signalling, indicating that the white badge is a good candidate in visual communication.
The researchers also suggest that visual behavioural displays during certain conditions of ambient light, such as the crepuscular light of dawn and dusk, could also serve as additional cues for social communication by nocturnal species. "If daylight played a central role in determining the appearance of amazing colour-based signalling, why should nocturnal birds have renounced the use of ambient light to communicate?" asks Penteriani. "Just as daylight allowed diurnal birds to use colours to communicate, twilight offered crepuscular and nocturnal species the possibility of evolving white patches to signal in dark surroundings."
The dawn and dusk chorus is a peculiar vocal behaviour of songbirds, based on a sunrise and sunset peaks in vocal displays. However, the scientists wanted know why the nocturnal eagle owls also display activity peaks at sunset and sunrise. They discovered that this species performs these choruses because of the peculiar conditions of ambient light at twilight, which allow the best contrast between the white badge and the surrounding background. The researchers conclude that visual signalling may be more widely employed than previously thought in nocturnal species.
Public Library of Science
Penteriani and Delgado found that eagle owls (Bubo bubo) show both a peak of vocal displays at sunrise and sunset and a white "badge" on their throats-a patch of white feathers, which is inflated and deflated at each call and so is only visible during call displays. At dawn and dusk, when the light is low, contrast is more important than colour in visual signalling, indicating that the white badge is a good candidate in visual communication.
The researchers also suggest that visual behavioural displays during certain conditions of ambient light, such as the crepuscular light of dawn and dusk, could also serve as additional cues for social communication by nocturnal species. "If daylight played a central role in determining the appearance of amazing colour-based signalling, why should nocturnal birds have renounced the use of ambient light to communicate?" asks Penteriani. "Just as daylight allowed diurnal birds to use colours to communicate, twilight offered crepuscular and nocturnal species the possibility of evolving white patches to signal in dark surroundings."
The dawn and dusk chorus is a peculiar vocal behaviour of songbirds, based on a sunrise and sunset peaks in vocal displays. However, the scientists wanted know why the nocturnal eagle owls also display activity peaks at sunset and sunrise. They discovered that this species performs these choruses because of the peculiar conditions of ambient light at twilight, which allow the best contrast between the white badge and the surrounding background. The researchers conclude that visual signalling may be more widely employed than previously thought in nocturnal species.
Public Library of Science
Study finds foul owls use feces to show they are in fine feather
Some years ago, within the Department of Conservation Biology of the Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; Seville, Spain), a recently established group (colloquially named the Night Ecology Group) started to explore the possibility of visual communication in crepuscular and nocturnal birds.
Smallest Triceratops skull described
With its big, hockey puck-sized eyes, shortened face and nubby horns, it was probably as cute as a button-at least to its mother, a three-horned dinosaur called Triceratops that could weigh as much as 10 tons and had one of the largest skulls of any land animal on the planet.
Bringing down communication barriers for the hard of hearing
The telephone is taken for granted by most, but for the hard of hearing it can be a real obstacle to communication. Overcoming the difficulties faced by people with hearing problems is Synface, a software program that generates an animated face synchronised with speech.
Pioneering Video Link Signals Way For Future Communications Between Deaf Community And Health Providers
The Leicester Centre for Deaf People, supported by funding from Leicestershire Health Authority, has launched a groundbreaking video communications initiative to provide a round-the-clock remote sign language interpretation service which will drastically improve communication between healthcare providers and the deaf community. Part of the Government's Health Improvement Modernisation Plan, it is being heralded as a breakthrough in providing the Deaf community with equal and fair access to health services and could revolutionise the way that Deaf people communicate with healthcare providers and other public services all over the country. Up to now the lack of qualified sign language interpre
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