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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 105(1)

Geographic variation in vocalisations of Satin Bowerbirds, Ptilonorynchus violaceus, in south-eastern Queensland

E. J. Tack A B C , D. A. Putland A , T. E. Robson A and A. W. Goldizen A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

B Present address: School of Environmental and Information Sciences, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: etack@csu.edu.au

Emu 105(1) 27-31 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU03053
Submitted: 17 October 2003  Accepted: 4 October 2004   Published: 31 March 2005

Abstract

Geographic variation in the advertisement call of the male Satin Bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, was investigated in three populations in south-eastern Queensland. The call was found to differ significantly among the three geographically distinct populations. A discriminant function analysis using five measurements of call frequency and duration provided 100% classification success of the 25 individuals. The observed geographic variation in this call may result from adaptation to the local acoustic environment in these populations, or from genetic or cultural divergence among populations. Further research involving the acoustic properties of the habitats, population genetics and a larger number of populations is required to fully understand this pattern of call variation.


Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the assistance of a number of people who helped locate bowers and allowed us to take recordings on their properties, including residents of Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious, Tim O’Reilly and family at Lamington National Park, and Helen, Michael and Kym Stirling at the Bunya Mountains. David Westcott gave invaluable advice on equipment and techniques. Many thanks also to the Rangers at Green Mountains and Brisbane Forest Park for all their assistance and to two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper.


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