Talk:Vocal learning

Suggestions
1) This article could cover a bit more on the vocal learning in other animals such as dolphins instead of focusing on mainly birds. 2) This article could incorporate more anatomical and/or physiological explanations to vocal learning. 3) This article could touch on more comparisons between different species and their vocal learning style. --Ector.6 (talk) 02:05, 2 October 2014 (UTC)

Mate attraction and territory defense have also been seen as possible contributors to vocal learning evolution. This hypothesis points out that while both vocal learners and non-learners use vocalizations to attract mates or defend territories, there is one key difference: variability. Vocal learners can produce a more varied arrangement of vocalizations and frequencies, which studies show may be more preferred by females. For example, Caldwell (1977) observed that male Atlantic bottlenose dolphins may initiate a challenge by facing another dolphin, opening its mouth, thereby exposing its teeth, or arching its back slightly and holding its head downward. This behavior is more along the lines of visual communication but still may or may not be accompanied by vocalizations such as burst-pulsed sounds. The burst-pulsed sounds, which are more complex and varied than the whistles, are often utilized to convey excitement, dominance or aggression such as when they are competing for the same piece of food (Janik. 2013). The dolphins also produce these forceful sounds when in the presence of other individuals moving towards the same prey. On the sexual side Caldwell (1977) saw that dolphins may solicit a sexual response from another by swimming in front of it, looking back, and rolling on its side to display the genital region. These observations provide yet another example of visual communication where dolphins exhibit different postures and non-vocal behaviors to communicate with others that also may or may not be accompanied by vocalizations. Sexual selection for greater variability, and thus in turn vocal learning, may then be a major driving force for the evolution of vocal learning.--Ector.6 (talk) 16:08, 17 November 2014 (UTC)