ISSN : 2287-8327
Black-billed magpies (Pica pica) are a highly sedentary species due to their short and round wings, which are not adequate for long distance flights. We investigated geographic variation in the vocal signals of magpies residing in South Korea and Japan (subspecies sericea). Based on the magpie’s limited dispersal ability, we predicted that the variation in vocal signals of black-billed magpies could be explained by geographic barriers such as mountain ranges and straits. We analyzed four-syllable chatter calls of magpies from five localities in South Korea, which are separated by mountain ranges (Seoul, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju, and Busan), and two island localities separated from the mainland by straits (Jeju in Korea and Saga in Japan). We found significant differences in the characteristics of magpie chatter calls recorded in the seven localities, and the variation pattern was independent among the variables. Mainland-island differentiation and north-south differentiation were observed. In general, magpies on Saga were the most distinctive. North-south differentiation was observed among the Korean mainland localities. However, the pattern was not related to the presence of putative geographic barriers. We hypothesize that the patterns of geographic variation in the structure of magpie chatter calls residing in South Korea might have been shaped by a sudden expansion of magpies followed by low level of local isolation, which may have led to vocal differentiation. Along with elucidating the vocal environment of Korean magpie populations, more extensive sampling is needed to clarify the functional aspects of geographic variation in the vocal signals of Korean magpies.
Baker MC, Logue DM. 2003. Population differentiation in a complex bird sound: a comparison of three bioacoustical analysis procedures. Ethology 109: 223-242.
Bermúdez-Cuamatzin E, Ríos-Chelén AA, Gil D, Garcia CM. 2010. Experimental evidence for real-time song frequency shift in response to urban noise in a passerine bird. Biol Lett 7: 36-38.
Birkhead TR. 1991. The Magpies: The Ecology and Behaviour of Black-billed and Yellow-billed Magpies. T&AD Poyser, London.
Bradbury JW, Cortopassi KA, Clemmons JR. 2001. Geographical variation in the contact calls of Orange-fronted Parakeets. Auk 118: 958-972.
Chappell J, Kacelnik A. 2002. Tool selectivity in a non-primate, the New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides). Anim Cogn 5: 71-78.
Date EM, Lemon RE. 1993. Sound transmission: a basis for dialects in birdsong? Behaviour 124: 291-312.
Eguchi K, Kubo H. 1992. The origin of the Magpie Pica pica sericea in Japan: an investigation of historical records. J Yamashina Inst Ornithol 24: 32-39. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Emery NJ, Clayton NS. 2004. The mentality of crows: convergent evolution of intelligence in corvids and apes. Science 306: 1903-1907.
Enggist-Dueblin P, Pfister U. 2002. Cultural transmission of vocalizations in Ravens, Corvus corax. Anim Behav 64: 831-841.
Eo SH, Hyun JO, Lee WS, Choi TB, Rhim SJ, Eguchi K. 2002. Effects of topography on dispersal of black-billed magpie Pica pica sericea revealed by population genetic analysis. J Ethol 20: 43-47.
Falls JB. 1982. Individual recognition by sounds in birds. In: Acoustic Communication in Birds. Vol. 2 (Kroodsma DE, Miller EH, eds). Academic Press, New York, NY, pp 237-278.
Goodwin D. 1986. Crows of the World. 2nd ed. British Museum of Natural History, London.
Hunt GR, Gray RD. 2003. Diversification and cumulative evolution in New Caledonian crow tool manufacture. Proc R Soc Lond B 270: 867-874.
Jang H. 2004. Genetic differentiation of Korean black-billed magpies (Pica pica sericea Gould). MS Thesis. Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Jarvis ED. 2004. Learned birdsong and the neurobiology of human language. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1016: 749-777.
Kim YP, Yim ES, Kim YJ. 2004. Restructuring Mountain Systems in Korean Peninsula: Focusing on Mountain Range Analysis. Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, Anyang.
Kleeman PM, Gilardi JD. 2005. Geographical variation of St. Lucia Parrot flight vocalizations. Condor 107: 62-68.
Koo TH. 1994. Restoration and status of released Magpie, Pica pica sericea Gould in Chejudo. Nat Conserv 88: 27-29. (in Korean)
Krebs JR, Kroodsma DE. 1980. Repertoires and geographical variation in bird song. Adv Stud Behav 11: 143-177.
Kroodsma D. 2005. The Singing Life of Birds: The Art and Science of Listening to Birdsong. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York.
Laiolo P, Rolando A. 2003. The evolution of vocalisations in the genus Corvus: effects of phylogeny, morphology and habitat. Evol Ecol 17: 111-123.
Laland KN, Janik VM. 2006. The animal cultures debate. Trends Ecol Evol 21: 542-547
Lee J. 2006. Morphological variations in regional population of black-billed magpies in South Korea. MS Thesis.Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
MacDougall-Shackleton EA, MacDougall-Shackleton SA. 2001. Cultural and genetic evolution in mountain white-crowned sparrows: song dialects are associated with population structure. Evolution 55: 2568-2575.
Marler P, Tamura M. 1964. Culturally transmitted patterns of vocal behavior in sparrows. Science 146: 1483-1486.
Slabbekoorn H, Peet M. 2003. Ecology: birds sing at higher pitch in urban noise. Nature 426: 267.
Tubaro PL, Segura ET. 1995. Geographic, ecological and subspecific variation in the song of the rufous-browed peppershrike (Cyclarhis gujanensis). Condor 97: 792-803.
Tubaro PL, Segura ET, Handford P. 1993. Geographic variation in the song of the Rufous-collared Sparrow in Eastern Argentina. Condor 95: 588-595.
Webber T, Stefani RA. 1990. Evidence for vocal learning by a scrub jay. Auk 107: 202-204.
Wiley RH, Richards DG. 1982. Adaptations for acoustic communication in birds: sound transmission and signal detection. In: Acoustic Communication in Birds. Vol. 1. (Kroodsma DE, Miller EH, eds). Academic Press, New York, NY, pp 132-181.
Wright TF, Wilkinson GS. 2001. Population genetic structure and vocal dialects in an Amazon Parrot. Proc R Soc Lond B 268: 609-616.