Singing The Right Song Matters

Both humans and animals maintain culture by interacting with one another. They learn who to mate with, who is dangerous, and better ways to manage their environment. If population density declines, it’s harder for members of that cohort to interact. As fewer members meet and mate, their culture may begin to degrade, exacerbating the loss of population. As this becomes a vicious cycle, it further threatens species that are already endangered.

Researchers in this study demonstrated this phenomenon with an endangered species of songbird, the regent honeyeater. They examined two populations of birds in Australia’s greater Blue Mountains and Northern Tablelands in New South Wales. Both populations are in severe decline, and only 200-400 are thought to remain in the wild. Using historical recordings, citizen science, and breeding data, they assessed the impacts of this decline on song culture, song complexity, and individual bird fitness. These birds have a particular song culture that varies regionally.

Young male regent honeyeaters learn their region’s songs from males that are not related to them. But if they can’t find suitable tutors, they learn songs from other species in their area. Typically, they produce three distinct calls. There is a soft ‘mewing’ call, an alarm call, and a very distinctive song. Analysis of the data, gathered from July 2015 to December 2019, showed dramatic differences in song production in wild males. Over a quarter (27%) sang songs different from the cultural norm in the region. Indeed, 12% of males didn’t sing any species-specific songs at all, instead singing songs from other species. These males lived in areas of particularly low population density.

This is problematic because males who sang atypical songs were less likely to pair or nest than their counterparts who sang as expected. Less mating leads to fewer offspring, further reducing the birds’ population. Thus, the loss of culture may be a precursor to extinction for animals whose numbers are threatened and who rely on other members of their species to learn behavioral norms. 

While this study focuses on a rare songbird, it offers broad lessons in how animal culture links to conservation. When considering the needs of wildlife, we tend to focus on things like habitat and food availability. But there’s obviously more to it. Advocates can use this article as an example of how conservation efforts must consider a wide range of factors. Animals don’t live in silos, and our advocacy must take that into account.