Data from: Female zebra finches prefer the songs of males who quickly solve a novel foraging task to the songs of males unable to solve the task
Data files
Jun 19, 2021 version files 21.81 KB
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Dryad_Data_Females_Prefer.xlsx
Abstract
Methods
Cognition data: zebra finch males were given a novel foraging task in which they learned to remove plastic lids from baited wells in a plastic block. The overall task was broken down into five stages: (1) just the block, (2) lids placed adjacent to wells, (3) lids half-covering wells, (4) lids tipped into wells, and (5) lids completely covering wells. To pass a trial, birds had to eat from at least two baited wells out of four in under two minutes, and to pass a stage, birds had to pass three out of four consecutive trials. The data presented are the number of trials it took each male to pass each stage, three being the minimum. If birds did not complete a stage within sixty trials, they were pulled from testing and designated Non-Solvers.
Stimulus data: songs were recorded from six of the fastest Solvers and six Non-Solvers. These songs were analyzed for length, number of phrases, average length per phrase, average elements per phrase, and number of unique elements per song. Data on male cognitive performance and song analysis is presented here.
Female preference: female zebra finches were presented with different pairs of songs in operant conditioning chambers. Data is presented here from the initial training period, in which females were presented with pairs of conspecific and heterospecific songs, and from the testing period, in which females were presented with Solver and Non-Solver song. Within the operant conditioning chamber, a hop on one designated perch would trigger one song, and a hop on the other perch would trigger the other song. The number of hops that triggered each song type is presented here.
For more detailed methods, please see the main article.