Abstract
Sex and individual recognition systems vary among species and can have various functions in different contexts. In order to determine the basis of identification by voice in the Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), the greeting calls of 32 individuals (18 males and 14 females) were recorded in May–June 2004 on the Kittiwake colony of Hornøya island (Barents sea) and analysed. On the basis of coefficient of variation calculations and discriminant analyses, we show (1) that calls are sexually dimorphic and that the dimorphism is mainly based on the value of the fundamental frequency, and (2) that calls are individually distinct, individuality being due to a complex of temporal and frequency parameters located in different parts of the signal. This coding strategy is discussed in the context of the colonial breeding habitat of the species.
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Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Rob Barrett, Kjell Einar Erikstad, Julien Gasparini, Karen McCoy, Audrey Simon and Torkild Tveraa for their help at various stages of the work. Financial support was provided by the French Polar Institute (IPEV, programme 333). We also thank Fylkes mannen i Finnmark and Kystverket for allowing us to carry out work on Hornøya. At last, we thank two anonymous referees for comments and suggestions.
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Aubin, T., Mathevon, N., Staszewski, V. et al. Acoustic communication in the Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla: potential cues for sexual and individual signatures in long calls. Polar Biol 30, 1027–1033 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0262-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0262-6