Syntactic modulation of rhythm in Australian pied butcherbird song. Issue 9 (28th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xing, Jeffrey; Sainburg, Tim; Taylor, Hollis; Gentner, Timothy Q.
• Is Part Of: Royal Society open science. Volume 9:Issue 9(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09-28
• Subjects: animal communication -- birdsong -- song complexity -- Australian pied butcherbird -- syntax -- rhythm; Science -- Periodicals; 500
• DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220704
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2054-5703

Abstract

Abstract : The acoustic structure of birdsong is spectrally and temporally complex. Temporal complexity is often investigated in a syntactic framework focusing on the statistical features of symbolic song sequences. Alternatively, temporal patterns can be investigated in a rhythmic framework that focuses on the relative timing between song elements. Here, we investigate the merits of combining both frameworks by integrating syntactic and rhythmic analyses of Australian pied butcherbird ( Cracticus nigrogularis ) songs, which exhibit organized syntax and diverse rhythms. We show that rhythms of the pied butcherbird song bouts in our sample are categorically organized and predictable by the song's first-order sequential syntax. These song rhythms remain categorically distributed and strongly associated with the first-order sequential syntax even after controlling for variance in note length, suggesting that the silent intervals between notes induce a rhythmic structure on note sequences. We discuss the implication of syntactic–rhythmic relations as a relevant feature of song complexity with respect to signals such as human speech and music, and advocate for a broader conception of song complexity that takes into account syntax, rhythm, and their interaction with other acoustic and perceptual features.