AUDITORY COMMUNICATION IN THE BLUE WAXBILLS URAEGINTHUS

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Abstract
Cantrell, M. A. & Evans, S. M. 1981. Auditory communication in the blue waxbills Uraeginthus. Ostrich 52:104-107. Field observations on the function of calls in the Redcheeked Cordon Bleu Uraeginthus bengalus, the Bluecapped Cordon Bleu U. cyanocephalus, and the Purple Grenadier U. (=Granatina) ianthinogaster were made in Kenya, East Africa. Individuals of all three species were usually seen in male-female pairs, and distinct calls were used to synchronize movement. Flight calls were made in rapid succession on take-off, but less frequently during flight. When birds on or near the ground became separated, repeated contact calls were used to locate and rejoin the partner. Alarm calls were rarely heard in the field, but usually originated from perched birds in relatively safe positions. Laboratory experiments on the reactions of solitary caged birds to playback of calls were conducted using male U. bengalus. Separate playbacks of contact and flight calls both elicited a series of contact calls from the “lost” individual. In addition, a strong tendency to move towards contact calls was observed, the experiment confirming field observations that this call is used to locate and rejoin a partner after separation. Feeding birds usually flew up to perches in response to alarm calls and their own vocalizations were considerably reduced. The paper examines the function of these calls in pair synchronization and predator avoidance.