Individual Variation in Songs of Dark-Eyed Juncos

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Abstract
The song repertoire of 10 dark-eyed juncos [Junco hyemalis] at Carmel Highlands, Monterey County, California [USA] is described and compared with that of dark-eyed juncos from Berkeley, California, and yellow-eye juncos [J. phaeonotus] from Durango, Mexico. Each individual in the Highlands population had a repertoire of 3-7 song types. Most songs were monosyllabic consisting of 1 repeated syllable, but some were multisyllabic. Each bird had some song types that were unique, but each also shared syllables and song types with other individuals in this population. Most individuals'' repertoires were stable over time. Most song types were highly stereotyped. A number of dialectal differences exist between the Durango, Berkeley, and Highlands juncos. The Highlands juncos share syllables and song types. Durango and Berkeley juncos do not. The Highland juncos are intermediate between the Durango and Berkeley juncos in many respects, notably in the number of multisyllabic songs making up individual repertoires. The Highlands juncos are more similar to Berkeley juncos than they are to Durango juncos. A number of unusual song types and singing patterns are noted including 1 definite case of interspecific mimicry and 1 case of an individual singing subsong as a normal song types.

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