Plasticity of Vocal Signals and Interactions

The flexibility of communication systems is crucial for their adaptation to fluctuating environments. We are studying how birds (and other vertebrates) adjust the properties of their vocal signals in response to changes in the biotic and abiotic environment and how their vocal repertoires are shaped though vocal learning. A particular focus is on vocal plasticity to mitigate communication constraints. Indeed, all communication systems are inherently noisy and this noise is key to understand the way how animals communicate. We approach this topic from different angles, including physiology, bioacoustics, and mathematical modelling.