ABS Media Information

Name that tune: call discrimination and individual recognition in Magellanic penguins

We explored individual recognition and call discrimination in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) through several playback experiments and demonstrate that both adults and chicks can discriminate between calls. We played male ecstatic display calls to incubating females and, later, their mates. Females responded more strongly to their mate’s calls than to calls of neighbours and strangers. Males, however, responded similarly to their own calls and those of neighbours and strangers. We also played mutual display calls to pair members during incubation and, later, to their unattended chicks. Adults responded more strongly to their own call than that of a stranger pair. Chicks responded more strongly to their parent’s calls than to strangers’ calls. We found several factors that correlated strongly with response strength: longer-mated females responded less strongly to their mate’s call, males responded more strongly later in the season, and chicks responded less strongly at higher temperatures.

---

---

---