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Target-approaching behavior of barn owls (Tyto alba): influence of sound frequency

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Abstract

We studied the influence of frequency on sound localization in free-flying barn owls by quantifying aspects of their target-approaching behavior to a distant sound source during ongoing auditory stimulation. In the baseline condition with a stimulus covering most of the owls hearing range (1–10 kHz), all owls landed within a radius of 20 cm from the loudspeaker in more than 80% of the cases and localization along the azimuth was more accurate than localization in elevation. When the stimulus contained only high frequencies (>5 kHz) no changes in striking behavior were observed. But when only frequencies from 1 to 5 kHz were presented, localization accuracy and precision decreased. In a second step we tested whether a further border exists at 2.5 kHz as suggested by optimality models. When we compared striking behavior for a stimulus having energy from 2.5 to 5 kHz with a stimulus having energy between 1 and 2.5 kHz, no consistent differences in striking behavior were observed. It was further found that pre-takeoff latency was longer for the latter stimulus than for baseline and that center frequency was a better predictor for landing precision than stimulus bandwidth. These data fit well with what is known from head-turning studies and from neurophysiology.

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Abbreviations

BW:

Bandwidth

CF:

Center frequency

EMV:

Ellipsoid mean vector

IC:

Inferior colliculus

ILD:

Interaural level difference

ITD:

Interaural time difference

KS:

Kolmogorov–Smirnov test

KS2D2S:

Kolmogorov–Smirnov 2 dimensions 2 samples test

SD:

Standard deviation

SPL:

Sound pressure level

2D:

2-Dimensional

3D:

3-Dimensional

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Michael Schiek (FZ Juelich) for helpful discussions and suggestions concerning the statistics.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Dennis T. T. Plachta

    Present address: IMTEK, Institut für Mikrosystemtechnik, Lehrstuhl für Biomedizinische Mikrotechnik, Georges-Köhler-Allee 102, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

  2. Peter Bremen & Robert F. van der Willigen

    Present address: Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radbound University Nijmegen, Geert Grooteplein 21, 6525 EZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe Str. 15, 52056, Aachen, Germany

    Martin Singheiser, Dennis T. T. Plachta, Sandra Brill, Peter Bremen, Robert F. van der Willigen & Hermann Wagner

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  1. Martin Singheiser
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Singheiser.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Online Resource 1 This movie illustrates the target approaching behavior of the owls inside the flight room. The owl is sitting on the perch waiting for the presentation of the signal. When the stimulus is presented, the owl turns its head and takes off. In a straight flight path, it approaches the target speaker (dark spot in the front) and lands on it. After approaching, the owl turns around, waiting for the LED to be switched on as a “Go-back” signal (MP4 673 kb)

Online Resource 2 This movie shows the same trial as Online Resource 1 but in slow motion (5 frames/s) (MP4 1172 kb)

Online Resource 3 This movie shows the flight back to the perch. The owl is waiting on the target unless a small LED above the perch is turned on. The reflections of the LED can be seen on the small table behind the perch. When the “Go-back” signal is given, the owl immediately returns to the perch and awaits the experimenter to enter the flight room and rewarding the owl (MP4 397 kb)

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Singheiser, M., Plachta, D.T.T., Brill, S. et al. Target-approaching behavior of barn owls (Tyto alba): influence of sound frequency. J Comp Physiol A 196, 227–240 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-010-0508-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-010-0508-6

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