A statistical method for quantifying songbird phonology and syntax

作者：Wu Wei^*; Thompson John A; Bertram Richard; Johnson Frank

来源：Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 2008, 174(1): 147-154.

DOI：10.1016/j.jneumeth.2008.06.033

• Kullback-Leibler distance
• zebra finch
• syllable phonology
• syllable syntax
• song similarity
• acoustic features
• vocal plasticity
• vocal development

Songbirds are the preeminent animal model for understanding how the brain encodes and produces learned vocalizations. Here, we report a new statistical method, the Kullback-Leibler (K-L) distance, for analyzing vocal change over time. First, we use a computerized recording system to capture all song syllables produced by birds each day. Sound Analysis Pro software [Tchernichovski O, Nottebohm F, Ho CE, Pesaran B, Mitra PR A procedure for an automated measurement of song similarity. Anim Behav 2000;59:1167-76] is then used to measure the duration of each syllable as well as four spectral features: pitch, entropy, frequency modulation, and pitch goodness. Next, two-dimensional scatter plots of each day of singing are created where syllable duration is on the x-axis and each of the spectral features is represented separately on the y-axis. Each point in the scatter plots represents one syllable and we regard these plots as random samples from a probability distribution. We then apply the standard information-theoretic quantity K-L distance to measure dissimilarity in phonology across days of singing. A variant of this procedure can also be used to analyze differences in syllable syntax.

• 出版日期2008-9-15