Multisensory Enhancement in Dove Courtship Signals
Poster Presentation

Sarah Partan
University of South Florida, Department of Psychology

     Abstract ID Number: 150
     Full text: Not available
     Last modified: March 21, 2005
     Presentation date: 06/07/2005 11:30 AM in MART Auditorium
     (View Schedule)

Abstract
During natural communication, multiple signals from different sensory channels can enhance, diminish, or have no effect on one another when they are produced simultaneously. Multisensory auditory and visual signals are important in avian courtship behavior, but less is known about how the signal components from the two sensory channels interact and which channel is relied upon more. Here we use audio and video playback methods to test the relative salience of each signal channel in the pigeon (Columba livia). We use videotaped male pigeon courtship behavior as stimuli and assess behavioral reactions of females to silent video, audio alone, the combination of video and audio stimuli, and a control video of an empty cage. Females responded to the test presentations by watching, circling, tail spreading, and cooing. Considered alone, the audio channel was consistently more evocative of female response than was the visual channel alone, particularly for female cooing responses. Together, however, the multisensory audio/visual signal was more effective than either component alone at eliciting typical female courtship responses. Audiovisual courtship behavior of these male pigeons is therefore considered an example of multisensory enhancement, in which the combination of signal channels functions to increase the impact of the communication signal.