song

A comparison of vocalisations between mainland tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae) and Chatham Island tui (P. n. chathamensis)

Vocalisations are important for territorial defence, mate attraction, and species recognition in many songbirds. Comparative studies on the songs of birds between islands and mainland populations provide insight into the evolution of vocal communication in terms of both ecological and social factors. We compared the vocalisations of tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae), an endemic honeyeater from New Zealand’s mainland, with those of a subspecies from the remote Chatham Islands (P. n. chathamensis).