BACS data Soha et al

This data set includes measurements of trill phrases sung by Bachman's sparrows (BACS), data on trill type sharing, trill type use rates per bird, and geographic distances between birds. Project summary: song phrases that are difficult for songbirds to sing well can indicate singing ability and thus communicate singer quality. Trill phrases, containing repetitions of one syllable type, are an example: it is difficult for birds to repeat broad-band syllables rapidly. We examined whether it is also hard for birds to sing particularly difficult trills consistently, and we found evidence for this in BACS. We also found that more difficult trills are shared by more males, individuals sing their most consistent trills more often, and in many cases two males differ in trill performance across their shared trill types. These findings suggest that trill performance might effectively signal male quality in BACS.