Sequence structure mining, white browed sparrow weaver

This dataset contains data for sequence analysis described in the
paper: “Lemazina et al., (2021) The multifaceted vocal duets of
White-browed sparrow weavers are based on complex duetting rules. Journal
of Avian Biology, doi: 10.1111/jav.02703”.  In our study, we
recorded duet songs produced by six wild P. mahali pairs in South
Africa. Our study further reveals the existence of answering rules in
P. mahali, adhered to by both sexes. Even though answering rules
can be shared between pairs of different colonies, pair-specificity in
ordering of syllable types within the most commonly used duet trains
exists. Most importantly, we found that a single answering rule was never
used twice in one P. mahali duet song, but answering rules switched
constantly, which contrasts the song structure in this species with the
song structure of most other duetting bird species studied so far. For
sequence analysis, we used KOE (https://koe.io.ac.nz). Koe discoveres
commonly-occurring transitions between syllables in a database using the
cSPADE (constrained Sequential Pattern Discovery using Equivalence
classes) algorithm (Zaki 2001). The credibility of sequence rules is
asserted via the following factors: Support (proportion of songs in the
database that contain a certain sequence at least once), Confidence
(strength of association; the proportion of songs containing the syllable
A that also contain the sequence A⇒B), and Lift (measure of the strength
of the association relative to chance; ratio of the proportion of songs in
which the transition A⇒B occurred versus the proportion of songs expected
to contain the transition A⇒B by chance). Chain length referees to the
number of items in the current squence, while Count refers to the
occurance number of each particular sequence. Our study further reveals
the existence of answering rules in P. mahali, adhered to by both
sexes. Even though answering rules can be shared between pairs of
different colonies, pair-specificity in ordering of syllable types within
the most commonly used duet trains exists. Most importantly, we found that
a single answering rule was never used twice in one P. mahali duet song,
but answering rules switched constantly, which contrasts the song
structure in this species with the song structure of most other duetting
bird species studied so far.