Data from: A minimum-impact, flexible tool to study vocal communication of small animals with precise individual-level resolution

1.To understand both proximate and ultimate factors shaping vocal
communication, it is fundamental to obtain reliable information of
participating individuals on different levels: Firstly, it is necessary to
separate and assign the individuals’ vocalisations. Secondly, the precise
timing of vocal events needs to be retained. Thirdly, vocal behaviour
should be recorded from undisturbed animals in meaningful settings. A
growing number of studies used animal-attached microphones to tackle these
issues, but the implications for the study species and the research
question often receded into the background. Here we aim to initiate a
discussion about the limitations, possible applications and the broader
potential of such methods. 2. Using lightweight wireless microphone
backpacks (0.75 g including customised leg-loop harness) combined with
multi-channel recording equipment we captured vocal behaviour of small
songbirds. We evaluated the effect of the devices at various levels,
including an assessment of how vocal and locomotor activities were
affected by initial device attachment and battery exchange. We compared
our approach to existing studies and identified suitable research
examples. 3. We acquired continuous vocalisation recordings of zebra
finches, and unequivocally assigned them to interacting individuals, with
system-based synchrony, irrespective of background noise. We found effects
of initial backpack attachment and of battery replacement on vocal and
locomotor activity, but they were minimised through the extended recording
duration (ca. 16 days) that outlasted habituation effects (ca. 3 days). 4.
This method provides the tools to integrate individual vocal
communications into a group setting, while enabling animals to behave
freely in undisturbed, structured and acoustically complex environments.
By minimising the effects on the animals, the behaviour under study, and
ultimately on the research question, this approach will revolutionize the
ability to capture individual-level vocalisations in a variety of
communication contexts, opening up many new opportunities to address novel
research questions.