Data for: Genetic composition is not related to song content in a wild passerine

Here, we investigate whether song similarity among males reflects their genome-wide genetic similarity in the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis), a migratory passerine with complex and variable songs, drawing on 15 years of song recordings and extensive SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) data. While accounting for geographic and temporal separation, we could not find strong evidence that male song similarity is associated with genome-wide genetic similarity. Moreover, males belonging to the same genetic cluster did not seem to produce more similar songs than those from distinct clusters. Additionally, genetic distance was unrelated to geographic or temporal distance, and we found no evidence that geographic proximity predicts song similarity. Instead, song content similarity decreased with increasing temporal separation between recordings, consistent with cultural evolution. Together, these findings indicate that biologically relevant song features are primarily shaped by cultural processes rather than genetic architecture, enabling rapid adaptation to environmental changes.