[A study on location of vocalization centres in hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)]

Vocal-control nuclei in hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) were studied by HRP retrograde tracing and electrophysiological methods. Vocal control centres in hawfinch consist of four discrete nuclei. Hyperstriatum ventral, pars caudale (HVc) is the highest nucleus, with its efferent fibers projecting to the rubust nucleus of archistriatum (RA), which in turn projects to the nucleus intercollicularis (ICo) of midbrain and the nucleus intermedius (IM) of medulla oblongata IM innervating vocal organ (syrinx) also receives input from ICo. The both vocal control pathways are not strictly unilateral. ICo plays a relative independent role in vocal control. The stereotaxic coordinates for HVc RA, ICo, IM are tabulated in Table 2.