The ontogeny of antiphonal calling in European starlings

The ontogeny of antiphonal calling was studied in free-living European starlings. Nestlings participate in three types of vocal exchanges: (1) Broodmates exchange calls while the parents are away; (2) parents and nestlings exchange calls during feeding; (3) nestlings exchange calls with parents approaching from a distance. Analysis of the temporal patterning of vocal interactions revealed call alternation and avoidance of acoustic overlap in exchanges of the first and third types. The antiphonal exchanges between parents and young develop shortly before fledgling and appear to help family groups maintain contact after the young have left the nest. Early antiphonal exchanges between broodmates are as smooth as later ones between parents and chicks, suggesting that chicks quickly attain proficiency at antiphonal interactions and do not rely on an adult partner to maintain the pattern. There are parallels with the development of vocal turn-taking in human infants.