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A cost-effective Raspberry Pi-based operant playback setup to evaluate auditory preferences in songbirds.

Prateek K Sahu1, Alexandra D Garcia1, Katharine H Stenstrom1

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2R3, Canada.

Behavioural Processes
|September 24, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a low-cost audio playback system for studying bird song preferences. This Raspberry Pi-based system allows birds to choose songs, but no preference for conspecific over heterospecific songs was found in this study.

Keywords:
Automated behavioural testingOpen-source hardwareRaspberry PiSong preferences

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Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior
  • Bioacoustics
  • Cognitive neuroscience

Background:

  • Song preference is crucial for cognitive processes and learning in songbirds.
  • Traditional lab equipment for measuring song preference is expensive and inaccessible.
  • Low-cost, do-it-yourself (DIY) equipment is increasingly used in research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a cost-effective operant audio playback system using a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W.
  • To assess black-capped chickadees' preference between conspecific and heterospecific songs using the new system.

Main Methods:

  • Constructed an affordable operant audio playback system with Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W and open-source software.
  • Used a perch-hopping mechanism for birds to self-select acoustic stimuli.
  • Recorded bird behavior automatically during a conspecific-heterospecific song preference task.

Main Results:

  • The system successfully engaged birds, validating its functionality for preference testing.
  • No significant preference was found for conspecific (black-capped chickadee) songs over heterospecific (white-throated sparrow) songs in the tested sample.
  • Individual variation in preference dynamics suggests factors like age or experience may play a role.

Conclusions:

  • The developed operant audio playback system is a cost-effective alternative to commercial equipment for studying animal acoustic preferences.
  • While this study did not find a clear song preference, the system's validation opens avenues for future research on factors influencing preference.
  • Further research is needed to explore reasons for the lack of preference, such as environmental factors or stimulus novelty.