Review by Choice Review
A centerpiece of ethology, acoustic communication (especially in birds) provides important examples of evolution and speciation. The 1995 edition of this book has been widely cited, if not widely read. In this second edition, Catchpole (Univ. of London) and Slater (St. Andrews Univ., Scotland) incorporate many recent studies to enrich discussions of crucial communication topics. The first chapter covers the background, history, and nomenclature for the structure of bird vocalizations. The authors discuss the importance of structural details (e.g., frequency, duration, modulation) in communication and analysis. They also describe the dramatic evolution in recording and analytic equipment and technique. The following chapters discuss the anatomy and physiology of sound perception, including brain sexual dimorphism; song development and learning, including sensitive periods and many experimental approaches; and the communication and physics of sound transmission in various habitats. Later chapters address breeding cycle and hormone effects on singing and the "dawn chorus"; territoriality and song, including playback experiments; sexual selection and female choice; song functions and repertoire; and variation in space and time, including dialects. Although the book has a European bias, the authors provide a comprehensive and fair treatment of controversies. Bird Song is well referenced and clearly written; it provides good coverage of complex topics, though sometimes simplistically. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All libraries. J. Burger Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
