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Structure and Function of the Avian Ear

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Comparative Studies of Hearing in Vertebrates

Part of the book series: Proceedings in Life Sciences ((LIFE SCIENCES))

Abstract

There is much behavioral and neurophysiological data on the auditory system of members of the class Ave but considerably less data regarding the structure and function of their receptor organs. The auditory discrimination capacities of avian species and their responses to “biologically relevant” sounds have been worked out in considerable detail. The audibility curves of the passerines and nonpasserines fall close to those of man (Dooling, Chapter 9; Dooling 1975b), while pigeons are now known to be sensitive to infrasound (Yodlowski, Kreithen, and Keeton 1977). The vocal frequency range of song birds tends to exceed the highest best frequency response of auditory neurons (Konishi 1969, Sachs and Simmott 1978). The response of the pigeon’s auditory neuron does not appear to be qualitatively different from those of the mammal’s (Sachs, Lewis, and Young 1974, Sachs, Woolf, and Sinnott, Chapter 11). Song birds are particularly interesting since they tend to respond to “biologically relevant” sounds (Dooling 1978, Leppelsack 1978, Scheich 1977) and also share with man an aptitude for vocal learning (Bullock 1977, Nottebohm, Konishi, Hillyard, and Marler 1972, Karten 1968, Konishi 1963).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, 321-02, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan

    Nozomu Saito

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  1. Nozomu Saito
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, Georgetown University, 3900 Reservoir Road, N. W., 20007, Washington, D.C., USA

    Arthur N. Popper

  2. Department of Psychology and Parmly Hearing Institute, Loyola University of Chicago, 6525 North Sheridan Road, 60626, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Richard R. Fay

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© 1980 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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Saito, N. (1980). Structure and Function of the Avian Ear. In: Popper, A.N., Fay, R.R. (eds) Comparative Studies of Hearing in Vertebrates. Proceedings in Life Sciences. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8074-0_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8074-0_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-8076-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-8074-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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