Song variation in the Chiffchaff <i>Phylloscopus collybita</i>: Song parameters suitable for individual coding

Abstract

My study deals with general individual characteristics in songs of a passerine bird species Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), especially I examines the potential of these characteristics for application in acoustic monitoring of bird individuals. I have found that Chiffchaffs have individually distinct songs but unfortunately, song features I measured were not stable in time and hence they would not be suitable for long-term monitoring of individuals. My study suggests that acoustic individual recognition might be challenging in songbird species due to the complexity and plasticity of their song.