The Variability and Spatial Distribution of Chaffinch Songs (Fringilla coelebs) in Moscow

Abstract

Habitat fragmentation has a diverse impact on songbird populations, affecting their spatial structure and demographic parameters. The influence of fragmentation on the song differentiation processes has not been studied sufficiently. In 2014 and 2015, we studied the variability and spatial distribution of chaffinch songs in city parks of Moscow, which is one of the largest megacities in the world, covering an area of 870 km². Recordings were made at 22 points located almost throughout the city; 763 male songs were recorded (≥26 males at each point). The complete catalogue of vocalizations recorded in the studied territory contains 42 song variants, including a total of 70 different types of low-level vocal components. No distinct patterns in the spatial distribution of Moscow song types were revealed. The Moscow city population of chaffinches proved to be bioacoustically homogeneous despite its occupying a considerable territory and having significant size variations in its habitats. The degree of differences between the chaffinch group repertoires in various places in Moscow does not depend on the distance between these points. A comparison of the Moscow population repertoire with that from Kursk oblast and Ukraine revealed a wide distribution of certain song types and showed that the extent of their ranges can reach 1000 km.