Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

Summer 7-15-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

August 2026

Department

Biological Sciences

College Granting Degree

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Department Granting Degree

Biological Sciences

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Rindy C. Anderson

Abstract

While humans have the most complex vocal communication system, many of the features that make human language so intricate can be found in other taxa. One building block of language commonly studied in animal communication is syntax, or the organization of vocalizations. Birds, wolves, and cetaceans all display complex vocal signaling that utilizes syntax. Understanding how syntax functions in different taxa can help illuminate the evolution and development of human language and the role it plays in social cognition. The Bachman’s sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) is a species of songbird that utilizes syntax in the form of preferred transitions between different song types. Previous studies of this species have documented that these syntax patterns are highly shared at the population level, but no research has addressed the function of these patterns or the degree to which they are learned. The literature surrounding syntax usage in animal communication contains seemingly conflicting information about the degree to which birds utilize syntax. A major source of the debate is due to inconsistencies in how vii key terminology is used and the differences between phonological and lexical syntax. I proposed two new terms to better describe the syntactic structure found in birdsong: sequential syntax and dialectic syntax. I investigated the function of syntax in wild sparrows by testing for a relationship between morphological features and vocal complexity. I quantified several different measures of complexity, including the length of syntactic sequences, the number of three-song sequences (trigrams) sung during broadcast singing, and the overall repertoire size of the sparrows. I found a nearsignificant relationship between beak surface area and trigram count. In a second study, I conducted a laboratory-rearing study with Bachman’s sparrows to document how syntax patterns are learned during vocal development. This was the first lab-rearing study performed on this species and provided several key insights on song learning in sparrows, but most notably, a lack of syntax utilization in the lab-reared sparrows, and low sharing of sequences among males. The results of my dissertation provide novel insights into the function and development of syntax in songbirds and may inform future research in this field.

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