Behaviourally driven gene expression reveals song nuclei in hummingbird brain.

dc.contributor.author

Jarvis, ED

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Ribeiro, S

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da Silva, ML

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Ventura, D

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Vielliard, J

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Mello, CV

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England

dc.date.accessioned

2015-12-19T13:45:44Z

dc.date.issued

2000-08-10

dc.description.abstract

Hummingbirds have developed a wealth of intriguing features, such as backwards flight, ultraviolet vision, extremely high metabolic rates, nocturnal hibernation, high brain-to-body size ratio and a remarkable species-specific diversity of vocalizations. Like humans, they have also developed the rare trait of vocal learning, this being the ability to acquire vocalizations through imitation rather than instinct. Here we show, using behaviourally driven gene expression in freely ranging tropical animals, that the forebrain of hummingbirds contains seven discrete structures that are active during singing, providing the first anatomical and functional demonstration of vocal nuclei in hummingbirds. These structures are strikingly similar to seven forebrain regions that are involved in vocal learning and production in songbirds and parrots--the only other avian orders known to be vocal learners. This similarity is surprising, as songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds are thought to have evolved vocal learning and associated brain structures independently, and it indicates that strong constraints may influence the evolution of forebrain vocal nuclei.

dc.identifier

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10949303

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0028-0836

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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/11215

dc.language

eng

dc.publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

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Nature

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10.1038/35020570

dc.subject

Animals

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Biological Evolution

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Birds

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Brain

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Brain Mapping

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DNA-Binding Proteins

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Feeding Behavior

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Gene Expression Regulation

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Prosencephalon

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Transcription Factors

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Vocalization, Animal

dc.title

Behaviourally driven gene expression reveals song nuclei in hummingbird brain.

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Journal article

pubs.author-url

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10949303

pubs.begin-page

628

pubs.end-page

632

pubs.issue

6796

pubs.organisational-group

Basic Science Departments

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Duke

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Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

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Institutes and Provost's Academic Units

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Neurobiology

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School of Medicine

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University Institutes and Centers

pubs.publication-status

Published

pubs.volume

406

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