2 research outputs found
Vaux’s Swift migratory connectivity
No full textPopulations of Vaux’s Swift (Chaetura vauxi), like those of many aerial insectivores, are rapidly declining. Determining
when and where populations are limited across the annual cycle is important for their conservation. Establishing the
linkages between wintering and breeding sites and the strength of the connections between them is a necessary first
step. In this study, we analyzed 3 stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H) from feathers collected during spring migration from
Vaux’s Swifts that perished during a stopover on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. We previously analyzed
claw tissue (grown during winter) from the same individuals, revealing that the swifts likely wintered in 2 or 3 locations/
habitats. Here, we used stable isotope analysis of flight feathers presumed to have been grown on, or near, the breeding
grounds to determine the likely previous breeding locations and presumed destinations for the swifts. Stable isotope
values (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H) showed no meaningful variation between age classes, sexes, or with body size. Surprisingly, ~26%
of the birds sampled had feather isotope values that were not consistent with growth on their breeding grounds. For the
remaining birds, assigned breeding origins appeared most consistent with molt origins on Vancouver Island. Overall, migratory connectivity of this population was relatively weak (rM = 0.07). However, the degree of connectivity depended on
how many winter clusters were analyzed; the 2-cluster solution suggested no significant connectivity, but the 3-cluster
solution suggested weak connectivity. It is still unclear whether low migratory connectivity observed for Vaux’s Swift and
other aerial insectivores may make their populations more or less vulnerable to habitat loss; therefore, further efforts
should be directed to assessing whether aerial insectivores may be habitat limited throughout the annual cycle.Peer reviewedarticlespublishedVaux’s Swiftaerial insectivoresChaetura vauximigrationmigratory connectivitypopulation declinesstable isotopesstopove
Color and texture associations in voice-induced synesthesia
No full textVoice-induced synesthesia, a form of synesthesia in which synesthetic perceptions are induced by the sounds of people's voices, appears to be relatively rare and has not been systematically studied. In this study we investigated the synesthetic color and visual texture perceptions experienced in response to different types of “voice quality” (e.g., nasal, whisper, falsetto). Experiences of three different groups—self-reported voice synesthetes, phoneticians, and controls—were compared using both qualitative and quantitative analysis in a study conducted online. Whilst, in the qualitative analysis, synesthetes used more color and texture terms to describe voices than either phoneticians or controls, only weak differences, and many similarities, between groups were found in the quantitative analysis. Notable consistent results between groups were the matching of higher speech fundamental frequencies with lighter and redder colors, the matching of “whispery” voices with smoke-like textures, and the matching of “harsh” and “creaky” voices with textures resembling dry cracked soil. These data are discussed in the light of current thinking about definitions and categorizations of synesthesia, especially in cases where individuals apparently have a range of different synesthetic inducers
