Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Origin and Significance of the Power of Vocal Imitation: With Special Reference to the Antiphonal Singing of Birds

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Thorpe, W. H., Learning and Instinct in Animals, second ed., 464 (Methuen, London, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Andrew, R. J., Science, 137, 585 (1962).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lilly, J. C., Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc., 106, 520 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Konorski, J., Rozprawy Wydziatre Nauk Medycznych (Warsaw) R, 6–T 2, 11–32 (1963) (in Polish with summaries in Russian and English).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lade, B. I., and Thorpe, W. H., Nature, 202, 366 (1964).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Thorpe, W. H., Bird Song: The Biology of Vocal Communication and Expression in Birds (Camb. Univ. Press, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Waite, E. R., Nature, 68, 322 (1903).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Henschel, G., Nature, 67, 609 (1903).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Gwinner, E., and Kneutgen, J., Zeit. Tierpsychol., 19, 692 (1962).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Strassen, O. Zur, Verh. Deutsch. Zool. Ges. Freiburg (1952).

  11. Thorpe, W. H., Nature, 197, 774 (1963).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. North, Myles E. W., Ibis, 92, 99 (1950).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Grimes, L., Ibis, 107, 101 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hudson, W. H., The Naturalist in La Plata (London, 1892).

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

THORPE, W., NORTH, M. Origin and Significance of the Power of Vocal Imitation: With Special Reference to the Antiphonal Singing of Birds. Nature 208, 219–222 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/208219a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/208219a0

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing