ИСТИНА

Bird song variation within the species range is often discussed in relation to the concept of vocal dialects. No less intriguing than dialects is retention of vocalization elements or even complex vocal constructs (songs) over extensive ranges. We studied geographical and population differentiation of advertising song in birds with discrete and continuous types of song organization, different repertoire size and configuration of areas. Blyth’s reed warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum) has compact range. Individual vocal repertoires of males include 30 to 104 song types. The similarity of song repertoires between different populations is related to the distance between them, but no such relationship has been revealed for the repertoires of individual males within the same population. Many song types are widespread almost throughout the species range from the Moscow region to the Ural Mountains. Studying of secondary contact zones of Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) - a species with simple song and huge range proves, what even essential distinctions in the song do not prevent a hybridization. Greenish Warbler (Phylloscopus trochiloides) is a classical example of a ring speciation in birds, but we revealed that in the zone of sympatry in the West Sayan the convergence of acoustic characteristics of the eastern and western forms take place. On an example of some Siberian and Sakhalin populations of Dusky (Phylloscopus fuscatus), Radde’s (Ph. schwarzi) and Pallas’s (Ph. proregulus) warblers we have compared vocalization on opposite (western and eastern) parts of their extensive areas. Factors and mechanisms that can contribute to the formation of the vocal culture in the populations of nightingales (Luscinia luscinia and L. megarhynchos) are discussed.