Vocal matching is used by many species for mating purposes, warning of danger, and general communication. This requires animals to control vocal response to match a sound that was previously heard. An example of this communication comes from the great tit, which songs consists of two elements that is repeated several times. This can be used for mating as males can hear the songs and migrate to the area of females.
Dolphins on the other hand have distinct whistle that they use in order to communicate. Although these whistles are individualized, they sometimes will copy the whistle of another which is seen to have a role is foraging behavior. Foraging is simple when one is in the search of food. It is seen that vocal matching requires the following: signal match, timing intervals, and non-random pattern. Signal match, although self-explanatory, depend on the perception and salience of signal parameters to the animal. A timing interval states that one animal elicits a calling response shortly after hearing a response from another animal.
The purpose of vocal matching is to direct vocalizations to a particular receiver and the reciprocal exchange of information on range. These can be studied using observational approaches, experimental approaches, and statistical approaches. Observational approaches are often seen between offspring and mothers in order to stay close or when calling for help. Experimental approaches is often used to understand the interactive features of signal exchanges. Finally, a statistical approach contains randomized testing that allows for the quantifying of findings.
Research is still being performed to understand vocal matchings, as well as the meaning behind different calls. In the future there is hope that we will understand more about the communication paths between animals.
King, S. L., & Mcgregor, P. K. (2016). Vocal matching: the what, the why and the how: Table 1. Biology Letters, 12(10), 20160666. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2016.0666
