Among songbirds with large song‐type repertoires, there may be functional variation in how individuals organize and display song‐type diversity over time. Past studies focusing on conventional measures of song production have been extremely productive. However, network analysis offers a novel set of tools to quantify additional, previously unstudied elements of song organization and display. We studied protracted bouts of singing by 10 male House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) to (1) test functional hypotheses of variation in song diversity in this species, and (2) evaluate the utility of network metrics in such research. Our analysis included a variety of conventional measures of song production and several standard metrics from network theory to quantify how variably the many song types in a male’s repertoire could be connected to one another and the limitations or diversity of their song sequences. Analysis of conventional variables showed that males produced more and longer songs, at shorter intervals, containing more syllables and more different syllable types, and also more different song types, prior to than after pairing and early in the morning regardless of breeding stage. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that song diversity functions in mate attraction and possibly in territory signaling. In contrast, analyses of network metrics revealed variety in song sequencing by males, but comparatively few and weak effects associated with either breeding stage or time of day. Overall, most song types connected to only a few others and a relatively small proportion of all possible song‐type transitions actually occurred. Hence, much of the variety in song sequencing that was possible with the large song repertoires of males was not realized. The latter outcomes, brought to light via network analyses, highlight an important paradox for future research on this and related species with large song repertoires.

中文翻译：

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常规和网络分析，在北部House Wrens（Troglodytes aedon parkmanii）中对歌曲的组织和复杂性进行分析

在具有大量歌曲类型曲目的歌曲鸟中，个体随时间的组织和显示歌曲类型多样性的功能可能会有所不同。过去专注于传统歌曲制作方法的研究成果卓著。但是，网络分析提供了一套新颖的工具来量化歌曲组织和显示的其他先前未研究的元素。我们研究了10位男性House Wrens（Troglodytes aedon）（1）测试该物种歌曲多样性变化的功能假设，以及（2）评估网络指标在此类研究中的实用性。我们的分析包括各种常规的歌曲制作方法，以及来自网络理论的若干标准指标，以量化男性曲目中许多歌曲类型之间如何可变地相互联系以及其歌曲序列的局限性或多样性。对常规变量的分析表明，雄性在配对之前和清晨与育种阶段相比，在配对之前和清晨，在较短的间隔内产生更多和更长的歌曲，包含更多的音节和更多不同的音节类型，以及更多不同的歌曲类型。这些结果与歌曲多样性在伴侣吸引中并且可能在区域信号中起作用的假设相一致。相比之下，对网络指标的分析显示，男性在歌曲排序方面存在差异，但与繁殖阶段或一天中的时间相关的影响相对较小且较弱。总体而言，大多数歌曲类型仅与少数几个其他类型相关联，并且实际上发生了所有可能的歌曲类型转换的相对较小的比例。因此，在歌曲排序方面的许多变化都没有实现，而这可能是男性歌曲曲目众多的情况。通过网络分析揭示了后者的结果，突显了一个重要的悖论，该悖论是未来对该歌以及拥有大量歌曲曲目的相关物种进行研究的重要悖论。大多数歌曲类型仅与少数几个其他类型相关，并且实际上在所有可能的歌曲类型转换中只占相对较小的比例。因此，在歌曲排序方面的许多变化都没有实现，而这可能是男性歌曲曲目众多的情况。通过网络分析揭示了后者的结果，突显了一个重要的悖论，它是未来对该歌以及拥有大量歌曲曲目的相关物种进行研究的重要悖论。大多数歌曲类型仅与少数几个其他类型相关，并且实际上在所有可能的歌曲类型转换中只占相对较小的比例。因此，在歌曲排序方面的许多变化都没有实现，而这可能是男性歌曲曲目众多的情况。通过网络分析揭示了后者的结果，突显了一个重要的悖论，它是未来对该歌以及拥有大量歌曲曲目的相关物种进行研究的重要悖论。