Archaic Dialect of Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations
We studied the geographic variation of Chaffinch song in Ukraine since 2002. The most wide-spread dialects were described from Forest and Forest-Steppe zones and in the Carpathians. We supposed existence of specific song complexes with archaic features in forests of Steppe zone and found four ones i...
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| Опубліковано в: | Zoodiversity (Vestnik Zoologii) |
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| Дата: | 2021 |
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Zoodiversity| _version_ | 1874092678124142592 |
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| author | Yablonovska-Grishchenko, E. Grishchenko, V. N. |
| author_facet | Yablonovska-Grishchenko, E. Grishchenko, V. N. |
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"author": "E. Yablonovska-Grishchenko",
"institution": "National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv, Volodymyrska st., 60, Kyiv, 01033",
"orcid": "0000-0002-2594-4943"
},
{
"author": "V. N. Grishchenko",
"institution": null,
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] |
| author_orcid_str_mv | 0000-0002-2594-4943 |
| author_sort | Yablonovska-Grishchenko, E. |
| baseUrl_str | https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/oai |
| collection | OJS |
| container_end_page | 265–276 |
| container_issue | 3 |
| container_start_page | 265–276 |
| container_title | Zoodiversity (Vestnik Zoologii) |
| container_volume | 55 |
| datestamp_date | 2026-08-20T12:37:24Z |
| description | We studied the geographic variation of Chaffinch song in Ukraine since 2002. The most wide-spread dialects were described from Forest and Forest-Steppe zones and in the Carpathians. We supposed existence of specific song complexes with archaic features in forests of Steppe zone and found four ones including the dialect of Crimean Chaffinch F. c. solomkoi. One of them is located in the Lower-Dnieper Area. For its describing, we recorded 11 673 songs of 2008 males songs from 43 points of South Ukraine in 2004-2015. This dialect has compound spatial structure and connects with other dialects forming good-developed contact area with them. Its core placed in old forests of low stream of the Dnieper river. It has spread from them to the new forests of their outskirts. Complex was divided at level of dialect by cluster analysis. It include considerable number of original song types. Their elements and structure demonstrate archaic features similar with ones of other south complexes but more modern then old Carpathian and Danube dialects. It occupies middle position between them and modern dialects of Forest and Steppe-Forest Ukraine by structure of song, and is similar to dialect of Crimean Chaffinch and song complex of South-East Ukraine. |
| doi_str_mv | 10.15407/zoo2021.03.265 |
| first_indexed | 2025-07-17T12:35:07Z |
| format | Article |
| fulltext |
UDC UDC 598.296.1:78.083.4(477.63/.65)
ARCHAIC DIALECT OF CHAFFINCH, FRINGILLA COELEBS
(PASSERIFORMES, FRINGILLIDAE),
SONG IN THE LOWER-DNIPRO AREA (SOUTH UKRAINE)
AND ITS TERRITORIAL RELATIONS
E. D. Yablonovska-Grishchenko, V. N. Grishchenko
National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv,
Volodymyrska st., 60, Kyiv, 01033, Ukraine
E-mail:boryviter2@gmail.com
E. D. Yablonovska-Grishchenko (https://orcid. org/0000–0002–2594–4943)
V. N. Grishchenko (https://orcid.org/0000–0002–0872–3444)
Archaic Dialect of Chaffi nch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-
Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations. Yablonovska-Grishchenko, E. D.,
Grishchenko, V. N. — Archaic song dialect of Chaffi nch (Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758) is located
in the Lower-Dnipro Area. To describe it, we recorded 11673 songs of 2008 males from 43 localities
in Southern Ukraine during 2004–2015. Th is dialect has compound spatial structure and connects with
other dialects forming a well developed contact area with them. Its core was located in old forests of
the lower stream of the Dnipro River. It has spread from them to the new forests in their outskirts. Th e
complex is separated at dialect level in the cluster analysis. It includes considerable number of original
song types. Th eir elements and structure demonstrate archaic features similar to those of other southern
complexes but more modern than the old Carpathian and Danube dialects. It occupies the intermediate
position between them and modern dialects of the Forest and Wood-and-Steppe Ukraine by the structure
of song and is similar to the dialect of Crimean Chaffi nch and the song complex of South-Eastern Ukraine.
Key words : Chaffi nch, Lower-Dnipro Area, song dialect, song type, similarity, cultural transmission.
Introduction
Th e song dialects were found to exist in diff erent bird species and have been studied for many years. Th e
most actual questions of the current studies in bird songs are the territorial structure of dialect, changes of
structure of songs and their complexes, and the time of changes diversity in song complexes (Petrusková et al.,
2015; Zimmerman et al., 2016; Diblíková et al., 2019; Lee et al., 2019; Paxton et al., 2019; Williams et al., 2019,
etc.). Dialects for Chaffi nch (Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758) were registered for diff erent countries of Europe
(Conrads, 1966; Böhner, Wistel-Wozniak, 1995; Joachim, Lauga, 1996, etc).
Six dialects of Chaffi nch song we described for Ukraine. Th ree main dialects were found in Forest and Wood-
and-Steppe zones and Ukrainian Carpathians (using zoogeographical division of Ukraine by Shcherbak, 1988): two
of them are widespread in the plain (Left -bank and Right-bank of Dnipro) and another located in the Carpathians
(Yablonovska-Grishchenko, Grishchenko, 2007 a; Yablonovska-Grishchenko, 2008). Each of the plain dialects in-
cludes two sub-dialects and contact areas between them. Th e largest Dnipro contact area was found between the
dialects of plain. Carpathian dialect with archaic features has no strongly expressed contact area with the Right-bank
dialect (Yablonovska-Grishchenko, Grishchenko, 2008). Th e song complex of the Crimean subspecies of Chaffi nch
(Fringilla coelebs solomkoi Menzbier & Sushkin, 1913) is separated as a dialect with archaic features similar to the
Carpathian one (Tsvelykh, Yablonovska-Grishchenko, 2012; Yablonovska-Grishchenko et al., 2014).
Zoodiversity, 55(3): 265–276, 2021
DOI 10.15407/zoo2021.03.265
Ornithology
266 E. D. Yablonovska-Grishchenko, V. N. Grishchenko
We supposed the presence of specifi c dialects with some archaic features in the Steppe zone, because the
natural old forests in steppe are insular and segregated from the other ones. Th eir song complexes were formed
independently (Yablonovska-Grishchenko, Grishchenko, 2007 a). As the result, we have found three specifi c
song complexes. Two of them we described at the level of separate dialects: in Lower Danube (Yablonovska-
Grishchenko et al., 2011) and in Lower Dnipro (Yablonovska-Grishchenko, Grishchenko, 2010). Th e third
one from the South-East of Ukraine was separated at the level of a specifi c well-determined sub-dialect of the
Left -bank dialect (Yablonovska-Grishchenko, Grishchenko, 2011). Th e dialect of Crimean Chaffi nch shows
apparent connections with them.
Th e complex of original features of the songs with archaic context was found in detailed studies of the
Lower-Dnipro dialect. Th is whole dialect is situated on the territory of Ukraine. As the result, exact borders of
the dialect core and the contact area were located and described.
Th is paper aimed to describe characteristics of the Lower-Dnipro song dialect of the Chaffi nch and to
analyze its specifi city and connections with the other dialects.
Material and methods
Terminology
1. Song type is the constant sequence of sounds with specifi c structure (phrases, inserted elements,
“fl ourish”, etc.) (fi g. 1). Th is sequence is invariable for each separately taken song, when it is performing by
diff erent birds and diff ers from other sequences. Subtypes were described in case of diff erence in one or two
phrases or elements.
2. Dialect is a steady song complex characteristic for sizeable territories. It diff ers from other complexes
characteristic for other territories.
3. Contact area (Baptista 1977) is a zone between dialects (sub-dialects), where birds use songs of both
dialects (sub-dialects).
4. Universal song types were registered in the most part of study area (Ukraine) and in the most part of
described dialects.
5. Dialectal types were registered in the most parts of localities of dialect. Dialect is described by them.
6. Dialect-forming types are a complex of dialect and universal types of a certain dialect.
7. Regional types are found in the part of localities of dialect, located one near another.
8. Local types are found from some birds of one locality.
9. Unique types fi nd just from one bird.
Study area
In this paper, songs from 43 localities of the southern part of Ukraine were analysed (table 1, fi g. 2); 11,673
songs of 2008 males were recorded in 2004–2015.
Th e number of records for any point must be suffi cient because the song complexes were divided using
statistical analysis. Calculations showed that sample from records of 30 and more males includes more than
50 % song types (Yablonovska-Grishchenko, Grishchenko, 2007 b). Th erefore, songs of at least 30 males were
recorded in each point.
Acoust ic recordings
We recorded songs using digital camcorders Sony TRV-110E and TRV-550E with external microphones
and linear recorder Olympus LS11. Sound fi les were saved in Wave-format. Sound data were not compressed.
Sonograms were generated using Sonic Foundry Sound Forge 5.0 and Syrinx 2.5s (John Burt http://www.
syrinxpc. com).
Stat is t ica l song analys is
We used the original semi-quantitative method of song similarity analysis (Yablonovska-Grishchenko,
2006) for comparison elements and description of song types. Th is method allows decreasing of subjectivity
Fig. 1. Components of Chaffi nch song structure: 1 — phrase; 2 — inserted element; 3 — pre-fl ourish; 4 —
fl ourish. a — element; b — sub-element.
267Archaic Dialect of Chaffi nch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area…
T a b l e 1 . Study area (codes of localities at the map and dendrogram are corresponding this table)
Code
at
map
Name of point Region Description of point Years of
recording
Number of
individuals
Number
of songs
03–01 Marganets Dnipro Marganets City 2009, 2010 34 225
03–02 Pavlohrad Dnipro Samarskyi forest, outskirts of Bu-
lakhivka village
2008 61 340
03–03 Pokrovske Dnipro Outskirts of Velykomykhailivka
village
2009 54 340
03–04 Piatykhatky Dnipro Outskirts of Piatykhatky town 2009 35 237
04–03 Volodarske Donetsk Azovska dacha forest, outskirts of
Volodarske town
2009 41 218
04–05 Yasynuvata Donetsk Outskirts of Avdiivka town 2009 34 219
07–01 Komyshu-
vakha
Zaporizh-
zhia
Outskirts of Komyshuvakha town 2009, 2010 41 267
07–02 Kuibysheve Zaporizh-
zhia
Kamenska dacha forest
(outskirts of Kuibysheve town)
2009 32 128
07–03 Molochnyi
lyman
Zaporizh-
zhia
Molochnyi lyman, outskirts of Bo-
hatyr and Radyvonivka villages
2008, 2009 49 333
07–04 Tokmak Zaporizh-
zhia
Outskirts of Makivka village 2010 31 193
07–05 Yakymivka Zaporizh-
zhia
Outskirts of Sheliuhy village 2011 37 177
07–06 Melitopol Zaporizh-
zhia
Outskirts of Melitopol Сity 2011 63 608
07–07 Energodar Zaporizh-
zhia
Enerhodar town 2011 37 256
09–09 Stavyshche Kyiv Outskirts of Snizhky village 2008 40 176
10–01 Dolynska Kirovohrad Outskirts of Hurivka village 2009 39 221
10–02 Nerubaika Kirovohrad Nerubaika forest 2005, 2008,
2010, 2011
60 261
10–03 Pomoshna Kirovohrad Husarskyi forest, outskirts
of Piddubne village
2008 47 225
10–04 Chornyi Lis Kirovohrad Chornyi Lis forest 2005,
2009, 2010
57 274
10–05 Chuta Kirovohrad Chuta forest 2005 43 280
11–01 Armiansk Crimea Outskirts of Armyansk town 2010,
2011, 2013
38 295
14–01 Berezanka Mykolaiv Outskirts of Berezanka town 2009, 2011 37 274
14–02 Voznesensk Mykolaiv Ratsynska dacha forest 2008 49 226
14–03 Mykolaiv Mykolaiv Outskirts of Mykhailo-Laryne vil-
lage
2009, 2011 46 350
14–04 Novyi Buh Mykolaiv Outskirts of Anastasivka village 2008 53 274
14–05 Pervomaisk Mykolaiv Outskirts of Pervomaysk sity,
outskirts of Kamianyi Mist and
Katerynka villages
2009 42 252
15–02 Balta Odesa Outskirts of Lisnychivka village 2010 52 330
15–03 Berezivka Odesa Berezivka town 2009, 2011 59 258
16–03 Kobeliaky Poltava Outskirts of Kobeliaky town 2008 38 235
20–02 Zmiiv Kharkiv National park “Homilshanski lisy” 2006 46 229
20–03 Izium Kharkiv Regional park “Iziumska Luka” 2006 32 148
21–01 Askania-Nova Kherson Biospare Reserve “Askania-Nova” 2008 78 469
21–02 Velyka Olek-
sandrivka
Kherson Outskirts of Velyka Oleksandrivka
town, Novodmytrivka village
2009 61 287
21–03 Hola Prystan Kherson Oleshkivski pisky — Lower-Dnipro
sand arenas
2008,
2011, 2015
65 333
21–04 Hornostaivka Kherson Outskirts of Hornostaivka (Zavadiv-
ka and Kniazhohryhorivka villages).
2010 43 219
21–05 Skadovsk Kherson Outskirts of Skadovsk town 2010,
2011, 2013
32 170
268 E. D. Yablonovska-Grishchenko, V. N. Grishchenko
21–06 Kozachi Laheri Kherson Outskirts of Kozachi Laheri and
Krynky villages
2010 56 345
21–07 Kinburn Kherson Kinburn spit, outskirts of Heroiske
village
2011 61 442
21–08 Verkhnii
Rohachyk
Kherson Outskirts of Verkhnii Rohachyk
town, Oleksiivka village
2011 57 431
23–07 Kamianka Cherkasy Outskirts of Tomashivka village 2007 55 225
23–09 Katerynopil Cherkasy Outskirts of Katerynopil town 2007 37 147
23–12 Uman Cherkasy Outskirts of Sobkivka village 2008 35 190
23–13 Kholodnyi Yar Cherkasy Kholodnyi Yar forest 2004 62 390
23–14 Shpola Cherkasy Outskirts of Lebedyn village 2007 39 176
Fig. 2. Study area and Lower-Dnipro dialect territory: > 50 — localities with more than 50 % specifi c dialectal
Lower Dnipro song types in song complex; 26–50 — specifi c dialectal types constitute 26–50 % of song com-
plex; 5–25 — dialectal types constitute 5–25 %; 0 — specifi c dialectal types were not found.
1 — core of dialect; 2 — periphery of dialect, 3 — contact area.
C o n t i n u e T a b l e 1 .
in sonogram analysis. Any element is described as a complex of epithets (“formula of element”). Aft er the
comparison these formulas were received alphanumeric code with the use of cluster analysis. Sequence of
alphanumeric codes of song elements formed a “song formula”.
Comparison of song complexes was implemented using lists of song formulas. Song types from one
locality were united in territorial complex. Similarity measure between these formulas was determined using
Chekanovsky-Sørensen index. Dendrogram of similarity of the territorial complexes from diff erent localities
(fi g. 3) was got by the Ward’s minimum variance clustering method (Pesenko, 1982) in PAST 1.65 (Hammer
et al., 2001).
Contact areas were determined using diff erent methods of clustering (single linkage and paired group
using similarity measures: Euclidian distance, Morisita, Manhattan, correlation, Ward’s method). Dialect
clusters stayed stable, but contact areas clusters joined with diff erent clusters when diff erent methods of
clustering were used because their complexes include songs of diff erent dialects.
Some localities (as Novyi Buh) with depleted song complexes were contained only dialectal and universal
song types. Th ey may be associated with clusters of complexes of other territorial locations, because they
contain a few types.
269Archaic Dialect of Chaffi nch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area…
A part of specifi c types in the dialect-forming song complex for each locality was counted for description
of dialect structure. Th e core of dialect is a territory with more than 50 % specifi c song types in the dialect-
forming complex. Th e complex of peripheral zone of dialect includes more than 25–50 % of specifi c song types.
Th e contact area has more than 5–25 % specifi c song types. We used 5% level of registrations of specifi c types
as verge between rare regular fi ndings and occasional visits of birds from one dialect of territories of another.
Mean values ± standard deviation are given.
Results
Th e territorial complex of Chaffi nch songs in the forests of Lower Dnipro River and
adjacent areas (Lower-Dnipro dialect) possesses a high degree of specifi city and its complex
of localities is separated at the level of dialect on the dendrogram (fi g. 3).
Fig. 3. Dendrogram of territorial complexes Lower-Dnipro Area (localities are described in table 1).
270 E. D. Yablonovska-Grishchenko, V. N. Grishchenko
Terri tory of dia lect
Distribution of this dialect demonstrated with points on the map marked with the part
of specifi c song types do not found in other dialects (fi g. 2). Core of dialect included sites
with these types number more than 50 % of registered in it. It placed as narrow band at the
left bank of Lower Dnipro in forests of Lower Dnipro sand arenas.
Two belts around the dialect core with gradual decrease in number of the specifi c
types were detected. Th e inner belt included 26–50 % of them. Th e outer belt (5–25 %) we
considered as contact area with other dialects.
Th e main part of the dialect (core and inner belt) is located in lower parts of the rivers
South Bug, Ingulets, Dnipro and a part of Dnipro–Molochna River interfl uve (Mykolayiv
and Kherson Regions of Ukraine). In the South, it bounded by the Black Sea, but invades
to Perekop isthmus in Crimean Peninsula by artifi cial forests. In this place, the Crimean
Chaffi nches (F. c. solomkoi) were met sometimes. Here, the number of birds of both subspecies
is very low, and normal contact area is not formed (Yablonovska-Grishchenko et al., 2014).
Th e peripheral zone (26–50 %) of dialect is located from Molochna River and Verkhniy
Rogachyk at the left bank of Dnipro and along the Dnipro-Bug estuary to Mykolaiv at the
right bank.
Th e contact area (5–25 %) stretches over Molochna River from Molochny Lyman to
Yushanly River and to Energodar at left bank and from Velyka Olexandrivka to Berezivka
at the right bank (fi g. 2). Incidentally, several specifi c types were found only in the contact
area at Molochna River.
Pecul iar i t ies of dia lect
Seventy-seven song types in total were found for the all dialect territory including the
main part of dialect (core and peripheral zones) with the contact area. From 13 to 24 types
(mean 16.9 ± 2.9) were described in each locality of record.
We recorded 45 song types in total for territory of core and peripheral zone of dialect;
25 (56 %) of them were specifi c, they were registered only in the Lower-Dnipro dialect:
16 — dialectal (fi g. 4), 4 — regional, 2 — local, 3 — unique; 3 types were universal, they oc-
curred in several other dialects; 17 types were common with one of neighbouring dialects.
Th e complex of dialect-forming types in the core of dialect included 22 types: 2 (9 %) of
universal types, 14 (64 %) specifi c dialectal types of the Lower-Dnipro dialect and 6 (27 %)
dialectal ones of other dialects.
In the contact area, we have found 52 song types; 27 from them were specifi c for this
dialect: 14 — dialectal (4 specifi c for this area, 10 common with the main part of the dia-
lect), 6 — regional, 7 — unique; 3 types are universal, 22 types common with one of neigh-
bouring dialects.
Song structure of this dialect is quite complicated among other dialects of Chaffi nch song
in Ukraine (table 2). Dialectal types have 4–7 (5.6 ± 0.7, n = 16) phrases including single ele-
ments (inserted, pre-fl ourishes, fl ourishes). Inserted elements were found in 2/3 of these song
types. Pre-fl ourishes were in the most part of songs, 3 song types include 2 pre-fl ourishes.
In the songs of Lower-Dnipro dialect, 35 “southern” elements specifi c for the song com-
plexes of Southern Ukraine were found (fi g. 5). Th ese elements were not recorded in plain
dialects (except a specifi c South-East sub-dialect of Left -bank dialect). For the most part, the
elements of beginning and middle of song (18 elements, 51 %). 5 elements (14 %) were con-
nected with fl ourishes and pre-fl ourishes. One element was only inserted. Other elements
were registered in diff erent parts of song. Whistles, harmonics and trills were among them.
Th e most part of these elements were found not only in Lower-Dnipro dialect, but in South-
East sub-dialect of Left -bank dialect, Crimean, Danube and Carpathian dialects too.
Relat ions with other dia lects
Th us, the Lower-Dnipro dialect is characterized by high diversity and high specifi city
of song types: 64 % (to 84 % in some localities) of dialect-forming types in the core of
271Archaic Dialect of Chaffi nch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area…
Fig. 4. Dialectal song types of the Lower-Dnipro dialect.
272 E. D. Yablonovska-Grishchenko, V. N. Grishchenko
dialect were not found in other dialects occurring in Ukraine. Dialectal types of other
dialects were found in it, can be used by birds from other territories who kept in forests
of Lower Dnipro.
Lower-Dnipro dialect is connected with other song complexes of the South Ukraine as
well through some song types as through specifi c elements.
One of three registered universal types is characterized by the high level of diversity in
Lower-Dnipro and Danube dialects (8 and 7 subtypes). At the same time, it was represented
only as one or two subtypes in plain dialects.
For other song types similar results were shown. Th e closest relation is registered for
Lower-Dnipro and Danube (6 common specifi c types). Two common types were found
for Lower-Dnipro and Crimean and for Lower-Dnipro and South-East. Th ree types are
common for Lower-Dnipro, Danube and South-East. At the same time, Carpathian dialect
has no common southern types with other complexes with the exception of Danube one
(1 common type).
Of the elements, 22 were shared with the Danube dialect, 18 — with the Crimean
one, 17 — with the Carpathian one, 15 — with the South-East sub-dialect. Some elements
were registered in more then two dialects. Th is case allows mark out lines of relations like
Crimean — Lower-Dnipro — Danube — Carpathian (12 common elements), Crimean —
Lower-Dnipro — South-East (5 common elements), South-East — Lower-Dnipro —
Danube — Carpathian (7 common elements). Th ree elements were found in all south song
complexes.
Discussion
Lower-Dnipro dia lect in dia lect s tructure of Chaff inch song in Ukraine
The most part of Left-bank Ukraine is occupied by southern (Wood-and-
Steppe) sub-dialect of the Left-bank dialect. It is represented in Steppe zone as
depleted complexes of artificial forests. These complexes were formed recently in
Fig. 5. Specifi c “southern” elements in Lower-Dnipro dialect. Elements found in song complexes of South
Ukraine: LD — Lower-Dnipro dialect; SE — South-East sub-dialect of Left -bank dialect; Cr — Crimean dialect;
Da — Danube dialect; Cp — Carpathian dialect.
273Archaic Dialect of Chaffi nch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area…
new afforestations. However, specific sub-dialect with archaic features was found
in old forests of the South-Eastern Ukraine (Donets chain of hills) (Yablonovska-
Grishchenko, Grishchenko, 2011).
Right-bank dialect represented in Steppe as depleted complexes too.
Lower-Dnipro dialect is situated between these dialects. Steppe divides it from other
dialects everywhere with the exception of forests along Dnipro River.
History of dia lect
Lower-Dnipro dialect is placed in old forests of fl ood-plain of Dnipro and new
aff orestations around them.
Th is spatial structure of dialect, especially allocation of dialect core, allows to reconstruct
the history of this dialect. Allocation of the core of dialect is not only the Lower-Dnipro
sand arenas but along the Dnipro and Dnipro-Bug estuary allows to suppose this specifi c
complex kept in the forests of the fl ood plains aft er destruction of the large old forests in the
Lower-Dnipro (Pogrebnyak, 1953; Gordiyenko, 1969). However, it expands to new artifi cial
forests because the “native speaking” Chaffi nches of this dialect occupied them. Th e infl ow
of northern songs was diffi cult inasmuch the absence of the forest “corridors” in Steppe.
Colonization of Askania-Nova aff orestations by Chaffi nches was observed at the end of
XX century (Gavrylenko, 2001). In 2008, a detailed analysis of the structure of the Askania-
Nova song complex showed that it is complete (Yablonovska-Grishchenko, Grishchenko,
2010). It includes both the Lower-Dnipro and the Left -bank song types. Th is structure of
complex indicates colonization of this forest from both the fl ood plains of the Dnipro and
the aff orestations along the channels. However, complexes near the Dnipro include less
Left -bank songs and more the Lower-Dnipro songs than in Askania-Nova.
Song structure changes in the time of colonization of “empty” territories without
regularly infl ow of the “native speaking” birds. Th is phenomenon was registered for
Chaffi nch in New Zealand, where this species was introduced in late XIX century (Lynch et
al., 1989). Similarity with initial song types decreased in every next new point of resettlement.
In the case of Askania-Nova colonization the song structure and song complex, however,
did not change compared with the complexes of Lower Dnipro fl oodplain forests, because
Askania complex regularly replenished from birds of these territories of the dialect core.
Th us, even at the small territory of old forests in fl ood plains before colonization, this
dialect contained high song diversity, without its considerable declining, for a long time.
It is possible because local population of “native speakers” was numerous all the time of
dialect existence. Otherwise, the song diversity declines (Pang-Ching et al., 2018; Paxton
et al., 2019), and the number of songs would be incomparably lesser than in other dialects.
Comparison of dia lects of Chaff inch song in Ukraine
Th e Lower-Dnipro dialect is characterized by high specifi city of song complex for a
small territory (16 dialect types and 27 specifi c types in all). Another song complex with
similar song diversity is the South-Eastern sub-dialect of the Left -bank dialect. Eighteen
specifi c types were found at its bounded territory. For comparison, 11 dialect types are in
the Right-bank dialect, 9 ones are in the Left -bank and 8 are in the Carpathians. Danube
dialect has 42 specifi c types, but dialectal types are not separated because only small part of
it is situated in Ukraine. Only 12 types in all localities of this dialect were found in Ukraine.
Specifi c types are represented on the large territory not only as dialect types but as regional
types too. Regional types are registered only on the part of dialect territory. Th ese types are
not diff erentiated in small-territory dialects.
Song structure keeps intermediate position between Carpathian and Danube dialects,
on one hand, and plane dialects, on the other. Similar song structure is characteristic for
the South-eastern sub-dialect of the Left -bank dialect too, as well as song complex of the
Crimean Chaffi nch. Th is complex separated at the level of dialect in the dendrogram, as
these songs diff er slightly from F. c. coelebs ones.
274 E. D. Yablonovska-Grishchenko, V. N. Grishchenko
A large number of peculiar harmonic (and less the trill) elements in phrases was detected in
Lower-Dnipro dialect, as well as in other archaic complexes of the South Ukraine. High diversity of
diff erent sound types in the elements is a characteristic archaic feature of these dialects. However,
complicated song structure with using of the large number of phrases, inserted elements and pre-
fl ourish elements make to admit theirs certain similarity with “recent”, modern dialects of plain.
Bel t of archaic complexes in the South of Ukraine
Two features of Lower-Dnipro songs are especially interesting. First, the elements
specifi c for dialects of the South of Ukraine and Carpathians were found. Second, peculiarity
of song construction is registered in Lower-Dnipro, Crimean, Danube, Carpathian dialects
and South-East sub-dialect of Left -bank dialect: harmonic elements (or rarely, trills) are
located not only as single elements, but in phrases too.
Th ese peculiarities may be considered as archaic. Th ey are distinctive for songs of the
“small dialects” of the South Ukraine localized in the small territories of forests separated
from Forest and Wood-and-Steppe geographic zones by Steppe zone, and for the songs of
the Carpathian dialect. Th ese relations between dialects allow describe “the Southern belt
of archaic complexes”. It includes foregoing ones.
Th e most strongly pronounced archaism is registered for Carpathian and Danube
dialects. Th e simplest song structure, the least number of phrases in it (table 2) were found
in these dialects. Oft en phrases are composed of harmonic or (rarer) trill elements. Oft en
whistle elements of phrases are protractedly sounding (more then 0.19 s). Many of the
specifi c “southern” elements were found in these dialects too.
Other group of archaic song complexes includes Crimean and Lower-Dnipro dialects
and South-East sub-dialect of the Left -bank dialect. Th eir songs have more complicated
structure (table 2). However, peculiarities of elements of phrases are similar to Carpathian
and Danube. Some of these “southern” elements are common for both groups of complexes
in Southern belt. Some song types were found in the south dialects, but not in the northern
plain ones. One of the universal types was registered in south complexes as subtypes with
specifi c marked element. Such form of this type was not found in the northern dialects.
Specifi c elements are constant in their structure at all territory of their dialect (s) and
do not demonstrate any signs of cline variation both inside and outside the dialect (s),
in contrast to them, for example, for Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus) (Lee et al.,
2019). Th is stability of song complexes at wide territories can be explained by long time
constancy of these dialects for much more long-time then described for some other species
(Planqué et al., 2013; Ramsay, Otter, 2015; Zimmerman et al., 2016).
Th us, Lower-Dnipro dialect is positioned in centre of this belt and links its complexes.
Th ese data confi rm a clear relation between south song complexes. In our opinion,
earlier they were parts of one unifi ed ancient dialect. It was separated at the time of last
(Würm) glaciation. Its surviving parts had remained in forest refugia. Henceforth they
developed independently. Such refugia existed in middle stream of Dnipro, Lower Dnipro,
Donets chain of hills, near Carpathians (Markova et al., 2008; Simakova, 2008). Allocation
of dialects corresponds to allocation of forest vegetation in the I millennium (by maps
T a b l e 2 . Structure of dialectal song types for diff erent song complexes of Chaffi nch in Ukraine
Complex
Num-
ber of
types
Phrases including
single elements
Phrases without
single elements
Inserted
elements Pre-fl ourishes
lim M ± sd lim M ± sd lim M ± sd lim M ± sd
Danube dialect 12 3–5 4.1 ± 0.8 2–3 2.8 ± 0.4 0–1 0.2 ± 0.4 0–1 0.2 ± 0.4
Carpathian dialect 8 4–6 4.8 ± 0.7 2–4 3.0 ± 0.5 0–2 0.5 ± 0.8 0–1 0.3 ± 0.5
South-East sub-dialect 18 4–8 5.4 ± 1.0 2–4 2.9 ± 0.7 0–4 0.3 ± 1.0 1–2 1.2 ± 0.4
Lower-Dnipro dialect 16 4–7 5.6 ± 0.7 2–3 2.7 ± 0.5 0–1 0.7 ± 0.5 0–2 1.1 ± 0.6
Crimean dialect 14 5–7 5.6 ± 0.7 2–4 2.9 ± 0.7 0–2 0.6 ± 0.8 0–3 1.1 ± 1.0
Left -bank dialect 9 5–7 5.8 ± 0.6 2–3 2.9 ± 0.3 0–1 0.4 ± 0.5 1–2 1.4 ± 0.5
Right-bank dialect 11 5–8 6.5 ± 0.8 2–5 3.3 ± 0.8 0–2 1.1 ± 0.8 1–2 1.2 ± 0.4
275Archaic Dialect of Chaffi nch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area…
of Gensyruk, 1975, 1995). Th e same allocation of modern dialects in compliance with
ancient allocation of vegetation was described, for example, for Rufous-collared Sparrow
(Zonotrichia capensis) (Lougheed, 1991).
Inclusion of new song types in fully formed complex is diffi cult in consequence of
cultural transmission mechanisms infl uence. Nestlings learn most-used song types from
surroundings of the nest (Beecher at al., 1994; Bell et al., 1998), i. e., new song types may not
“copy” and do not pass from generation to generation.
Preservation of song complexes is facilitated by theirs isolations. Th e Lower-Dnipro
dialect remained intact and detached due to isolation by wide belt of the Steppe. Crimean
dialect was developed in a similar manner, taking into account its subspecies isolation.
Th ese dialects were evolved independently, without external actions.
However, massed inclusion of new song types can lead to “washing out” of complex. For
example, some specifi c archaic song types were found at the territory of middle stream of
Dnipro refugium. Th ey remain against background Left -bank and Right-bank song types of
Dnipro contact area. South-eastern sub-dialect specifi c types were “washing out” by infl ow of
the Left -bank types. Number of specifi c types averaged about 50 % even in its core.
Carpathian and Danube dialects retain the highest number of archaic features. Th ey
communicate constantly with song complexes of Balkan. Th ese complexes did not undergo
to glaciation and kept archaic. Th us infl ow of “ancient” song types from south allows
preserve archaic features of Carpathian and Danube dialects.
Conclusions
1. Th e specifi c song dialect of the Chaffi nch is located in the Lower-Dnipro Area in
Southern Ukraine. It is well separated from the two dialects from Wood-and-Steppe zone.
Core of this dialect is situated in forests on Lower-Dnipro Sand Arenas in Kherson Region.
Peripheral zone ranges from Mykolayiv Region to Zaporizhzhya Region.
2. Song complex of core and peripheral zone included 45 types total. 25 (55.6 %) of
them were specifi c for this territory only, 16 are dialectal. For this dialect is characteristic
the compound structure of songs, considerable number of original elements with many
archaic features.
3. Th e Lower-Dnipro dialect is related to other ones in South Ukraine (Danube and
Crimean dialects and South-Eastern song complex). Th ere are also some common elements
with the Carpathian dialect. Th is dialect is situated the central part of the belt of old song
complexes from the Carpathians to South-East of Ukraine including dialect of Crimean
Chaffi nch subspecies.
We are very grateful to V. S. Havrylenko and A. V. Grishchenko for the help in the fi eld studies and
A. N. Tsvelykh for discussion of this topic.
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Received 11 November 2020
Accepted 5 May 2021
|
| id | oai:ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua:article-134 |
| institution | Zoodiversity |
| issn | 2707-7268 |
| keywords_txt_mv | |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-08-21T01:00:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Publishing House "Akademperiodyka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| record_format | ojs |
| resource_txt_mv | ojsakademperiodykaorgua/8a/0293883b477297843a948e3360d3898a.pdf |
| spelling | oai:ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua:article-1342026-08-20T12:37:24Z Archaic Dialect of Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations Yablonovska-Grishchenko, E. Grishchenko, V. N. bioacoustics, song dialect, song type, element, similarity, cultural transmission. We studied the geographic variation of Chaffinch song in Ukraine since 2002. The most wide-spread dialects were described from Forest and Forest-Steppe zones and in the Carpathians. We supposed existence of specific song complexes with archaic features in forests of Steppe zone and found four ones including the dialect of Crimean Chaffinch F. c. solomkoi. One of them is located in the Lower-Dnieper Area. For its describing, we recorded 11 673 songs of 2008 males songs from 43 points of South Ukraine in 2004-2015. This dialect has compound spatial structure and connects with other dialects forming good-developed contact area with them. Its core placed in old forests of low stream of the Dnieper river. It has spread from them to the new forests of their outskirts. Complex was divided at level of dialect by cluster analysis. It include considerable number of original song types. Their elements and structure demonstrate archaic features similar with ones of other south complexes but more modern then old Carpathian and Danube dialects. It occupies middle position between them and modern dialects of Forest and Steppe-Forest Ukraine by structure of song, and is similar to dialect of Crimean Chaffinch and song complex of South-East Ukraine. Publishing House "Akademperiodyka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2021-05-04 Article Article application/pdf https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/134 10.15407/zoo2021.03.265 Zoodiversity; Vol. 55 No. 3 (2021): Zoodiversity; 265–276 Zoodiversity (Vestnik Zoologii); Том 55 № 3 (2021): Zoodiversity; 265–276 2707-7268 2707-725X 10.15407/zoo2021.03 en https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/134/99 Copyright (c) 2021 Zoodiversity |
| spellingShingle | Yablonovska-Grishchenko, E. Grishchenko, V. N. Archaic Dialect of Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations |
| title | Archaic Dialect of Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations |
| title_full | Archaic Dialect of Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations |
| title_fullStr | Archaic Dialect of Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Archaic Dialect of Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations |
| title_short | Archaic Dialect of Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs (Passeriformes, Fringillidae), Song in the Lower-Dnipro Area (South Ukraine) and Its Territorial Relations |
| title_sort | archaic dialect of chaffinch, fringilla coelebs (passeriformes, fringillidae), song in the lower-dnipro area (south ukraine) and its territorial relations |
| topic_facet | bioacoustics song dialect song type element similarity cultural transmission. |
| url | https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/134 |
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