Functions of duet and solo songs of female birds

Bird song is generally associated with males. In part, this reflects a bias towards studies in temperate regions, because in the tropics females of many species are regular and prolific singers. However, even among birds of temperate latitudes, females of several species occasionally sing. Recent experimental studies on female song provide some of the first tests of hypotheses to explain the functional significance of duets and obligate and facultative solo singing by females.