Sound communications of black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison's prairie dogs
Citation
George H Waring, Sound communications of black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison's prairie dogs: .
Summary
The sounds of black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison's prairie dogs were studied in Colorado and Wyoming from February 1964 to June 1966. Observations, photographs, and tape recordings were made in the field and were supplemented by data collected from captive prairie dogs. The sounds of black-tailed prairie dogs were named and had the usual function as follows: ( 1 ) "repetitious barks" alert; (2) "chuckle" alert; (3) "chatter barks" - threat; (4) "wee-oo" - contact; (5) "snarl" - threat; (6) "growl" threat; (7) "scream" - distress; (8) "raspy purr" - pleasure; and (9) "tooth chatter" - threat. The sounds of white-tailed prairie dogs were: (1) "repetitious barks" alert; (2) "chuckle" alert; (3) "laughing barks" - contact; (4) "snarl" [...]
Summary
The sounds of black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison's prairie dogs were studied in Colorado and Wyoming from February 1964 to June 1966. Observations, photographs, and tape recordings were made in the field and were supplemented by data collected from captive prairie dogs. The sounds of black-tailed prairie dogs were named and had the usual function as follows: ( 1 ) "repetitious barks" alert; (2) "chuckle" alert; (3) "chatter barks" - threat; (4) "wee-oo" - contact; (5) "snarl" - threat; (6) "growl" threat; (7) "scream" - distress; (8) "raspy purr" - pleasure; and (9) "tooth chatter" - threat. The sounds of white-tailed prairie dogs were: (1) "repetitious barks" alert; (2) "chuckle" alert; (3) "laughing barks" - contact; (4) "snarl" - threat; (5) "growl" threat; and (6) "scream" - distress. The sounds of Gunnison's prairie dogs were: (1 ) "repetitious barks" - alert; (2) "rapid barks" - apprehension; (3) "chuckle" - alert; (4) "raspy chatter" - contact; (5) "snarl" threat; (6) "growl" - threat; (7) "scream" distress; and (8) "tooth chatter" threat.
Published in American Midland Naturalist, volume 83, issue 1, on pages 167 - 185, in 1970.