title: Integration over song classification replicates: song variant analysis in the hihi.
abstract: Human expert analyses are commonly used in bioacoustic studies and can potentially limit the reproducibility of these results. In this paper, a machine learning method is presented to statistically classify avian vocalizations. Automated approaches were applied to isolate bird songs from long field recordings, assess song similarities, and classify songs into distinct variants. Because no positive controls were available to assess the true classification of variants, multiple replicates of automatic classification of song variants were analyzed to investigate clustering uncertainty. The automatic classifications were more similar to the expert classifications than expected by chance. Application of these methods demonstrated the presence of discrete song variants in an island population of the New Zealand hihi (Notiomystis cincta). The geographic patterns of song variation were then revealed by integrating over classification replicates. Because this automated approach considers variation in song variant classification, it reduces potential human bias and facilitates the reproducibility of the results.
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics Institute, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ranjard
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Withers
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Albany Campus, Private Bag 102 904, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland 0745, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Dianne H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Brunton
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Howard A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parsons
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000818:Animals; D001307:Auditory Perception; D015982:Bias; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D000069550:Machine Learning; D008297:Male; D009038:Motion; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D020308:Songbirds / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology*; D013016:Sound; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013997:Time Factors; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000145:classification*