Document Detail


Properties of low-frequency head-related transfer functions in the barn owl (Tyto alba).
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20552203     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The barn owl (Tyto alba) possesses several specializations regarding auditory processing. The most conspicuous features are the directionally sensitive facial ruff and the asymmetrically arranged ears. The frequency-specific influence of these features on sound has consequences for sound localization that might differ between low and high frequencies. Whereas the high-frequency range (>3 kHz) is well investigated, less is known about the characteristics of head-related transfer functions for frequencies below 3 kHz. In the present study, we compared 1/3 octaveband-filtered transfer functions of barn owls with center frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 9 kHz. The range of interaural time differences was 600 micros at frequencies above 4 kHz, decreased to 505 micros at 3 kHz and increased again to about 615 micros at lower frequencies. The ranges for very low (0.5-1 kHz) and high frequencies (5-9 kHz) were not statistically different. Interaural level differences and monaural gains increased monotonically with increasing frequency. No systematic influence of the body temperature on the measured localization cues was observed. These data have implications for the mechanism underlying sound localization and we suggest that the barn owl's ears work as pressure receivers both in the high- and low-frequency ranges.
Authors:
Laura Hausmann; Mark von Campenhausen; Hermann Wagner
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2010-06-16
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology     Volume:  196     ISSN:  1432-1351     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Comp. Physiol. A Neuroethol. Sens. Neural. Behav. Physiol.     Publication Date:  2010 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-08-25     Completed Date:  2010-12-10     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101141792     Medline TA:  J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol     Country:  Germany    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  601-12     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Strasse 15, 52056, Aachen, Germany. laura@bio2.rwth-aachen.de
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Hearing / physiology*
Sound Localization / physiology*
Strigiformes / physiology*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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