= Bengalese finch
{c}
The <Bengalese finch> is a domesticated <songbird> derived from the <white-rumped munia>, Lonchura striata. Research papers often designate it Lonchura striata var. domestica. The name identifies a domesticated form, rather than by itself establishing a separate wild <species>. Its learned <birdsong> makes it useful for experiments on <auditory feedback> and behavioral change.<Effects of domestication on neophobia: A comparison between the domesticated Bengalese finch and its wild ancestor, the white-rumped munia by Kenta Suzuki and others>[Title and taxon identifiers]{ref}
In 2007, <Evren C. Tumer> and <Michael S. Brainard> tested whether small variations in otherwise stable adult <birdsong> could support learning. A computerized system monitored the <pitch> of selected song elements and disrupted <auditory feedback> for a selected subset of renditions. The <birds> shifted the targeted <pitch> to avoid the disruption, while other song features were relatively preserved. Delaying the feedback prevented the adaptive shift in the reported comparison.<Performance variability enables adaptive plasticity of crystallized adult birdsong by Evren C. Tumer and Michael S. Brainard>[Abstract; Figures1–4]{ref}
For an illustrative version of the logic, suppose feedback is disrupted only when one chosen song element falls below a preset <pitch>. Later singing above that threshold would reduce disruption. The key comparison is the distribution of that element before and after contingent feedback, together with appropriate feedback controls. A shift need not mean the <bird> acquired an entirely new song; it can reveal adjustment of one feature within a practiced behavior.
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