Singing Mice

June 15, 2011

There’s proof that rock stars really do get the most attention from the ladies. A new University of Florida study shows it’s a common phenomenon in a tropical breed of singing mice.

This is research video of the high-pitched vocal trill that males use to woo their mates. Males with high levels of male hormones can repeat notes more rapidly while holding to a large range of frequencies.

Bret Pasch/UF biology researcher: “We found that animals treated with testosterone maintained high performance songs while animals treated with no testosterone performed worse.”

Researchers tested what types of singing female mice preferred by recording male singers and electronically modulating their songs. The females literally moved toward the music when they heard a song they liked.

Bret Pasch/UF biology researcher: “In the majority of trials, females preferred the manipulated files that were of higher performance.”

Perhaps proving there’s nothing more romantic than a serenade.