The form and function of chimpanzee buttress drumming

Many animal species use vocal and nonvocal acoustic signals to communicate over large distances. Wild chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, drum on the buttress roots of trees, generating low-frequency sounds that can reach distances 1 km. Buttress drumming is produced in bouts beats often accompanied by pant hoots, species-typical long-distance vocalization. We investigated whether individual differences exist structure male chimpanzees Waibira community Budongo Forest Uganda, individual, contextual social factors affected their drumming. found seven during travel events as well timing within hoot, discriminated specific patterns for some chimpanzees. In contrast, we no evidence four males displays. Together these findings suggest may be able choose encode identity ‘signatures’. Chimpanzees drummed less frequently party size increased. age signaller or presence preferred partners, higher-ranking females oestrus These there flexibility across behavioural contexts provide support hypothesis that, encoding identity, used facilitate chimpanzee fission–fusion dynamics.