Dooling, R.J., Peters, S.S., and Searcy, M.H. (1979). Auditory sensitivity and vocalizations of the field sparrow (Spizella pusilla). Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 14, 106-108.

The auditory sensitivity of the field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) was measured by behavioral audiometry. Two male birds were trained by instrumental avoidance conditioning to respond to pure tones. Thresholds for pure tones between .25 kHz and 12.0 kHz were measured over a number of days. Auditory sensitivity is greatest between 1.0 and 4.0 kHz and declines about 12 dB/octave from 2.0 kHz down to .25 kHz and from 2.0 kHz up to 8.0 kHz. Above 8 kHz, auditory sensitivity falls off steeply at the rate of about 70 dB/octave. The range of auditory sensitivity of the field sparrow compares favorably with the range of frequencies found in the vocal repertoire of this species.