Auditory responses in the zebra finch's motor system for song.

Vocal learning in songbirds is critically dependent on auditory information. Intracellular electrophysiological recordings, combined with horseradish peroxidase staining of single cells has revealed neurons within one central nervous system vocal control nucleus, hyperstriatum ventrale, pars caudale (HVc) that show responses to auditory stimuli. Auditory and non-auditory neurons fall into distinct morphological classes, based on soma size, dendritic field structure, and efferent projections. The neurons described may play a role in conveying auditory information into the vocal control system.