A new auditory area of the songbird forebrain: a connection between auditory and song control centers.

Single unit microelectrode recordings followed by electrolytic lesions which mark the recording sites demonstrate that there is an auditory region of the songbird forebrain that is distinct from and superficial to field L, the primary auditory region of the telencephalon. The location of the superficial auditory area and its large cells suggest identification with HVc, the large-celled telencephalic nucleus which controls song in the canary.