The socially learnt behavioural elements are essential for the survival and reproduction of individuals in their prevailing environment in many species. The accumulation of such behavioural elements in a population constitutes a culture, and its diversity and stability will determine the characteristics of the adaptation of the population. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how cultural diversity emerges, fluctuates and evolves, but evidence for such complex mechanisms operating within the same system are rare at the best. Using bird song as model system, we investigate the dynamics of
individual- and population-specific repertoires of song elements
(syllables) in natural populations of the collared flycatcher (/Ficedula albicollis/). I will show our newest results concerning the inheritable cultural elements, the individual capacity of learning, the effects of social interactions, and the large scale temporal and spatial patterns of the song. I will also address many still unanswered questions inviting for brainstorming.