How songbirds learn a new song

For a songbird, learning a new song is akin to a child learning a new language. Zebra finches approach this challenge step by step, and even make a detour in the process - by taking song syllables that they already know and ...

Sparrow chicks can ID song from opening note

A new University of Nebraska-Lincoln study has shown that golden-crowned sparrow chicks can name their tune in just one note – even before knowing the song.

Human speech, jazz and whale song

Jazz musicians riffing with each other, humans talking to each other and pods of killer whales all have interactive conversations that are remarkably similar to each other, new research reveals.

Nonlinear physics bridges thoughts to sounds in birdsong

The beautiful sound of birdsongs emerging from the trees is a wonderful example of how much nature can still teach us, even as much about their origins are still mysterious to us. About 40 percent of bird species learn to ...

New research suggests bird songs isolate species

Two birds that look the same, but have songs so different they can't recognize each other, should be considered distinct species, suggests new University of British Columbia (UBC) research.

Social cues are key to vocal learning in birds and babies

When a baby bird learns a song, is it simply mimicking and practicing its father's tune? Or do chicks learn by first putting out nonsensical sounds – akin to a human infant's babble – which they then build upon based ...

CT scans reveal birds' built-in air conditioners

Birds' beaks come in an incredible range of shapes and sizes, adapted for survival in environments around the world. But as a new study from The Auk: Ornithological Advances reveals, there's even more to bird beaks than meets ...

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