Can different bird species understand each other’s songs?
Twit twoo! Different types of birds may understand what each other are saying.
Asked by: Lewis Miller, Exeter
Birdsong is more like music, rather than a true language. Birds sing to attract mates and defend territories, and the information contained in the song is basically just “Listen to my song, isn’t it pretty?” or “Keep out, this area belongs to me!”
Birds recognise the alarm calls of other species, but the song of a lovesick sparrow is of no interest to a pigeon, so there is no reason for them to pay attention.
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Authors
Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.
