SONGBIRDS that have learned to warble intricate tunes despite being reared in isolation are causing a commotion among birdsong specialists. The birds’ innate talent has confounded all expectations, and suggests their singing ability may have a much bigger genetic component than previously thought.
Birdsong is generally believed to be a learned behaviour. Young birds imitate their elders to produce distinctive songs in much the same way that human infants learn language from their parents. Studies in a handful of species, such as finches, have shown that if young birds are deprived of exposure to adult singing, their songs are unrecognisable,…
