Can different bird species understand each other’s songs?

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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