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Bird song is a popular subject in poetry. Famous examples inspired by bird song include the 1177 Persian poem "The Conference of the Birds", in which the birds of the world assemble under the wisest bird, the hoopoe, to decide who is to be their king. [161]
Although most birds acquire song learning within the first year, brown-headed cowbirds have a delayed sensitive period, occurring approximately one year after hatching. [35] This may be an adaptation to prevent the young birds from learning the songs from the foreign bird species.
In many species of songbirds, songs seem to be used both as a way to attract potential mates, as well as to mark and defend one's territory. It has been observed that young songbirds acquire their ability to produce song from imitation of adult birds. [20] There seems to be a critical period for song learning.
Bird songs: Songbirds can be highly articulate. Grey parrots and macaws are well known for their ability to mimic human language. At least one specimen, Alex , appeared able to answer a number of simple questions about objects he was presented with, such as answering simple mathematical equations and identifying colors.
Bird meanings and symbolism are open to wide interpretation and can vary across cultures and traditions. Popularly, owls are associated with wisdom, and doves are widely associated with peace.
The other way birds acquire their appearance is through structural colors, which result from the interaction of light with the microscopic structures in feathers. Tiny air bubbles within the ...
Birds communicate with their flockmates through song, calls, and body language. Studies have shown that the intricate territorial songs of some birds must be learned at an early age, and that the memory of the song will serve the bird for the rest of its life. Some bird species are able to communicate in several regional varieties of their songs.
The organ is a solid, bony structure lined with a film of membranes which air passes through as the songbird calls. While the song boxes of songbirds vary in size and intricacy, this does not necessarily determine the songbird's ability to voice their song. Researchers believe this has more to do with the length of the windpipe. [8]