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Cowbird Song and Password
Podcast |
BirdNote Daily
Publisher |
BirdNote
Media Type |
audio
Categories Via RSS |
Education
How To
Natural Sciences
Nature
Science
Publication Date |
Aug 29, 2021
Episode Duration |
00:01:45

As most young male birds get ready to leave the nest, they learn their species’ song by hearing their male parent sing it again and again. They imprint on their father’s song. So how does a Brown-headed Cowbird, raised by parents of a different species, learn to sing the correct song? The “chatter call” of an adult cowbird triggers something in the young bird’s brain. Like a kind of “password,” the chatter call guides the young bird in recognizing what species to identify with, even though cowbirds are fostered by as many as 220 different species! Learn more at BirdNote.org.

Listening for the right code.

As most young male birds get ready to leave the nest, they learn their species’ song by hearing their male parent sing it again and again. They imprint on their father’s song. So how does a Brown-headed Cowbird, raised by parents of a different species, learn to sing the correct song? The “chatter call” of an adult cowbird triggers something in the young bird’s brain. Like a kind of “password,” the chatter call guides the young bird in recognizing what species to identify with, even though cowbirds are fostered by as many as 220 different species! Learn more at BirdNote.org.

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