We all know that birds imitate sounds. If you weren’t aware of the many species that can do this, you’ll probably at least ...

Birds make sounds to communicate, whether to find a potential mate, ward off predators, or just sing for pleasure. But the conditions that contribute to the immense diversity of the sounds they make ...

We’ve all noticed the spring symphony of morning bird sounds, but why and how do birds make sounds? Bird calls are short and simple, often signaling flight or danger, are made throughout the year, and ...

Zebra finches don’t just mimic sounds—they understand them, revealing surprising insights into animal communication and ...

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Matthew Medler of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology about the best bird sounds of 2025 from their vast collection of recordings, and why their selections made the list.

The relationship between sounds in words and their meaning is thought to be mostly arbitrary. Some linguists and behavioural ecologists, however, argue that the instinctive vocal responses that humans ...