Baby Birds' Babbling Suggests Intricate Brain

How our feathered friends learn, play back song may hold answers for human speech

By Kate Rockwood, Newser Staff

Posted May 5, 2008 4:54 PM CDT

(Newser) – Being bird-brained might not be much of an insult: New MIT research paints a more intricate portrait of how songbirds learn to sing, with one part of the brain used for learning and another for singing itself. Rather than maturing from babbling to birdsong, the independent but overlapping pathways work together during different life stages.

"This is arguably one of the few if not the best models for developmental sensory learning and it's definitely the only model for developmental vocal learning,” one neuroscientist told the Boston Globe. It’s also intriguing, say scientists, because this might shed additional light on human speech acquisition, and because the learning circuit in songbirds is similar to pathways for mammal development.

A study of baby finches suggests their brain may use two overlapping neuronal pathways to acquire and use songs. (Earth Life Forms - Animals)

A study of baby finches suggests their brain may use two overlapping neuronal pathways to acquire and use songs. (Archive Photos)

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Baby Birds' Babbling Suggests Intricate Brain

How our feathered friends learn, play back song may hold answers for human speech

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That Irritating Itch? It May Just Be Your Brain

In fact, our noodles could be inventing 90% of what we call real

Scientists Get Step Closer to Decoding Our Thoughts

Computers track brain activity as words are heard

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Study shows parts of the brain can shut off

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But do smaller brains mean we are getting dumber, or less aggressive?

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... if it hears them over and over and over

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How our feathered friends learn, play back song may hold answers for human speech

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science • birds • brain • neuroscience • language • science experiment • speech

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

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More Newser Stories

That Irritating Itch? It May Just Be Your Brain

In fact, our noodles could be inventing 90% of what we call real

Scientists Get Step Closer to Decoding Our Thoughts

Computers track brain activity as words are heard

You Might Be Only Half Awake

Study shows parts of the brain can shut off

Our Brains Are Shrinking

But do smaller brains mean we are getting dumber, or less aggressive?

Brain Learns New Words in 15 Minutes

... if it hears them over and over and over

About Us

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Newser By Users

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