Zebra finches have a more complex way of communicating than previously thought. A new study published in the journal Science found that the sociable songbird does not just recognize and organize ...

Their first vocalizations help young zebra finch males to memorize the songs of adults. When babies learn to talk or birds learn to sing, the same principle applies: listen and then imitate. This is ...

Zebra finches can not only distinguish the full range of their species’ vocalizations but also organize them by meaning, according to a new study. The results suggest a surprising level of semantic ...

When most of us hear birds chirping, we may assume it’s just simple background noise. However, a new study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that at least one small songbird is ...

Brain scientists are beginning to disentangle the molecular mechanisms underlying the intrinsic motivation to learn. DURHAM, N.C. -- In his lab at Duke University, neuroscientist Richard Mooney shows ...

Three male and two female zebra finches, including two mating pairs. Females are typically all gray, though here one female is a white morph. Males are colorful, with red cheeks, zebra stripes on ...

When a bird spots a predator and emits an alarm call, do its neighbors think “predator” and then react? Or do they automatically freeze or fly away because that’s what they’re wired to do?