Birds

I was driving my street and my windows were open and I experienced something I’ve experienced before but this particular time it caught my attention more than usual. The air was full of the sounds of birds singing their praises.

[67:19] Have they not seen the birds above them lined up in columns and spreading their wings? The Most Gracious is the One who holds them in the air. He is Seer of all things.

[16:79] Do they not see the birds committed to fly in the atmosphere of the sky? None holds them up in the air except GOD. This should be (sufficient) proof for people who believe.

There are just eight groups of animals with learned vocalizations: songbirds, hummingbirds, parrots, bats, cetaceans, humans, elephants and pinnipeds. Vocal learning in birds has evolved to enable members of a group, flock, or colony to communicate and pass on information necessary for group success and survival. Other animals recognize sounds (e.g., pets recognizing commands) but cannot learn and vocalize those sounds.

Songbirds in particular use their voices, singing elaborate songs to attract mates or defend their territory. They recognize each other by their voices. Birds also use shorter, less complex sounds known as calls. They stay in touch with each other when foraging with soft calls of contact.

And there are alarm calls to alert to a predator. Some birds use non-vocal sounds, like a woodpecker drumming on a resonant surface, owls snapping their bills together, and pigeons flapping their wings.

In addition, birds can communicate without sound, especially a large group of different birds around a feeder—bobbing their heads, lifting their wings, raising their feathers or crests.

And mating displays can be elaborate and colorful. The males want to show off their most attractive features, like bright colors and long feathers. And some displays include choreographed dances or exhibitions of flying prowess.

Birds can communicate over long distances, which is helpful in dense forests or after dark. Owl hoots tend to travel long distances because of their low frequency, plus the stillness of the night. Owls often occupy large territories and they have excellent hearing. Some owl hoots can be heard for miles.

Birds can communicate in flight, which can help in a migrating flock, especially one that travels at night. The soft regular calls help the birds maintain their spacing and keep the flock together.

What about birds communicating with humans? Certainly, pet birds do. They can communicate vocally and visually in ways that attentive owners can learn to understand. And many learn to speak words.

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