Genetic differences across species guide vocal learning in juvenile songbirds
Monday, June 12, 2017 - 10:02
in Biology & Nature
Juvenile birds discriminate and selectively learn their own species' songs even when primarily exposed to the songs of other species, but the underlying mechanism has remained unknown. A new study, by researchers at Uppsala University, shows that song discrimination arises due to genetic differences between species, rather than early learning or other mechanisms. The results are published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.