Sing baby sing! Birds get on song
Last updated 16/06/2008 17:08:06
Baby birds in the care of RSPCA wildlife centres are for the first time being played recordings of the dawn chorus to help them learn to sing.
A recent scientific study, funded by the charity, concluded that birds being reared in captivity could benefit from being played song from birds of their own species before they are released back into the wild.
As a result, RSPCA wildlife centres are this year playing birdsong CDs twice a day to the hundreds of fledglings in their care. The CDs contain all the calls of the bird species being cared for.
Tim Thomas, an RSPCA wildlife officer, said: "The ability to sing is extremely important to the males of most bird species because it is vital for them to form, and then defend, their own territory and find a mate. Female birds in many species choose a partner based on the way they sing."
Birds learn to sing from their parents so being reared in captivity can mean that they do not know how to sing properly. Tim explained: "The study found that the majority of bird species benefit from being played birdsong - they listen to it and it helps them become good singers, which will in turn help them to survive when they are released."