Species Differences In Vocal Learning By Parrots Revealed By Citizen Scientists
New research finds many companion parrots use words in appropriate contexts and uncovers species differences in vocal mimicry, thanks to a crowd-sourced database comprising almost 900 companion parrots
Β© by GrrlScientist for Forbes
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A very interesting study was just published that finds many parrots use words in appropriate contexts. This study, based on an analysis of almost 900 companion parrots as reported by a flock of citizen scientists, provides the largest comparative analysis to date of companion parrot vocal repertoires.
Why study companion parrots?
βI spend a lot of time thinking about male and female vocalizations in songbirds, so I first approached parrots from that point of viewβ, study co-author, Lauryn Benedict, a Professor and Associate Director of UNCβs School of Biological Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado said in email.
βI was interested in a group where the general wisdom was that males and females were equally good vocal learnersβ, Professor Benedict explained. Currently, the general wisdom is that male songbirds have better vocal abilities than femalesβ¦
