Do birds really know music?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (207005)
Walnut Creek, California
January 10, 2019 8:37pm CST
For some reason, when I play guitar, my friends' birds like to fly down and play with me. This picture is from 2001, when Ms Horse's parrotlet flew down and "helped" me play guitar. More recently, my friend's cockatiel would sing the Andy of Mayberry Song when I came over.
But I read an article that suggested that even song birds don't really know music. It made me sad. The article suggested that birds always sing their songs in the same key, and that they don't understand that melodies are about relationships between notes, not the notes themselves.
I want to believe that Sarah, the bird in this picture, was having a musical moment as she "played" guitar with me, and that Romeo, the cockatiel, was really singing. I am saddened that some research suggests that both were just doing what some psychologists call a "fixed action pattern," doing what birds do.
Do you think song birds are real musicians?
20 people like this
22 responses
@noni1959 (9889)
• United States
11 Jan 19
I think some birds do know melodies. I had birds most my life and whenever I would play music I could see a change in them from "dancing" to closing their eyes enjoying. They would make noise like singing at times. Maybe I'm wishful thinking but it's how I feel.
4 people like this
@xander6464 (40916)
• Wapello, Iowa
11 Jan 19
I don't know much about birds but I really like The Byrds. They seem to know a thing or two about music.
3 people like this
@xander6464 (40916)
• Wapello, Iowa
11 Jan 19
@TheHorse I'd like to be there, too.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (207005)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Jan 19
@xander6464 It's possible.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (207005)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Jan 19
This is one of my favorite Byrds tunes. "Just relaxed and paying attention." That's where I want to be.
"5D (Fifth Dimension)" (Jim McGuinn) – 2:33 "Wild Mountain Thyme" (traditional, arranged Jim McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke, David Crosby) – 2:30 "Mr...
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
11 Jan 19
Yes I do and do not bust my bubble by saying they aren`t.
3 people like this
@fivecandles (356)
• United States
11 Jan 19
I knew an African Gray who sang the theme song to COPS. Birds are very intelligent!
3 people like this
@sallypup (58208)
• Centralia, Washington
11 Jan 19
@TheHorse Not really music but an eerie connection. Right before the phone would ring- old fashioned phone cause this happened eons ago- Tabby bird would start to trill. He must have heard the phone before us?? Then the time I was about to have my daughter- my contractions started. Of course it was hell, total misery and of course getting stronger. Tabby trilled louder as the pain grew more intense, working right along with me. Totally amazing. Distracted and helped, actually. He had a gorgeous voice, worthy of the opera. He flew into our apartment building! The supervisor and me captured him and I ended up being his keeper. Expensive bird that appeared out of no where.
@Happy2BeMe (99390)
• Canada
11 Jan 19
I do believe that song birds are real musicians. I think they are wrong. Afterall they sing the most beautiful melodies.
2 people like this
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
11 Jan 19
Wow...this is the first time that I have seen anything like this. This is great
2 people like this
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
11 Jan 19
@TheHorse no...we hardly have any birds at my place.
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
11 Jan 19
I don't know much at all about bird behavior. I think they are quite intelligent though.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157722)
• United States
11 Jan 19
I do not know if they understand how to create music beyond their own uses for it, but that does not mean they are not musicians. I have also seen that birds are great appreciators of music. I took a college kid with my family on a picnic at a lake once. He brought his guitar. Every time he would start playing these two mallards would come up to our campfire and stay as long as he would play.
1 person likes this
@kayshope (1670)
• El Paso, Texas
12 Jan 19
I dont know if the can or not. But i can tell you something I have a big tree by my kitchen window. In the mornings here while Im doing the breakfast dishes.. i swear 2-3 birds are in that tree singing to me. i sometimes think its words coming out of their mouths.
1 person likes this
