Vocal Learning in Songbirds Linked to Problem-Solving Skills and Brain Size

The European starling boasts a remarkable repertoire. Versatile songbirds that learn warbles, whistles, calls, and songs throughout their lives, starlings rank among the most advanced avian vocal learners. Now a new study, published in Science on September 15, 2023, finds that starlings, along with other complex vocal learners, are also superior problem solvers. The open-access article is titled “Songbird Species That Display More-Complex Vocal Learning Are Better Problem-Solvers and Have Larger Brains.”