How Birds Sing (and how it's different from us)

Humans make sound with vocal folds that vibrate as air passes through. We can only* make one sound at a time, and only* on an exhale, so we need to stop sometimes to breathe.
*with extreme training people CAN make more than one sound and make noise on an inhale. But literal babies can use their voice on an exhale.

Songbirds are different. They use bumps of tissue that are connected to membranes that help them vibrate, kind of like pinching the neck of a balloon to make squeaky sounds. They have superfast muscles that help them shape this system to make songs.

Songbirds can also sing two notes at the same time, and they don't need to stop for a breath.

I hope you leave this video with a new appreciation for the sounds of birds that are all around you!

Copyright

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Thanks for watching! You're awesome!

[TheWildlifeBrothers]

Yet another incredibly well explained video Steve, I had some understanding of how this system works but you made it crystal clear! I will definitely by recommending this video to my teacher and professor friends, this quality of education needs to be in classrooms! Absolutely fantastic work!
- Harrison and Evan

[suno]

sort of unrelated technique but humans can also kinda "sing" two notes at once. if you hum and whistle at the same time you can produce two distinct pitches, and even learn to control both indepentantly.

[Cleeon]

I little confusing here, how birds can only use around 15 % energy for singing, comparing, while they're at rest 😴 ?
Is it really?

[marcopohl]

That gives me an Idea for character writing: Dr. Black talks like a waterfall, since he can talk while inhaling too

[trinitywave]

Steve, this was super helpful for me. I sing a good amount, and i learned so much about birds singing. I enjoy listening to the birds sing. And sometimes I sing with them. And I wondered how they get those amazing tones. Thank you. Love and Light.

[Poopick]

This is really cool. I always wondered why birds sound so different. Even while watching this video and writing the comment i here the sound of many songbirds out my window. Nice

[mamaboocee]

This video made my day - I always wanted to know how birds do this!
Today I fimed a blue jay up close imitating a Crow - I posted it to my channel. I hear him do it all the time but am always too slow to get it on video. This time I got it!!!

[Ecotasia]

Really great discussion of bird singing in great detail. Really liked using the balloon as an example.
-JJ

[pyro-millie]

I’ve always been fascinated by how the voice works. Its amazing that birds’ vocal system is so dramatically different than our own and what they can do with it! This blew my mind!

[thowi]

The visualizations you used to accompany each song example are incredibly illustrative. Beautiful video, thank you :)

What software generated those by the way?

[GeoZoo-official.]

This was a great video Steve! I was honestly surprised when you said that making sounds while inhaling was rare, cause I’m one of those people that can make such noises. I always knew birds had a really complex sound system, but I never knew how complex it was.

[brianwilson]

that was awesome. thanks for this explanation - we wanted to see what the anatomy looked like and appreciate the detail and examples.

[naturewithgabe]

Loved this one. Great explanations and examples.

[heatherk.]

So good! I've been trying to follow up on something you explained here regarding the position of the syrinx enabling the bird to naturally create widely different sounds (owls vs. song birds) and having trouble finding more info. Any leads you could give me? (Also, poor Vultures & Co! LOL!) I was particularly confused at the placement of the tympanic membrane in pigeons (which seems a "high" placement) and the fact that other birds with "high" placements (song birds) have a totally different sound and range. Unfortunately, I'm either asking Google the wrong questions or there's just not much info about the mechanics of how they make sounds. Seems so fascinating! Keep up the good work!

[gsxrman]

I have read about this subject but watching it illustrated was fascinating and excellent .

[donniumar]

how the bird make more then two note at the same time they are only have 2 hole,