/newsroom/taxonomy/term/8422/all en /newsroom/channels/news/songbirds-and-humans-share-some-common-speech-patterns-331622 <p>If you listen to songbirds, you will recognize repeated melodies or phrases. Each phrase is made up of distinct sounds, strung together. A study from researchers at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ University has found that the song phrases of many songbird species follow patterns that are similar to those used in human speech. At least in some respects.</p> Mon, 21 Jun 2021 19:43:37 +0000 katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca 269888 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/do-birdsong-and-human-speech-share-biological-roots-282972 <p>Do songbirds and humans have common biological hardwiring that shapes how they produce and perceive sounds?</p> <p>Scientists who study birdsong have been intrigued for some time by the possibility that human speech and music may be rooted in biological processes shared across a variety of animals. Now, research by ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ University biologists provides new evidence to support this idea.</p> Tue, 21 Nov 2017 17:32:11 +0000 priya.pajel@mail.mcgill.ca 32691 at /newsroom /newsroom/channels/news/baby-talk-can-help-songbirds-learn-their-tunes-261074 <p><strong><em>ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Newsroom</em></strong></p> <p><em>The research has implications for understanding human developmental disorders such as autism</em></p> <p><span>Adult songbirds modify their vocalizations when singing to juveniles in the same way that humans alter their speech when talking to babies. The resulting brain activity in young birds could shed light on speech learning and certain developmental disorders in humans, according to a study by ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ University researchers.</span></p> Tue, 31 May 2016 14:46:05 +0000 nima.adibpour@mail.mcgill.ca 25902 at /newsroom