Decode the chatter of birds with a neuroscientist

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If you're not a bird person, you may not be able to distinguish between the different sounds birds make. Birdsong—the courting and territorial vocalization of songbirds—has been studied for decades, but less is understood about bird chatter, or the other chirps made by all flock members throughout the day. Now, we have new insights into the meanings of their chatter, thanks to Julie Elie, an associate project scientist in Berkeley's Department of Neuroscience.