Why do birds sing while sleeping? This is the explanation

JAKARTA – The phenomenon of birds singing while sleeping has been of interest to researchers for a long time. Now they have made a new breakthrough in understanding bird sleep and translating its peaceful melody.

In research conducted at the University of Buenos Aires, it was discovered that there is a brain region responsible for bird song during sleep. These areas have similar patterns when the birds are awake and singing.

Scientists have long known that this brain pattern causes subtle muscle movements in the vocal tract of sleeping birds. This results in a “song of silence”.

While the birds slept, the part of the brain responsible for daytime song remained active and showed patterns similar to those seen when they were awake. Researchers have previously shown that this brain pattern activates vocal muscles in birds, allowing them to silently “replay” songs while sleeping.

However, until now it has not been possible to map out how to handle these nighttime activities. In a new study, researchers translated the birds’ vocal muscle movements during dreaming into synthetic songs. “Dreams are one of the most intimate and elusive parts of our existence,” said expert on the physical mechanisms behind bird song and author of the study, Gabriel Mindlin, reported by New Atlas, Wednesday (17/4/2024).

“It’s very moving to know that we share something with a species so far away, and to get into the mind of a dreaming bird and hear what those dreams are like. The opportunity to be heard is an irresistible temptation.”

Bird sounds are produced by unique organs that are only found in birds. Located at the base of the trachea, air flowing through it causes some or all of the walls of the organ to vibrate, and the surrounding air sacs act like a resonance chamber. The pitch of the sound produced depends on the tone of the muscles surrounding the narcissus and the airways.

The researchers chose the yellow bird from Brazil, namely the Great Kiskadee, for the study because it was the species used in previous research. This noisy and aggressive bird, found throughout Central and South America, is known for its three-syllable call. In fact, its name comes from the nickname “kiss-ka-dee.” Kiskadees emit a distinctive chirp when defending their territory.