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[The CIVIS Newsroom ](https://civis.eu/fr/the-civis-newsroom) 2. Migratory birds’ songs reveal dialects between populations Migratory birds’ songs reveal dialects between populations ============================================================ CIVIS Highlights 13 mai 2026 Did you know that even birds can “speak” dialects? Researchers at Stockholm University can now track how birdsong changes over time and how dialects emerge between different populations. The results are as important as song plays a crucial role in birds’ world – both in establishing territories and in attracting a mate. ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/subirds2.jpg)Pied Flycatcher by Tom WallisEvery spring, millions of migratory birds return to their breeding grounds. Among them, the pied flycatchers. They come back to Sweden yearly, after spending the winter in West Africa. After the long and risky journey, the males are the first to arrive at the breeding grounds and immediately begin singing intensely to establish territories and attract females. Their behaviour is being studied at Tovetorp Research Station in Södermanland. David Wheatcroft, one of two directors, always keeps the recording equipment ready in his backpack when he’s out in the field. As a large part of his research revolves around a fundamental question: *how do birds learn to sing?* ![David Wheatcroft, Associate Professor of Zoology and Directors of Tovetorp Research Station](https://civis.eu/storage/files/david-wheatcroft-su.jpg) > There are clear similarities with how humans learn language. Young birds listen to their surroundings and gradually develop their song David Wheatcroft, Associate Professor of Zoology and Directors of Tovetorp Research Station Just a few weeks after hatching, the chicks begin shaping their vocalisations through a combination of innate abilities and social learning. They listen to adult birds, especially their father, but their development involves more than simple imitation, says the researcher: *“They also seem to fine-tune their song through practice. Unlike humans, they receive no active feedback, yet they develop a functional song – without parents telling them when something is wrong.”* Birdsong changes over time, much like human languages. Small variations in how songs are learnt are passed on between generations and can eventually lead to clear differences between populations – known as *dialects*. To human ears these differences may sound subtle, but for the birds themselves they can be crucial. Like this difference between pied flycatchers from Swedish and Spanish populations: ### What is a dialect in birds? Dialects in bird vocalizations refer to consistent regional differences in songs within a single species. These differences may involve the sounds that make up a song (i.e., song syllables) or its overall structure. They arise when young birds learn their song locally and pass it on between generations, much like dialects in human language. Dialects can influence both recognition and mate choice. Song plays a crucial role when birds choose a partner, but also when identifying members of their own species. Songs from other species attract no interest – birds prefer songs they recognise. Even variations within the same species matter: > “It seems that moderation works best. If the song differs too much, for example between populations that live far apart, it becomes less attractive,” says David Wheatcroft. In pied flycatchers, song also changes over the course of the breeding season. Before mating it is more complex, but it becomes simpler once the male has found a partner and produced offspring: *“This is probably linked to hormones. Testosterone levels are high at the beginning of the season and decline later on,”* concludes the researcher. ### AI hears what we cannot Understanding these changes requires large amounts of data. For a long time, researchers have been limited by how much recorded material could be analysed manually. This is where artificial intelligence has become a crucial tool. Using AI, researchers can automatically detect birdsong in long recordings, identify species and analyse variation over time. This makes it possible to uncover patterns that are too complex for the human ear to perceive. *“It’s so extensive that you wouldn’t even know where to begin without these methods”*, explains David. The new technology also opens up entirely new research questions: which parts of the song actually change over time? How do dialects differ between populations? And what exactly are the birds themselves listening for? The next step is to analyse recordings spanning several decades. The combination of classical fieldwork and advanced data analysis is giving researchers a more detailed picture of migratory birds’ lives than ever before. More details available in the original story, in Swedish: [Läs mer](https://www.su.se/nyheter/nyhetsartiklar/2026-05-04-sa-kan-forskarna-identifiera-flyttfaglarnas-dialekter) Related news ------------ - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/dogs-su-800x600.jpg?token=d436788be1d8bedcdebade845bd52ff0)World’s oldest genetic evidence for domestic dogs identified CIVIS Highlights 6 avril 2026 ](https://civis.eu/fr/the-civis-newsroom/world-s-oldest-genetic-evidence-for-domestic-dogs-identified) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/hannahpelikan-2024-liu-7637-800x600.jpg?token=e69d69aad40de681ca5eedde6851d655)Timing challenge for self-driving cars CIVIS Highlights 9 mars 2026 ](https://civis.eu/fr/the-civis-newsroom/timing-challenge-for-self-driving-cars) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/dictionaries-800x600.jpg?token=028d7ffc1ba206cdd38fa50e28ac0083)The 18th‑century dictionary craze vs today’s AI anxiety CIVIS Highlights 11 février 2026 ](https://civis.eu/fr/the-civis-newsroom/the-18th-century-dictionary-craze-vs-today-s-ai-anxiety) [Découvrez toutes nos aventures](https://civis.eu/fr/the-civis-newsroom) ![CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance](https://civis.eu/build/assets/civis-CCpvK1nT.svg) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Europe’s Civic University Alliance ![Co-funded by the European Union](https://civis.eu/build/assets/co-funded-by-the-european-union-DSKLW1us.png)Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). 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