Females sing more than thought: about the structure of the brain of birds – the science

Birds sing more in the spring than in the rest of the year. Before the breeding season, they must attract a mate and defend the area. Neurobiologist Anemi van der Linden (UAntwerp) and her colleagues demonstrate that the structure of songbirds’ brains changes over the course of a year. in the magazine eLife They reported that the more animals sing, the more their brains changed.

Moreover, this occurs not only in the areas of the brain associated with singing, but also in the areas responsible for sight and hearing. Changes occur very quickly until spring.

It was intriguing to discover that female birds sing more than many biologists assume. Their brains change, too, but differently than the brains of males. In male starlings, the hemisphere responsible for the song is denser than in the other, but in females there are stronger connections between the two hemispheres. A similar difference also occurs in humans.

Biologist Erich Matessen (UAntwerp) records with a number of colleagues Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences The nature of birds is determined in part by place and time. Some great boobs are bold, others are wary. The distinction is hereditary, but the balance between both types in the population changes due to local conditions. In years or places where there is less food, daredevils have an advantage, because they will find new food sources more easily. If there is enough food, it is enough to be routine – this is more suitable for energy.

The nature of the birds is determined in part by local conditions.

Birds sing more in the spring than in the rest of the year. Before the breeding season, they must attract a mate and defend the area. Neurobiologist Anemi van der Linden (UAntwerp) and her colleagues demonstrate that the structure of songbirds’ brains changes over the course of a year. In the trade journal eLife, they report that the more the animals sang, the more their brains changed. Moreover, this occurs not only in the areas of the brain associated with singing, but also in the areas responsible for sight and hearing. Changes occur very quickly until spring. It was intriguing to discover that female birds sing more than many biologists assume. Their brains change, too, but differently than the brains of males. In male starlings, the hemisphere responsible for the song is denser than in the other, but in females there are stronger connections between the two hemispheres. A similar difference also occurs in humans. Biologist Eric Matissen (UAntwerp) and several colleagues write in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that bird personality is determined in part by space and time. Some big boobs are bold, others are wary. The distinction is hereditary, but the balance between both types in the population changes due to local conditions. In years or places where there is less food, daredevils have an advantage, because they will find new food sources more easily. If there is enough food, it is enough to be routine – this is more suitable for energy.