Song variance...so many tunes!

[plantsandbirds]

I wonder if this is a thing that has happened in captivity due to the separation of each "flock" but I've noticed that all of my finch males have very different songs. Wild birds seem to have more uniformity to their song.

I know I read that each baby learns to imitate the song from the parent but so many of mine have completely different tunes, dropped notes, longer songs, added trills. It's amazing! Even the two Society males have different songs and peeps. Humphrey has a definate "peep" and Errol sounds like a cricket, yet they each know one another is a Society because they talk to each other across the room.

It's fun.

[kenny]

hi plants and birds
all zebras have the basic same song ,but all of them sing it slightly different,as do the societies!

ken

[plantsandbirds]

Thanks Ken! It really is amazing how the little guys vary. I just heard one that even starts his song out with a very Society-like trill. I haven't heard the little Strawberry sing yet but he could be drowned out by all of the others!

[tammieb]

Oh just you wait! LOLOLOLOL

My Strawberry sings his little head off before sunup. Usually around 5am he starts in with his VERY loud whistle. You will be amazed such a tiny bird can make so much noise.

[plantsandbirds]

Thanks Tammie! I've heard that whistle and thought...uh oh! He has sung the most beautiful song just a bit ago!

[jave*finch*]

I wonder if this is a thing that has happened in captivity due to the separation of each "flock" but I've noticed that all of my finch males have very different songs. Wild birds seem to have more uniformity to their song.

I know I read that each baby learns to imitate the song from the parent but so many of mine have completely different tunes, dropped notes, longer songs, added trills. It's amazing! Even the two Society males have different songs and peeps. Humphrey has a definate "peep" and Errol sounds like a cricket, yet they each know one another is a Society because they talk to each other across the room.

It's fun.

the zebras add some sounds that they hear for example a zebra chick fostered by a society..the zebra will take some notes from the society cock and add other songs from different birds that it hears like some house sparrows if he was born outside the house or some gouldians if he is near some singin gouldians and mixes it up to make up his own unique song.

[plantsandbirds]

That's very interesting. I was thinking about this only this morning because I heard Julian the Zebra singing his "poink-a-chink" three note song and William the Zebra singing his six note song.

[jave*finch*]

That's very interesting. I was thinking about this only this morning because I heard Julian the Zebra singing his "poink-a-chink" three note song and William the Zebra singing his six note song.

the main zebra song is a single chirp like the females do. try handfeeding a zebra finch and dont let it hear any other songs. then whistle a single tune everyday before it fledges. it will copy your tune. but once it hears some other noises it will copy the noise and mix it with the first tune you taught it!