The zebra finch’s courtship song consists of a fixed sequence of vocal elements called syllables. A small structure in the thalamus, deep in the brain, forms connections with a set of nerve cells that ...

Neuroscientists have found a link between vocal changes and the aging brain in zebra finch songbirds, which could help lead to earlier diagnoses for disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's ...

When a thirsty and lonely male zebra finch changes his mind from getting a drink of water to prioritizing courtship, his dopamine-releasing brain cells reflect his new intensions A pair of Zebra ...

We all know the adage, 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks.' As we age, our ability to learn new skills, like mastering a foreign language or picking up a musical instrument, seems to fade. The ...

Researchers have mapped the long-range synaptic connections involved in vocal learning in zebra finches, uncovering new ...

Brain scientists are beginning to disentangle the molecular mechanisms underlying the intrinsic motivation to learn. DURHAM, N.C. -- In his lab at Duke University, neuroscientist Richard Mooney shows ...

NEW YORK, NY — His mind might have been set on finding water or on perfecting a song he learned as a chick from his dad. But all of that gets pushed down the to-do list for an adult male zebra finch ...

How does a bird learn its birdsong? Tomoko Fujii and Masashi Tanaka, from Waseda University, explored what drives a zebra finch to approach and imitate other zebra finches to learn its birdsong in a ...