By Philippa Warr, Wired UK
Birds listening to birdsong may be experiencing an emotional response similar to humans listening to music, according to a study tracking neural activity in sparrows.
[partner id="wireduk" align="right"]The research by neuroscientists at Emory University compared the effects of music on human brain activity with that of birdsong on bird brains and found indications that the birds were experiencing pleasure and distaste as a reaction to the sound.
"We found that the same neural reward system is activated in female birds in the breeding state that are listening to male birdsong, and in people listening to music that they like," said Sarah Earp, who led the study at Emory University.
Conversely, male sparrows listening to the singing of another male showed a response comparable to humans hearing what could be described as a cacophony.
The results were most pronounced during the breeding season, where male song is used to woo lady sparrows and to challenge other males. It implies that emotional reactions to song could be altered by different scenarios and biochemistry.
"The neural response to birdsong appears to depend on social context, which can be the case with humans as well," said Earp. "Both birdsong and music elicit responses not only in brain regions associated directly with reward, but also in interconnected regions that are thought to regulate emotion. That suggests that they both may activate evolutionarily ancient mechanisms that are necessary for reproduction and survival."
Although imperfect as not every neural pathway relating to music has a clear counterpart in birds, the results of the study feed into a larger debate over whether birdsong can be classified as music and adds the possibility of an avian perspective on the matter.
Source: Wired.co.uk
