TOKYO - A groundbreaking study by Toshitaka Suzuki, a leading figure in animal linguistics, has revealed that birds use their songs not merely to chirp but to communicate specific information, such as the presence of predators or the location of food—functioning as a true form of language.
Suzuki, who began birdwatching in his teens, made the discovery during field observations in Karuizawa. While tracking a coal tit, he noticed it calling out urgently while flying, followed closely by other birds such as great tits and marsh tits. The group eventually arrived at a spot where sunflower seeds had been scattered on the snow. The scene suggested the coal tit’s call served as an announcement to other birds: food had been found.
Intrigued, Suzuki continued his observations and documented distinct vocal patterns linked to different behaviors. In one instance, a great tit’s specific call prompted nearby birds to gather and feed. Moments later, a different call from another great tit caused the group to immediately scatter and hide. Looking around, Suzuki identified a hawk overhead, concluding that the second call functioned as a warning signal: "A predator is approaching."
Additional observations showed that solitary birds, while feeding, looked up at the sky 70 to 80 times per minute, whereas those eating in groups looked up only about 40 times. This indicated that birds rely on vocal communication within the group to monitor safety and share vigilance.
In another case, Suzuki witnessed a mother great tit give off a strange, harsh-sounding call while tending to her chicks. When he checked below the nest, he found a Japanese rat snake. Believing the chicks may have been eaten, Suzuki captured the snake and examined it, though no chicks were found inside. He then placed the snake near a different nest. Upon seeing it, the same mother issued the same cry, and the chicks quickly evacuated. Suzuki interpreted this behavior as an emergency response triggered by a specific warning call.
His research further demonstrated that birds react to specific call patterns with matching behaviors. For instance, playing a recorded call associated with "snake" caused nearby birds to visually search the ground, while a call indicating "gather and feed" resulted in no such reaction. This supported the conclusion that birds interpret different calls as having distinct meanings.
In a striking finding, Suzuki discovered that birds are even capable of deception. When dominant great tits occupied a feeding spot, smaller birds could not access the food. In some cases, a great tit would falsely issue a "snake" warning to clear the area and feed alone.
Suzuki also found that syntax matters. If the call indicating "snake" was rearranged or incomplete, the birds no longer recognized it as a warning, suggesting that the order of sounds—effectively, grammar—is key to understanding.
His research has garnered international recognition, and in 2025 he will be awarded an international prize by the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour in the United Kingdom. Suzuki’s work has given rise to a new field of study: animal linguistics.
The discovery that birds not only communicate but also lie and misunderstand each other suggests that language—and its accompanying pitfalls—may not be exclusive to humans.
Source: サン!シャイン公式ch.
