Around UNC News

When North American ornithologists hear a bird singing, they’re likely to assume it’s a male. But in many species, the females sing too — and a new commentary co-authored by University of Northern Colorado’s Lauryn Benedict argues that a better understanding of these unappreciated female songs could lead to advances in many aspects of bird biology. Benedict and co-author Karan Odom of Cornell University urge their colleagues to spread the word that female birds sing, to share resources, and to disseminate their findings. You don’t need to be a professional ornithologist in order to help expand knowledge of female song, either — Odom has created a website where any birdwatcher can upload their observations.