Sparrows Talk to One Other.
A family of sparrows - with an excellent skill for communication - resides in a small birdhouse on my front porch. The chatter is constant (e.g., "Feed me. Now. Now") and the activity around the box is non-stop. (A chick's beak can be seen in the photo above).
"We're here. We're ready"
"Me first!"
"Ma, I want more!"
And they speak in a distinct language!
Both adults speak to the chicks during feeding time. The parents land, with food, in a nearby apricot tree, and announce their arrival. (E.g., "Get ready.") The chicks then lean out the door of the box.
When I stood to get a photo of the two eager, hungry, wee ones, the male grew alarmed and sounded a warning.
He said, "Look out! Look out." (Really, his chirps sounded like those exact words.)
The heads of the chicks disappeared. I sat down. The female then announced she was nearby. The wee beaks reappeared at the door.
I thought, Why should I be surprised the sparrows talk to one another in chirps I can understand? They are English, after all.
Please link to A Return to Swallow Cliff.
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