BBC Why Birds Sing ¦ 480p [1/6]

Inspired by musician and eco-philosopher David Rothenberg's book of the same title, this documentary explores the intriguing, charming, complex and often conflicting theories on why birds sing like they do and why humans are so attracted to the sound.

The film features contributions from musicians including Laurie Anderson, Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton; enlightening and often startling analysis from some of the world's most eminent birdsong scientists; a literary guide to birdsong in poetry; a bizarre birdsong-themed art 'happening'; the creation of a new musical composition from the Afro-Celt Sound System, entirely made up of manipulated birdsongs; and a strange musical duet at New York's Bronx Aviary, featuring humans and birds.

Filmed in the forests, aviaries, studios and laboratories of England, Germany and the USA, this is a colourful, entertaining, informative and occasionally weird journey through the songs of nature that have enchanted and perplexed humans for thousands of years.

• Category

  Pets & Animals

[Roboami]

So that means: if we men were acting like birds, the ones of us who make the best music would get all the chicks? Oh wait...

[UberDoomCow]

If singing helps get mates and keep away rivals, that means evolutionarily singing would become hard wired in the brain's pleasure/reward center-hence making singing itself a pleasurable experience on a biological level.

[Razer9672]

Does that imply boy bands are like birds of paradise? Colorful, extravagant, and strange to those who don't understand them?

[Dre Ruiz]

This guy was one of my professor's in college, NJIT shoutout XD

[jonescjify]

theres no proof jk lmao

[intrptr]

Science is like, "There's no proof".

But artists get it right away.

Big difference between science and art.

One is soulless, you guess which.

[Simon Dean]

From now on when asked what I do I am going to say that I too am a New-Age philosopher and Jazz musician.

[hungryjoe222]

Show me an interactive transcript and I'll click on it. (Or are you the bird-brain we have been warned not to underestimate?)

[MrWhileloops]

God exist. If evolution created us, we the living would be less sophisticated than a space shuttle.

[petite monsoon]

Don't underestimate the power of a birds brain...........