Surprising Language ’Shortcuts’ in Birdsong - Just Like Humans

Scientists discover surprising language ‘shortcuts’ in birdsong – just like humans

Scientists have uncovered a hidden pattern in birdsong that mirrors a core rule of human language.A new study, led by researchers at The University of Manchester, in collaboration with Chester Zoo, found that birds appear to follow Zipf’s Law of Abbreviation (ZLA) – the idea that more frequently used sounds tend to be shorter. This rule, found in all human languages, helps make communication more efficient.The findings, published in the journal …

Surprising language ’shortcuts’ in birdsong - just like humans

13.08.2025 - Scientists have uncovered a hidden pattern in birdsong that mirrors a core rule of human language. A new study, led by researchers at The University of Manchester, in collaboration with Chester Zoo, found that birds appear to follow Zipf's Law of Abbreviation (ZLA) - the idea that more frequently used sounds tend to be shorter.