4. Innate and learned vocalizations

4.1 Genetic control and learning

Generally speaking, in the animal kingdom, vocalizations are genetically transmitted. This is the case in insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, almost half of all bird species and the vast majority of mammals. On the phylogenetic tree of the bird class, only three orders have a vocal learning capacity: the Psittaciformes (parakeets and parrots), the Trochiliformes (hummingbirds) and the Passeriformes (passerines), the latter alone accounting for over 50% of bird species. The same phenomenon can be observed in mammals, since the ability to learn to speak has only been proven in three orders: chiropterans (bats), cetaceans (whales, dolphins) and certain primates.

In many birds, vocalizations are passed on genetically. If, for example,...