Natural History Wanderings

Recent DNA studies of  the Zebra Finch songbird by researchers are providing possible clues about human speech.  Two news reports on the research:

From a Songbird, New Insights Into the Brain: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/science/06bird.html

Songbird DNA May Offer Clues To Human Speech: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125389423

In a very loosely bird related item, NPR has a story “Jazz Is For The Birds”. It is a jazz ornithology of bird related songs and links: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125457642