songbirds

Songbirds are a group of passerine birds belonging to the suborder Passeri, commonly referred to as oscines or songbirds. They are distinguished by their complex vocal apparatus and learned vocalizations. Songbirds comprise roughly half of all bird species, with abundant diversity across continents and habitats. They include many familiar groups such as warblers, thrushes, finches, sparrows, and canaries. The term is informal rather than a precise taxonomic unit.

Oscines possess a specialized vocal organ, the syrinx, with muscles that enable flexible, varied songs. Most songbirds learn their songs during a juvenile period, influenced by social and geographic context. They may invent, imitate, or modify songs, and regional dialects can develop within populations.

In behavior and ecology, songbirds typically have perching feet and beaks adapted to their diet, which ranges from insects to seeds and fruit. They build cup-shaped or enclosed nests and defend territories with song during breeding seasons. Many species migrate between breeding and wintering grounds.

Songbirds are diverse and widespread. With thousands of species, they inhabit a wide range of environments including forests, grasslands, deserts, and urban areas. They are found worldwide except extreme polar regions.

Conservation and human interactions include threats such as habitat loss, introduced predators, and climate change. Some songbirds are common in urban areas and are kept as pets or in aviaries, while others have cultural significance.