Zebra finch song is not called song because of its aesthetic qualities; in the case of birds, the term song refers to a learned vocalization that is used for courtship, territory defense, or both. To the human ear, the most salient characteristics of zebra finch song are its nasal quality and its strongly marked repeating rhythm.

Because detailed comparisons and analyses of sounds by ear is very difficult for most humans, most researchers use sonograms as their primary tool for studying bird songs. A sonogram is a plot of frequency (or pitch) against time. This sonogram shows the song of a normally reared domesticated zebra finch.

This sonogram illustrates some typical aspects of zebra finch song:

• A series of identical introductory notes precedes the song
• Syllables are separated by silence or by an abrupt change in the acoustic characteristics
• The song (or motif or strophe) is made up of a string of syllables lasting between 0.5 and 1.5 seconds
• The song can be repeated several times to form a bout.

Click on the sonogram to hear the song.

The songs sung by a group of related males can be found at the Zebra Finch Song Archive.