Episode Information

Many resident birds — like this Song Sparrow — are still here, but their voices are now quiet. During fall and winter, the non-breeding season, birds don’t need to sing to establish a breeding territory or attract a mate. Many songbirds lose the ability to sing in the winter. The part of the brain used for singing shrinks to lighten the bird’s body mass.
For more about the changes in birds’ brains, visit the American Association for the Advancement of Science.