Sunday, March 23, 2008

The reason birds sing in spring

THE secret of how birds know to sing in springtime has been discovered by researchers in Scotland and Japan.

A key part of the brain in birds is affected by seasonal change. The team found that, when birds are exposed to more light, cells near the pituitary gland release a hormone that sparks a series of reactions, making them ready for the mating season, when they sing more to attract a partner.

The findings, reported in the journal Nature, could have implications for treating infertility in humans, because they share the same type of cell.
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