Researchers see evidence of memory in the songbird brain

		IMAGE: University of Illinois cell and developmental biology professor David Clayton and his colleagues saw an unusual pattern of gene activity in the brains of zebra finches after the birds heard... Click here for more information.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When a zebra finch hears a new song from a member of its own species, the experience changes gene expression in its brain in unexpected ways, researchers report. The sequential switching on and off of thousands of genes after a bird hears a new tune offers a new picture of memory in the songbird brain.