By combining field recordings with direct observation of songbirds, Julie Elie was able to map the hidden meanings behind everyday bird chatter.
By Charlotte Khadra, Chris Chang
August 20, 2026
If you’re not a bird person, you may not be able to distinguish between the different sounds birds make. Birdsong — the courting and territorial vocalization of songbirds — has been studied for decades, but less is understood about bird chatter, or the other chirps made by all flock members throughout the day. Now, we have new insights into the meanings of their chat, thanks to Julie Elie, an associate project scientist in Berkeley’s department of neuroscience research.
Elie has spent years listening to the zebra finch, a small, social songbird. Her patient studies have yielded new insights into the language of the tiny finches, and won her the 2026 Coller-Dolittle prize, which rewards progress towards interspecies communication.
