Book 31, Question 80
How can a chickadee’s call tell how dangerous a threat is?
The black-capped chickadee’s famous call says “chick-a-dee-dee-dee.” Scientists discovered that the bird adds more “dee” notes when the danger is a small, quick hunter that is harder to escape from.
A big, slower bird triggers fewer “dees.” Other birds nearby listen and understand how serious the danger is. It is a code with real information packed into a few notes.