Bird Songs - Random, Inborn, or Learned?

I've been reading the most interesting book by Donald Kroodsma

entitled The Singing Life of Birds.

To view a sample of it or to buy it, 

click on the link above to take you to the Amazon bookstore.
Included in it is a CD of birdsongs which I have really enjoyed.

What I've found the most interesting is that some birds,

like the Eastern Phoebe, seem to have their songs built in them.

Other song birds, like the little wren, have to practice learning

the songs of their parents.

I guess that's like a lot of us...

Some of us are born with a God-given talent,

and some of us have to work very hard at developing that talent!

I'm not sure about the blue jay's songs,
if they learn how to holler out "Thief Thief" from their parents,
or if it's inborn.

But I do know this guy had trouble hanging on to my feeder!

To see my unusual run of Names for God on Rocks post this week,

click HERE!

And if you'd like to see a variety of birds from around the world,

check out Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday blog hop!