On a recent warm mid-April day, I decided to venture out to my patio to enjoy some sunshine. Within a minute of being there, I heard a distinct shrill and chattering bird call I did not recognize.

Birds understand many sounds around them, from mates to alarms, and this hidden skill may hint at how human language first ...

A is for adorbler. One can detect the presence of an adorbler by noticing when fellow birdwatchers coo, “Oh, hello, little buddy,” and “Well, look at you,” or emit soft squeals of delight. A is also ...