Let’s hear it for choir of rodents

THEY have a reputation for being as quiet as, well, mice. But mice are soprano singers whose musical talent improves with age, a study finds.

Infant mice are known to call their mothers with song like sounds when distressed Infant mice are known to call their mothers with song-like sounds when distressed

Scientists made ultrasonic recordings of the rodents and discovered evidence of learning behaviour similar to birds.

Many features of high-pitched mouse songs, including syllable patterns, changed and became more complex as the animals grew older.

US researcher Dr Jasmine Grimsley said: “We concluded that the increased complexity of song suggests that mice may be capable of vocal learning.”

But she acknowledged it was still not certain if mouse song was learned or genetically programmed.

Scientists from Japan, who conducted a separate study of mouse song, sided with nature and argued the sounds were innate.

Infant mice are known to call their mothers with song-like sounds when distressed, and male mice serenade females to attract a mate.

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?