Known as the syrinx, it is the bird’s version of the voice box or larynx in humans.
Scientists used 3D imaging to examine the structure, located where the windpipe forks into the lungs, in unparalleled detail.

Known as the syrinx, it is the bird’s version of the voice box or larynx in humans.
Scientists used 3D imaging to examine the structure, located where the windpipe forks into the lungs, in unparalleled detail.
It showed how muscles, cartilage and bone work together to allow birds to sing intricate songs even in flight.
We show how the syrinx is adapted for superfast trills and how it can be stabilised while the bird moves
The syrinx has two pairs of vocal cords, so songbirds like the thrush can produce two notes at the same time.
They routinely perform a feat equivalent to a musician playing two instruments at once while dancing.
Lead scientist Dr Coen Elemans, of the University of Southern Denmark, said: “We show how the syrinx is adapted for superfast trills and how it can be stabilised while the bird moves.”
The research appears in the online journal BMC Biology.