在12月出版的《實(shí)驗(yàn)生物學(xué)期刊》雜志上，研究人員發(fā)表論文"Vocal tract articulation revisited: the case of the monk parakeet"說,，科學(xué)家用X射線對(duì)長(zhǎng)尾鸚鵡（Myiopsitta monachus）進(jìn)行了拍攝，這是一種生活在南美洲的鳥類,，它能夠被用來訓(xùn)練說話,，但卻不會(huì)變成夸夸其談的明星。

鸚鵡既沒有嘴唇也不長(zhǎng)牙齒,，但這并不能停止它們準(zhǔn)確無誤地模仿人類的語言,。

如今,，研究人員找到了部分原因：像人類一樣，鸚鵡也能夠利用它們的舌頭發(fā)音,。

在發(fā)聲時(shí),，這種鸚鵡會(huì)降低自己的舌頭——在它們無法互相看見對(duì)方時(shí)，便會(huì)發(fā)出吱吱的“聯(lián)絡(luò)呼叫”,；而連續(xù)的“問候呼叫”則表示出一種社會(huì)聯(lián)系,。

研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，鸚鵡在震動(dòng)的同時(shí)會(huì)上下移動(dòng)它們的舌頭,。研究人員之前在研究鳥類的發(fā)聲時(shí)從未發(fā)現(xiàn)這種移動(dòng)舌頭的情況,。

鸚鵡利用它們靈活的、肌肉發(fā)達(dá)的舌頭來探索周圍的環(huán)境并獲得食物,。這些能干的器官碰巧有助于鸚鵡向人類發(fā)出他們能夠理解的問候語,。（生物谷bioon.com）

doi:10.1242/​jeb.064717
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Vocal tract articulation revisited: the case of the monk parakeet

Verena R. Ohms1,2,*, Gabriël J. L. Beckers3, Carel ten Cate1,4 and Roderick A. Suthers2

Birdsong and human speech share many features with respect to vocal learning and development. However, the vocal production mechanisms have long been considered to be distinct. The vocal organ of songbirds is more complex than the human larynx, leading to the hypothesis that vocal variation in birdsong originates mainly at the sound source, while in humans it is primarily due to vocal tract filtering. However, several recent studies have indicated the importance of vocal tract articulators such as the beak and oropharyngeal–esophageal cavity. In contrast to most other bird groups, parrots have a prominent tongue, raising the possibility that tongue movements may also be of significant importance in vocal production in parrots, but evidence is rare and observations often anecdotal. In the current study we used X-ray cinematographic imaging of naturally vocalizing monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) to assess which articulators are possibly involved in vocal tract filtering in this species. We observed prominent tongue height changes, beak opening movements and tracheal length changes, which suggests that all of these components play an important role in modulating vocal tract resonance. Moreover, the observation of tracheal shortening as a vocal articulator in live birds has to our knowledge not been described before. We also found strong positive correlations between beak opening and amplitude as well as changes in tongue height and amplitude in several types of vocalization. Our results suggest considerable differences between parrot and songbird vocal production while at the same time the parrot's vocal articulation might more closely resemble human speech production in the sense that both make extensive use of the tongue as a vocal articulator.