Syrinx (biology)

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Syrinx is the name for the vocal organ of birds. Located at the base of a bird's trachea, it produces sounds without the vocal cords that mammals are equipped with. The sound is produced by vibrations of the walls of the syrinx, or by the vibration of air flowing through the syrinx. The syrinx enables some species of birds (such as parrots, parakeets, and mynas) to mimic human speech. Because unlike the larynx of mammals, the syrinx is located where the trachea forks into the lungs, in some songbirds it can produce more than one sound at a time.

[edit] See also

• Bird call
• Whistling