For the study, birds were trained to respond to patterns of human speech syllables played through a loudspeaker above their cage.

Depending on the sound, the birds had to peck a specific key or take no action.

A correct response was rewarded with access to food, while an incorrect one led to 15 seconds of darkness.

Two different sequences of four naturally spoken syllables were uttered by both a male and female speaker. Prosodic patterns typical of human speech were added by altering pitch, volume or duration to stress the first or last syllable in each group.

The finches not only recognised the changing patterns, but applied what they learnt to sequences consisting of new syllables.