Birds do not have vocal cords. The more muscles a bird has attached to the syrinx, the more vocalizations it can make. A variety of other types of communications are used by birds. Hungry nestlings peck at their parents' beaks or open their mouths widely to beg for food. Sandhill cranes and American woodcocks have elaborate mating dances and flights.
Communication is very important to birds.
Without communication, many birds would starve, lose their way during migration, be unable to defend a territory or find a mate. 1. Learn to attract birds with sound. One of the easiest sounds you can make is to suck on the back of your hand, which will attract chickadees. Listen to the tape included in this education kit or Audubon audio tapes. This is a good way to introduce children to birds.