The male songbird is usually the singer and his song, which is heard during the breeding season, may have two functions. It may help to defend his territory from other males or it may be used to attract potential mates. The male is also usually more colourful than the female, enhancing his chances of attracting a mate. Although not all songbirds are musical, they all have a very well- developed vocal organ called the syrinx . The better a bird can control its syrinx, the sweeter and more precise its song.
All songbirds have feet that are specialized for perching .
This allows them to tightly grasp a perch safely supporting them even on tiny tree branches. Here's a list that you can use to skip ahead to a particular family. The Royal British Columbia Museum. All rights reserved.