Recent scientific studies of bird communications
Revealed surprising levels of sophistication.
Birds must apportion time: to feed or to fear
Their predators, and to know when they are near.
And they developed elaborate alarms
That many other species understand, and hide to avoid harm.
Furthermore, the calls define what it is they fear:
Is the predator large or small? Is it far or near?
The number of “dee”s in “chicka-dee” determine the threat's size,
And other species can decode these messages precise.
And, in addition, these messages, relayed in forests dense,
Warn that a predator is on its way, and whence.
These calls are relayed at frequencies too high
For predators to hear, as they are flying by
We are again amazed at Nature's adaptations,
To help in the life's struggle of its diverse creations...