Birds Are Beeping and Booping like R2-D2. Their Mimicked Sounds Are Helping Unlock the Secrets of Avian Communication
European starlings were better than parrots at imitating R2-D2’s high-pitched chattering, possibly because of their special control over a vocal organ
Sarah Kuta - Daily Correspondent
November 24, 2025
European starlings were the best at imitating R2-D2's multphonic sounds because they can control both sides of both sides of the syrinx independently, the researchers say. Pexels
Birds have shown the remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of sounds, from swear words to chainsaws. In more recent years, bird owners have peppered the internet with videos of their pets imitating sounds from a galaxy far, far, away—posting clips of their birds imitating R2-D2, the lovable, cylindrical droid that beeps and boops its way through various Star Wars movies.
The popularity of the birds-imitating-droids videos led some scientists to ask: How do birds fare in recreating R2-D2’s sounds?
“I accidentally came across videos of budgerigars mimicking R2-D2,” says Nick Dam, an evolutionary biologist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, in a statement. “And not just one; a whole series! That’s when we decided to find out which species could best imitate those complex sounds.”
European starlings take the top spot, according to a study co-authored by Dam and published in the journal Scientific Reports on November 6.
The paper is more than a fun indulgence for a bunch of Star Wars-loving scientists. The researchers say their work offers new insights into how anatomy can affect vocal abilities, as well as the evolution of communication and learning in animals.
More:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birds-beeping-booping-r2d2-mimicked-sounds-helping-unlock-secrets-avian-communication-180987738/
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