A lot of what scientists know about bird song comes from studying zebra finches.

科学家关于鸟类鸣唱的很多知识是通过观察斑胸草雀得来的。

It might be said that the zebra finches were practising their songs while they slumbered.

可以这么说，斑胸草雀正在睡梦中练习唱歌。

If isolated zebra finches start a new colony, the young birds pick up the isolate song from their parents.

如果被孤立的斑胸草雀开始成立一个新的群体，雏鸟就会从它们的父母那里学会孤立的旋律。

And after a few iterations, the melody actually starts to resemble the cultured songs sung by zebra finches in the wild.

经过几代后，它们的旋律其实就会开始跟野外的斑胸草雀所唱的“受教育”旋律相似。