A skill that was earlier credited to humans only has also been found in a bird in Australia. Chestnut-crowned babbler found in the Australian Outback can communicate with one another using simple form of language.

Researchers have studied the vocal noises taken out by the chestnut-crowned babbler. They have found that the bird uses different sounds, which on their own might not have any meaning but when combined they pass on a certain message to other members of the species.

Study's co-author Simon Townsend of the University of Zurich said, "This is the first time that the capacity to generate new meaning from rearranging meaningless elements has been shown to exist outside of humans".

Dr. Townsend said that it was amazing to know that two babbler bird calls will sound very similar, but they are produced in totally different behavioral contexts and listening birds are able to pick up the messages.

The study researchers carried out experiments involving babblers and noticed that the birds re-use two sounds, A and B in different arrangements. When they are feeding chicks, they use BAB and they making a fighting call they use AB.

The researchers said birds use different patterns in different circumstances. Professor Andy Russell from the University of Exeter said that babbler birds may choose to rearrange sounds so they can code new meaning as combining two existing sounds is quicker in comparison to evolve a new sound altogether.