I have a plum tree that is finally producing fruit this year. The fruits are red, and as soon as they started changing colors, birds pecked at two of them, causing them to fall off. Since then, they have not touched them, despite the fruits staying on the tree a long time. I am guessing the birds thought they were cherries, and, being disappointed in the initially sour fruit, left them alone.

I also have grape vines that are popular with the birds; a couple of years ago I didn't pay them enough attention--there were only a few grape clusters then--and the birds stripped them completely clean before I knew what was happening.

That the birds have left the plums alone after an initial couple of bites while systematically pursuing the grapes leads me to believe communication between birds is sufficiently advanced to be able to identify specific ideas, such as "fruit/food", "that tree/over there", "sour", "don't eat". My daughter and I were discussing this, and we both also remember reading an article about the complexity of prairie dog language.  We wondered if humans might at some point be able to decode and duplicate animal sounds to be able to communicate with them.

But that would likely depend on the complexity of the animals' communication.  The reason this is of interest to me is that Anthony simply does not get many specifics of language.  Recently I told him to bring me his cup from the table so I could give him something to drink.  First he brought me his plate, which was the nearest item on the table.  I told him again to bring me his cup.  This time, he brought me his bowl, which was the next closest item on the table.  The third time of telling him to bring me his cup was the charm, but perhaps only because it was the last item left on the table.

I have the same issue if I try to tell him to turn on a specific switch for a light or a fan; if there is more than one choice, he clearly doesn't get it when I specify a particular one.  This leads to a fair amount of frustration for him, frankly, and sometimes makes him upset.

I wish I understood more about how language is learned.  Clearly, nearly all humans learn it from infancy, and their brains can match specific and complex concepts to electrical impulses--or something of that nature--to allow for high-level communication.  Is Anthony's brain no longer capable of being taught language? I have given up hoping for him to be able to communicate verbally, but there are those with autism who are non-verbal, who can nevertheless communicate via computer or with other means.  But so far those avenues are largely closed off to us.