Scientists say mice are born singers

Scientists have discovered mice are born with an innate love of singing.

It suggests the singing mice on 1970s TV show Bagpuss were closer to the real world than anyone imagined, reports the Daily Mail.

When a male comes across a potential mate, he bursts into a complex series of loud chirps and whistles.

Although the ultrasonic calls are too high-pitched for the human ear, the love songs allow females to weigh up the most suitable mate.

Scientists have previously known that mice emit squeaks that are inaudible to humans. In 2005, they discovered these are made up of repeated phrases just like the songs of birds and whales.

Since then, researchers have been trying to find out whether the songs are programmed into the brains of mice from birth, or whether they learn them from their mothers.

Japanese scientists have now found the answer by using two strains of laboratory mice with distinct songs. Males from each strain were raised in litters of the opposite strain until they were weaned.

Dr Takefumi Kikusui, who led the study, told journal PLoS that the mice sang the songs of their biological parents - not their foster mothers.