Overview

• Japanese tits use fluttering wing movements to signal 'after you' to their mates, marking a surprising form of symbolic gesturing.
• The gesture, observed among mating pairs, suggests a complex level of communication previously thought exclusive to humans and great apes.
• Researchers analyzed over 320 nest visits, noting the gesture was exclusively used in the presence of a mate and without physical contact.
• The findings challenge conventional wisdom, expanding our understanding of animal communication and cognitive abilities.
• The study underscores potential parallels in how walking on two legs may have facilitated gestural communication in both birds and humans.