Great tit genome sequenced

This video says about itself:

Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Robin and Great Tit – Little Birds Chirping on The Gate

Filmed on 2nd February 2015 at Tehidy Woods

Video Produced by Paul Dinning – Wildlife in Cornwall

Translated from the Dutch Institute for Ecology:

Jan 26, 2016 – We all know . But now, researchers have also unraveled their complete genetic code . Thus, they want to find out how animals can adapt to a changing planet. Epigenetics , what you inherit besides your genes rather than in them, seems to play a conspicuous role in the evolution of learning and memory. And not only in birds.

On Monday an international team led by the Dutch Institute for Ecology (NIOO) and Wageningen University, published these results in Nature Communications.

“People like us have been waiting for this for decades,” explain researchers Kees van Oers and Veronika Laine of the NIOO. …

“Great tits have evolved into intelligent animals,” says Van Oers. “Very smart animals even.” If you look at learning new behaviour, then this species is in the top three of smartest birds. So, the great tit as an innovator, and thus the perfect candidate to study the evolution of learning, memory and other cognitive processes.