Songbirds seem to bridge the gap between culture and nature. What is the role of music here? Do birds sing to communicate with each other? For their own pleasure? Or even for our pleasure? Animals have inspired flights of fancy throughout history. We speak of singing whales and dancing bees as if that were perfectly natural. We imagine organs that work with live animals and take delight in automata with monkeys playing the fiddle.
Our fascination with the sounds of animals and the interpretations we attach to them are just as ancient as the use of animal materials to build instruments. Flutes made of animal bone are the oldest known musical instruments. Animal materials may be used for a specific property, for their sound, or as an embellishment. Some animal byproducts have unique properties. Others have an unmistakable influence on sound. Others still, especially from exotic-looking creatures, can be used as decoration to enhance the value of an instrument.