Scientists ranked 123 birdsongs. The blackbird won.

The blackbird has the prettiest song of 123 birds, according to a German study that asked people to rate the sound. Researchers had 84 participants score short clips of bird calls on a scale of 1 to 5, then cross-referenced the ratings against acoustic data like frequency and amplitude. The blackbird won with an average of 4.52, edging out the willow warbler at 4.45. It scored well because its calls were complex, higher-pitched, and not too loud. The barn owl came last, which is a fair verdict on the barn owl. What surprised the team was that expertise did not matter. "Being able to recognize birds by their appearance or song did not affect how people rated calls," said co-author Nadine Kalb. She thinks people may be wired to prefer variable, moderate sounds that signal a safe, restful place. The findings could shape soundscapes for stressful spaces, including medical waiting rooms.