Sons learn from fathers. That’s true for people. And, as it turns out, it’s true for birds too.

Take the endangered Australian regent honeyeater. Once, their songs filled the forests—a melody passed from father to son, generation after generation. But something has gone wrong.

Researchers have discovered that young male regent honeyeaters are no longer singing the songs of their species. Instead, they’re patching together a jumble of sounds from other birds. A little warble from one, a metallic ring from another, a choppy whistle thrown in for good measure. The result? A song that doesn’t belong to them.

And the female honeyeaters? They aren’t impressed. The lovesongs of their ancestors—the ones that once drew mates and built families—have been lost. The young males don’t know the right tune because they haven’t had fathers to teach them.

Dr. Ross Crates, a researcher at Australian National University, explains that these birds learn their songs by listening to their elders. Without that influence, they imitate whatever noise they can find. And with only a few hundred left in the wild, this miseducation isn’t just unfortunate—it’s dangerous. Without the right song, they may never find a mate. Never build a nest. Never pass on what was meant to be.

It’s not just a problem for the birds, is it?

Fathers, your sons are listening. They’re learning. The question is—what song are they picking up?

Are they hearing the melody of integrity, kindness, faith? Or is the world teaching them a tune that doesn’t fit?

Sing well, Dad. Because the song you live is the song your son will learn.