Japanese tits use wing fluttering as a symbolic gesture to communicate the message “after you” to their mate when arriving at the nest. This discovery provides evidence of non-primates using symbolic gestures, similar to certain human communicative gestures.

Unlike deictic gesturing observed in ravens and fish, symbolic gestures are more cognitively demanding. Over 17 years of study, biologist Toshitaka Suzuki noted the birds' complex vocal communication and decided to study their use of physical gestures.

The study involved observing over 320 nest visits, revealing females most often flutter before the male enters the nest, indicating communication rather than a mere behavioral trait.