Von Economo neurons (VENs) are large, spindle-shaped projection neurons originally described in the human anterior cingulate and frontoinsular cortices and subsequently identified across a broad range of large-brained, socially complex mammals, most of which are capable of vocal learning. To date, VEN-like cells have been reported in only a single avian species, the Indian ringneck parrot (Psittacula krameri), and no study has systematically compared their occurrence across multiple vocal-learning and non-vocal-learning bird taxa. This study examined 32 avian specimens spanning three independently evolved vocal-learning lineages — parrots (n = 6), oscine songbirds (zebra finch and canary, n = 12), and hummingbirds (n = 3) — alongside two vocal non-learning species, domestic chickens (n = 6) and rock pigeons (n = 5). Golgi-Colonnier impregnation and Nissl staining were used to characterize neuronal morphology and cytoarchitecture in the principal vocal control nuclei (or their homologues) and equivalent brain regions. VEN-like neurons meeting six established morphological criteria were identified in 100% of vocal-learning specimens (21/21) and were completely absent in all vocal non-learning specimens (0/11; Fisher's exact test, p < 0.001). Vocal learners additionally showed markedly higher cell density, larger soma size, greater proportions of large projection neurons, and sharper nuclear boundary definition in their vocal control regions than non-learners (all p < 0.001). These findings provide the first multi-species comparative evidence that VEN-like neurons constitute a convergent cellular specialization tightly linked to the capacity for vocal production learning in birds, mirroring their distribution across vocal-learning mammals.