Imagine this: it’s still dark, the first rays of the are just beginning to touch the branches of the trees – and suddenly, everything around you is filled with that familiar, bright chirping, tweeting, and singing. This is the famous “dawn chorus” – when start singing early in the morning. But why do they do it?
Researchers from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (USA) teamed up with an Indian team from Project Dhvani to analyze recordings of 69 species of tropical birds and compare how much and when they – at dawn and in the evening, as reported by Science Alert. The results showed that almost all birds sing significantly more actively in the morning than in the evening.
Old Hypothesis: “Dawn is Perfect for Singing”
For a long time, scientists believed that birds sing at dawn because the morning air carries sound better. It’s cooler and quieter than during the day, allowing their songs to travel further.
Another popular explanation is that in the twilight, birds find it difficult to search for food, so they use this time to “sing” – before it gets too light. However, new research shows that the reality is much more interesting.
Researchers from Cornell and Project Dhvani analyzed recordings of dozens of bird species and found that none of the “acoustic” hypotheses held up. Birds do not choose dawn for its ideal sound conditions, nor because they have “nothing to do” before breakfast.
Why Birds Sing in the Morning
Instead, it turns out that the main reason for morning singing is social and behavioral. In other words, birds sing not just for the sake of it – they are conveying messages.
For some species, it’s a way to mark their territory: “This is my tree, don’t come near.” For others, it’s about attracting a mate. And for many, singing is part of social interaction within the flock, where birds coordinate their actions, signal the presence of food, or warn of danger.
There’s even a connection between what a bird eats and how it sings. Omnivorous or territorial species – like chickadees, thrushes, and magpies – tend to start singing earlier and louder. Their morning songs are not just music; they are a working tool for navigation and coordination in nature.
So, the dawn chorus is not a random awakening of nature. It’s a kind of morning conference where birds decide who will live where, who will pair up, and where to find the best food today.
What This Means for Us
When you hear birds singing at 5 or 6 in the morning, know this: it’s not just a “hello” to the morning. It’s a productive activity of living beings who have taken advantage of the time when “everyone was asleep” to get their work done: marking territory, finding a mate, and being noticed. It also beautifully demonstrates that nature is not always governed by the most obvious “physical” conditions – sometimes social or behavioral mechanisms take precedence.
And one more thing: research suggests that there may not be a universal explanation. As one ornithologist noted: “Sometimes there isn’t a single reason for dawn singing – different species may have different motives.”
Photo: pixabay.com
