I've noticed recently that birds are now singing throughout the night. Several posters on the Yahoo message boards report the same (there are a few at this thread: http://uk.messages.news.yahoo.com/Climate/threadview?bn=UK-NEWS-CLI-Global+Warming&tid=3035&mid=3035&tof=1&m=tm&rt=2 ), but no one has provided an explanation yet.
I know that artificial lighting can cause birds to sing when they'd normally sleep. We have a street lamp at the back of our garden, but until the last few months (and unusally warm winter weather) this didn't seem to disturb the birds. I've also heard the same nocturnal singing in other areas around the English North West.
Can any ecologists/zoologists/learned enthusiasts out there shed some light on this for me?
2007-01-02 02:14:23 · 9 answers · asked by stuffnstuff 3 in Environment
Birds have been singing at night for at least 50
years that I know of, and probably for thousands of
years before that. Maybe because of increases in
light levels in cities they sing at night a little more
than they used to, but night-time singing is normal
for many birds. Some, of course, such as whip-poor-wills, do almost all their singing at night,but
even those that are normally daytime singers may
sing at night also, especially on nights with bright
moonlight. I once spent 24 hours (in 2 12-hour
shifts) recording everything I saw and heard in
a swamp forest. I was surprised by how much
night-time activity there was in what I thought were
day active animals. There was only a short time
when it was really quiet, and that was from about
10:30 to twelve, if I remember right.
2007-01-02 06:28:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Birdsong is all about light, and not temperature. I won't waste your time by repeating things that others have said above, but I'll add an interesting bit of evidence...
About 5 or 6 years ago we had a solar eclipse here in the UK. It was the first one I'd seen and it was amazing. But one of the things that I thought was most surprising was the fact that, as the eclipse hit, all the birds stopping singing. Then as it passed, they all started up again.
Therefore, birdsong is affected by light, not temperature.
2007-01-02 21:41:40 · answer #2 · answered by amancalledchuda 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not about global warming. It's because of light pollution. The Simpsons made a great parody of it but it is quite real. During the xmas period there was a lot more lights outside, so the birds would have been more disturbed than usual.
2007-01-02 02:25:58 · answer #3 · answered by Stef 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I work shifts and i have been surprised by the birds through out the night, 2 in the morning and some are singing??
2007-01-02 02:30:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I put it down to Christmas and New Year, there's been loads of birds and bloke's singing their lungs out the last couple of weeks.
2007-01-02 02:21:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
i think bird sing because they feel warm as the hot air comes down
2007-01-02 03:20:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
this isnt new,i work nights occasionally and have for years heard birds singing,they usually start around 3am and go on all morning.
2007-01-02 02:25:56 · answer #7 · answered by Alfred E. Newman 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
You have over slept.
Get out of bed now and get to work!
2007-01-02 02:28:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no its just the only time they know their mate will hear them
2007-01-08 07:40:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋