During the great solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, which could be observed in USA, Canada and Mexicothousands of birds They modified their behavior in the face of almost four minutes of total darkness.
A new study published in the Science magazine by a team of researchers from Indiana University in Bloomington and Ohio Wesleyan University, United States, suggests that this particular behavior of birds is due to the fact that their daily and seasonal rhythms, like those of many other animals, are strictly regulated by light and dark cycles.
Some of these creatures fell silent as the light disappeared, while an even greater number began to sing as the sun reappeared, as if it were the dawn of a new day.
To carry out the research, the authors developed a smartphone application called SolarBirdwhere more than 1,500 users recorded the behavior of the birds during the phenomenon in real time. Thanks to this initiative, almost 10,000 observations were generated covering approximately 5,000 kilometers along the path of the event.
At the same time, in the south of Indiana Autonomous recording units were installed that captured nearly 100,000 bird vocalizations. These recordings were made before, during and after totality of the eclipse, offering valuable data to understand the acoustic responses of birds to this sudden change in light.
The results of the study revealed that, of the 52 species of birds analyzed, 29 showed notable changes in their song, although not all reacted in the same way.
In the minutes before the event, 11 species increased the frequency of their songs. During the four minutes of darkness, 12 species reacted in various ways: some remained silent, while others showed increased activity.
However, the most intense responses occurred upon the return of the Sunwhen 19 species changed their song in a phenomenon the authors called the “false dawn chorus,” as detailed in the published article.
The analyzes revealed surprising behaviors in different species during the solar eclipse. For example, the barred owls (Strix varia) issued their call up to four times more than usual, while the robins, Recognized for their morning songs, they sang six times more often than the average recorded under normal conditions.
The authors of the study concluded that a phenomenon of this magnitude can temporarily restart the biological clock of some birds, which makes them behave as if a new day begins with the return of light.
Liz Aguilarone of the authors of the research, explained in an interview with cnn that “light is one of the most powerful forces that shape bird behavior, and even a ‘night’ of just four minutes was enough for many species to respond as if it were dawn again,” highlighting the importance of natural lighting in the biological regulation of these species.
In the last century, various observations have been made about the animal behavior during a solar eclipse, revealing varied reactions depending on the type of animal, since while some adapt their behavior to a twilight pattern, as if night had actually arrived, others show signs of fear in the face of the sudden darkness, according to reports National Geographic.
The most accessible observations have been carried out in domestic animals. For example, cows that pass through the fields usually return to their stables as if it were nightfall, while in rural areas it has also been documented that birds and frogs They modify their routines, adopting twilight behaviors.
As for dogs and cats, these animals may react with fear, not so much because of the phenomenon itself, but because the darkness appears at an unexpected moment, altering their routine and generating confusion.
In the case of wild animals, National Geographic mentions that it is more complex to evaluate their behavior due to the difficulty of observing them during the short period of the event, especially with hunting species, which tend to be more discreet and require observers to follow them hours before to capture any reaction.
