What the hell are birds doing screaming at 5am?
In: Biology
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There are multiple theories but the most accepted one is that it allows the song to travel farther. The morning air is cooler and drier, meaning sound can travel at a higher range.
As for why they are singing it’s likely male birds establishing their territory and warning other males away.
I have a green cheeked conure (an itty, bitty parrot) I take him outside in the morning so he can listen to the other birds. He will screech, but ultimately he goes back to the words of his tribe (my kids and me.)
I could be wrong, but smaller birds are prey animals and the sleep all night. I think it is the birds waking up and finding their flock in the morning. Just like us, they need attention and want to be in a group.
He gives the “alert” sound when I vacuum. He chirps in the morning and says “Good morning.”
Again I may be wrong, but I think they just want to find their flock after resting through the night.
Birds can see ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light can be seen earlier than light in the visible spectrum, so birds are up earlier. The chattering is just the sound of the group seeing where everybody is and that they’re okay
– Tryna get laid.
– Males telling other males to fuck off.
– Alphas marking territory.
– I also noticed a lot of birds feed in the morning. From that observation, I deduced they may be communicating to others ‘HEY!! FOOOOODDDDD!!’
PS To the person asking if I speak this way to a 5 year old, NO I do not. The point of ELI5 is to explain something as simple and understandable as possible. It doesn’t mean I have to reply to OP’s question as if I’m speaking to a child. Christ.
“I’m a single male, lookin for a gal to start a family with. I got a beautiful voice, which means, plenty of food to go round. I mean, how do you think it got that good? Starvation? Nah!
If you’re a dude tho, get out of here man, this is my turf! I aint sharin no worms, man!”
They are trying to get a nut.
The dude birds are basically saying to the lady birds “hey listen to how healthy and virile I sound, we should bang”
In the morning, birds often sing to establish their presence. There are many species of birds that are considered “nest parasites” and will literally steal viable nests when the nests original inhabitants aren’t present. This often happens at nighttime, so in the morning birds often call and sing as though to say “I’m still here!!! This is still mine!!! My shit wasn’t stolen last night!!!”
Sometimes a bright moon will rouse them. Also, astronomical twilight can be an hour and a half before actual sunrise.
All it takes is a wee bit of light and birds want to get busy.
If the weather is cold they usually wait until later, though.
Could also be a predator is after them. If a group of birds get raucous, it could be there’s a hawk in the vicinity.
Well I saw on Attenborough that cause Insects and such take time to warm up with the day that the birds aren’t able to be active. So as they are sat in trees anyway they are proclaiming their territory to make others aware while waiting for their food
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