Light pollution influences the seasonal start of bird vocalisations

[PhysOrg]

Under the influence of artificial night lighting, four out of six studied songbird species started dawn and dusk singing earlier in the year. This was shown by scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology when they studied bird vocalizations from winter to spring in dark sites and in sites exposed to light pollution. An earlier seasonal start of dawn and dusk singing was particularly noticeable in the early risers among the species, suggesting that they are influenced the most by artificial night lighting. Whether the observed effects have consequences for the fitness of the animals remains unknown and needs further investigation.

 

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