Bird song is an acoustic masterpiece. But why do birds actually sing? And why do some birds chirp in the morning and others in the evening or at night? We explain the reasons in this article.
What can bring more joy than a many-voiced bird concert on a summer morning? The lively and springlike tones often indicate the start of a particularly beautiful and sunny day. But why exactly do birds chirp? Certainly not for our pleasure - even if this is of course a welcome side effect. Also, why do you hear so many birds in the early morning and only a few in the evening or at night? And what about bird calls in winter? Do these have a different purpose than the singing in the spring? We would like to answer all these questions in our information article.
Why do birds chirp?
Basically, bird calls are a form of communication. Some species have only one or a few bird calls, while others use a wide range of tones and melodies. Basically, a distinction is made between the song of the birds - this often consists of a melodic verse - and several calls, which usually only consist of short sounds.
The bird song is mainly heard during the breeding season, because it serves to mark out a territory and to attract a breeding partner. In most birds, only the males sing, hoping for the favor of a female through a hard-fought territory and an expressive song. You can find out more about courtship & bird mating in our special article.
birdcalls, on the other hand, can have far more complicated meanings that even ornithologists don't always agree on. There are contact calls, with which related birds can recognize each other, begging calls, which the young animals make to get food from their parents, and also special warning calls, which are made when there is danger, for example to warn conspecifics of predators.
Tip: You are interested in the senses ofbirds? In our article “Can Birds Smell, Hear & See Colors?” we have prepared interesting facts for you.
Why do birds sing in the morning or in the evening?
Most birds sing early in the morning. Why exactly this time is so advantageous has been discussed in science for a long time and could have several reasons:
1. For one thing, the sound can spread better in the morning because there is less wind and other air movements than later in the day. The birds therefore have the opportunity to let their voices carry on.
2. Another theory is that birds find it harder to forage at dawn because of the lack of light and heat. Insectivorous birds in particular often have to wait a bit before their prey becomes active. Therefore they can use the time in the morning to sing extensively.3. A final reason for singing in the morning is related to the hormone melatonin, which - just like in humans - controls the animal's internal clock and stimulates the birds to sing in the early morning. Basically, however, it makes no sense if all the birds sing at once, even if there is a perfect time for it - otherwise the songs would overlap too much and nobody could make themselves heard. That is why some birds have also got used to singing in the evening hours or at night. And even in the morning hours, the different bird species sing at different times. For example, the redstart sings an hour and a half before sunrise, while chaffinch and greenfinch only start singing with the first rays of the sun. This phenomenon is also known as the "bird watch".
Note: Find out more about nocturnal birds in our special article.
Why do birds chirp in different seasons?
Since the courtship and breeding season - and with it the main reason for singing - comes to an end in late spring, the bird world seems to fall silent from August onwards. Many of our native migratory birds then leave their breeding grounds and only return to us in spring. However, some species of the remaining sedentary and striped birds start singing again in autumn and can be heard well into the depths of winter. This winter song serves to mark out feeding areas, which are usually somewhat larger than the summer breeding areas. The birds secure themselves on theseWise feeding grounds in the barren winter landscape.
Note: If you're a beginner wanting to learn some bird calls, it's a good idea to start in the winter months. Since only a few birds sing at this time, you can slowly approach the theme and gradually add more and more voices to your repertoire as the spring progresses. Check out our special article for even more practical tips on getting started with birding.