Read, Watch or Listen

A total solar eclipse over North America on April 8, 2024, briefly reset birds' daily rhythms, a study in Science reports. Drawing nearly 11,000 observations from 1,700 SolarBird app users and about 100,000 audio recordings, researchers found 29 of 52 active species altered their vocal behavior. As darkness fell, some birds fell silent; when sunlight returned, 19 species erupted in a "false dawn chorus." Barred owls called four times more often, and robins sang six times their typical average, underscoring how sensitive many species are to rapid changes in light.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.