A singing bird is pleasurable to both our eyes and ears, even though we know very little about why they actually sing.There are many singing bird species, including those that start singing as soon as early in the morning. Young birds often practice nature calls to defend themselves and their territories, or as a process of courtship.These tiny singer birds of the world start singing while young and often practice several sounds. Male birds like singing more than female friends, and their songs are intended to attract other females as mates during spring. Some birds, like nightingales, were specifically kept in cages for singing.If you are enjoying this article, why not also read about why do animals hibernate and why do bees die after stinging here on Kidadl?Birds That Sing in the MorningMost of the time, we notice birds singing in the morning, but not at night. There are some species that sing during the evening. Usually, a male bird is observed singing songs during dawn as a way to show off its musical birdsong in order to start the process that will attract a mate.What we hear in the morning is normally called the dawn chorus, which gets its name from the early day. Birds will sing the dawn chorus in order to defend their territory and while raising their chicks. The songs you might hear in the morning are typically the sounds of male birds singing, which is contrary to what some believe is a female bird’s song. These birds, of course, don’t sing for our human pleasure! Instead, the reason is completely instinctive, since male birds of any bird species need to attract mates during the breeding season. A loud birdsong is attractive to female birds, because it takes a lot of energy to keep singing with such gusto and strength. That is only possible if the male songbird is well-fed, healthy, and has control over its own territory. Lots of birds are very territorial; so, their singing acts as a warning sound to deter other birds from entering their territory.Also, there could be less ambient noise in the morning, which means that time of day can be very quiet, with fewer noisy cars, honking horns, or construction sounds. Early morning, or dawn, gives birds the advantage of having a wide reach for their songs because it is easier to hear them at that time. Due to the lack of ambient noise, birds are also able to signal that their area is off-limits to other birds that might be near their territories (all birds except for females, of course).Interestingly, singing and attracting possible mates is all a bird will do in the morning, since at this time there aren’t many insects readily available for food and the morning isn’t a good time to migrate. So, to sum up, specific sounds or songs early in the morning or during the early spring can actually mean something; they can be a way that nature tells time, or just an example of courtship behavior among birds.Examples of such birds species that are usually capable of making a dawn chorus are robins, blackbirds, wrens, and great tit sparrows.Why do birds sing at night?Though birds can sing at all times of the day, their singing habits may differ from species to species. Some birds can sing a melodious song at nighttime, like the famous nightingales. But most bird species sleep as soon as the sun sets. It’s also very common among birds to sense the time change during the day and then signal, by song, a message to let other birds in different territories know about it.Birds use sunlight as a way to tell time, because many birds go to their nests as soon as evening breaks. But this is also the time when many birds, such as great horned owls, wake up to hunt. It’s one of the only known birds that does not chirp.As we have learned, many birds sing the dawn chorus in the morning, which helps them attract female birds and defend against rival birds. But at night, their reasons are a bit different.With the expansion of many cities, an increase in streetlights and artificial lighting can cause a lot of birds to believe that nighttime is actually daytime. So the male birds may sing their dawn chorus instead of their night chorus.Some birds, on the other hand, may chirp at night if they sense danger to their nesting area, like if a predator is spotted nearby. When any danger is sensed by any particular bird, the rest of the birds all join together to create a system to ward off predators that may be looking for a midnight snack.These musical birdsongs are performed all across the world, but two specific Northern American species include robins and nightingales. Some birds can become trained singers, singing to large audiences in places like circuses.Why Birds Sing-SongWe all know that birds chirp in a sing-song manner, but many bird species like parrots or mockingbirds can manipulate their vocal chords into harsh-sounding voices. Like humans, male birds can change their voices in order to defend their territory, similar to some northern birds.When we talk about birdsongs, we don’t refer to an individual bird or ‘voice.’ It is always a group of birds in a chorus singing complex songs. It is their form of language.Each bird produces its own sound, from the shrill chirp of a lark to a dry ’teak’ of a sparrow; each sound is made for its own purpose, just like how each word in human languages sound differently.Similar to vowels and consonants found in our daily language, birds also have their own version of grammar in the form of their songs, chirps, and melodies. They work in the same nuanced fashion as our language.The reason for this is that birds’ vocal organ, known as the syrinx (which is the size of a pea), sits at the junction of the trachea and bronchi in the lungs. Its structure varies with each species. Here’s a fun fact about all kinds of birds: Some of them can’t sing songs or even learn to sing songs. Take, for example, modern-day vultures. They don’t have a syrinx, and that is the reason why they can only hiss and grunt.A bird’s syrinx consists of a pair of specialized cartilages and membranes, which are controlled by six pairs of minute muscles. Because of this, songbirds can control the range and loudness of a sound. The narrow region out of which the sound escapes causes it to echo in a sing-song manner. Many birds, like parrots and mockingbirds, have the ability to masterfully manipulate their vocal cords in order to copy human and other bird sounds.Due to songbirds having those specialized cartilages in their syrinxes, their calls can be used to convey many different things.Contact calls generally involve a bird that is checking up on its friend. As many birds roam around in a flock, contact calls are important modes of communication with flock members. They can help ensure all members of the flock are present, can signal if a bird finds a good food source nearby, and can warn the flock if a predator is spotted within their territory.In the same way we might call our parents when we’re hurt or need their help, baby birds will call for their parents via squeaky moans and flapping wings. These calls may have a fairly low range, but they are loud enough for mother and father birds to hear within their nesting areas. Many small birds, whether male or female, use such sounds even after leaving their parents’ nest. Just like us, birds may need to depend on their parents no matter where they are.On airplanes, we may sometimes have to make inflight calls. Similarly, flock birds have bird songs designed especially for inflight announcements. They can communicate their location and other messages with their co-passengers using those songs.For mating purposes, male songbirds usually sing in loud voices at dawn and at nighttime to attract female birds with their songs and prove that they are healthy males during breeding season.As songbirds are highly territorial animals, they sing loudly to warn away rival birds from invading their nesting area or stealing their mates.You usually hear these sounds or songs in the wild. So, the next time you are having a picnic in the woods during spring (their breeding season), keep an attentive ear and try to listen for males in search of females with their melodious songs. It’s almost like a movie scene!Birds Sometimes Sing At DuskWe know that birds use sunlight to tell time. At dusk, it’s time for them to return to their home territory after a busy day of foraging for food and nesting materials.At that time of the day, they call their fellow birds of the flock back to their nests with a complex and loud chorus. And, they use the same call to scare any predators out of their territories, because there is safety in numbers.It’s interesting how musical notes, simple birdsongs, or even complex choruses can be birds’ method of communication and identification.Why Birds Sing Violent FemmesMales often create violent song notes which can sound strange. Such hoarse song notes are sung to scare away other males while fighting in competition for a female mate.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Why Do Birds Sing? Do All Birds Sing? Learn More About Bird Songs, then why not take a look at Why Do Bees Die After Stinging? Learn Cool Bee World Facts, or Purrrfect Facts About The Ragamuffin Cat Kids Will Love.
A singing bird is pleasurable to both our eyes and ears, even though we know very little about why they actually sing.
