Artificial light has essentially lengthened birds' day
2 days ago
- #wildlife ecology
- #bird behavior
- #light pollution
- Artificial light extends birds' daily routines by about 50 minutes on average.
- Birds start vocalizing 20 minutes earlier and stop 30 minutes later due to light pollution.
- Species like American Robins, Northern Cardinals, and Northern Mockingbirds show strong responses to artificial light.
- Birds with larger eyes relative to body size are more sensitive to light pollution.
- Birds roosting in enclosed spaces like tree cavities are less affected by artificial light.
- The study used millions of bird call recordings from the BirdWeather project, combined with satellite data on light pollution.
- Light pollution's impact on birds includes potential benefits like more foraging time and risks like disrupted sleep or hormonal cycles.
- The research leverages public participation and machine learning to analyze bird activity on an unprecedented scale.