Study shows how solar eclipse made some birds sing like a new day dawned

On Apr 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse traversed a wide swathe of North America stretching 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from Mexico's Pacific Coast through Texas and across 14 other US states into Canada. The period of totality, when the moon covered the face of the sun, lasted about four minutes depending on the location. While throngs of people gazed skyward to see the celestial show, scientists were studying the effects of the eclipse on birds, whose daily and seasonal rhythms are strongly guided by sunlight. They documented changes in vocal behavior in most - not all - species studied, with birds that naturally make a burst of songs and calls around daybreak the most affected. When the sunlight began...