With light pollution, birds sing longer.

Due to light pollution , birds sing longer , extending their vocalizations by an average of 50 minutes a day . This is demonstrated by a large, global study published in the journal Science by researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Oklahoma State University in the United States. The light smog generated by artificial lights now affects 23% of the planet and affects many species, altering all those biological activities that are usually regulated by the alternation of light and dark . The US study is the first to document this phenomenon in birds of different species , in different places and seasons . Specifically,

The researchers examined over 500 diurnal bird species , analyzing 2.6 million morning calls and 1.8 million evening songs . The data comes from the BirdWeather project , which includes recordings by volunteer scientists, automated biodiversity monitoring, and machine learning. The results show that birds most exposed to light (because they have large eyes or open nests) are the most affected by light pollution . It remains to be seen whether this impact could have negative consequences for their health.