Dawn chorus (birds)

In bird vocalization, the dawn chorus occurs when songbirds sing at the start of a new day. In temperate countries this is most noticeable in spring when the birds are either defending a breeding territory or trying to attract a mate. In a given location, it is common for different species to do their dawn singing at different times. In a study of the Ecuadoran forest, it was determined that birds perching higher in the trees and birds with larger eyes tend to pipe up first. These correlations may be caused by the fact that both would also correlate with the amount of light perceived by the bird.

Moller used a play-back technique to investigate the effects of singing by the Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) on the behaviour of both conspecifics and heterospecifics. It was found that singing increased in both groups in response to the wheateater and Moller suggested the dawn (and dusk) chorus of bird song may be augmented by social facilitation due to the singing of conspecifics as well as heterospecifics.

In some territories where bird life is extensive and birds are vocal, the sound of a dawn chorus can render early morning sleeping difficult.

United Kingdom
In the UK the dawn chorus may begin as early as 4am in early summer. The most often heard species of birds are, in order of them beginning to sing:


 * Blackbird
 * Robin
 * Wren
 * Tawny Owl
 * Chaffinch
 * Common Pheasant
 * Warblers, including Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler
 * Song Thrush
 * Greenfinch
 * Dunnock
 * Goldfinch