AI, citizen science, and the 2024 eclipse emphasize the importance of light for bird behavior
Liz A Aguilar1,2, Isaac Miller-Crews1,2, Jeremy M Dobris1,3
1Indiana University, Department of Biology; Bloomington, Indiana, 47405, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|March 31, 2025
Summary
A total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024, impacted North American bird behavior and biological rhythms. This study highlights how even brief light disruptions affect avian species, demonstrating the power of citizen science.
Area of Science:
- Ornithology
- Animal Behavior
- Citizen Science
Background:
- The total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024, presented a unique natural experiment by disrupting diurnal light-dark cycles.
- This event occurred during the critical spring reproduction period for North American birds, potentially influencing their behavior and physiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the behavioral responses of wild birds to the unexpected, short-term darkness of a total solar eclipse.
- To assess the impact of light-dark cycle disruption on avian biological rhythms and vocalizations.
Main Methods:
- Collected over 10,000 citizen science observations of bird behavior during the eclipse.
- Utilized AI to analyze nearly 100,000 bird vocalizations recorded before, during, and after the eclipse.
- Correlated observed behavioral changes with the duration and intensity of the solar eclipse.
Main Results:
- Over half of the observed wild bird species exhibited significant changes in their biological rhythms.
- Many species engaged in dawn chorus-like vocalizations in response to the afternoon darkness.
- Bird behavior was demonstrably affected by the few minutes of unexpected darkness.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms the profound impact of light cues on structuring animal behavior, even with short-duration disruptions.
- Technology-enabled citizen science projects are powerful tools for studying natural phenomena and their effects on wildlife.
- Even brief periods of darkness can trigger robust behavioral shifts in birds, impacting their reproductive cycles.
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