What do choirs, orchestras, bands, dancers, and athletes all have in common?
If you answered they are all performers in their respective fields, you’d be correct. And what do performers do before they go on stage or take the field?
They warm up, to help ensure that when it’s their time to shine, they perform at their best.
Duke University researchers have discovered that birds do the same thing in the early morning, just as the sun is shining.
By studying the trill rate of swamp sparrows, recording the range of notes and speed of beak movement, the scientists confirmed these birds sing more loudly and longer just before dawn to warm up.
But the birds are warming up for a completely different reason. Watch this Sci NC story to find out why.
By studying the trill rate of swamp sparrows, (range of notes, speed of beak movement) Duke University researchers confirm that birds sing more loudly and longer just before dawn. But not just to greet the new day, it turns out they do it to warm up before singing during the day to attract mates.