# Do Animals Behave Differently Because of an Eclipse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 20, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739 "2017-07-20T18:03:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/1 "2017-07-20T18:03:45Z")
In anticipation of the August 21 total eclipse observable in some parts of the USA, I did a little research and came across this quote, “Can I bring my pets? NO! Animals will be scared senseless by the eclipse, and you will want to be enjoying it instead of trying to calm your crazed critters.” from [this](http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/faq.htm) site. I did a Google search and in the first page of results found no _scientific_ evidence that such behavior would be the case. Does this evidence exist? Do animals change their behavior dramatically and noticeably during an eclipse? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/2 "2017-07-20T18:09:10Z")
I can’t imagine any wild animal would be bothered, and it’s hard for me to imagine a pet dog, cat or bird would freak out because of an eclipse, but I wouldn’t rule it out. Pets can freak out for lots of different reasons. Remember that a total eclipse is only ‘total’ for a few minutes at the most. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/3 "2017-07-20T18:09:58Z")
Here’s a [page of results of recent scientific publication](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232663596_Bird_Behavior_During_a_Total_Solar_Eclipse)s documenting changes in animal behavior and plant responses during a solar eclipse. I wouldn’t say that animals would be “scared senseless” or “crazed,” but they might well respond. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/4 "2017-07-20T18:13:12Z")
Animals will act as though it was dusk … those who are active during daylight will settle down for the night, animal that are active at night will come out … pets might react to their owners emotions, which will run very high … during the 1979 eclipse, songbirds were singing until the light started to fade in earnest, their silence during totality was very distinct … afterwards they started singing again … ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/5 "2017-07-20T18:16:32Z")
When I saw the eclipse in 99 in Euroland, the animals absolutely did respond to the eclipse, but mostly by going into their night time routine. Birds started chirping, dogs/wolves were barking and howling, that sort of thing. Nothing I would call animals going nuts, though. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/6 "2017-07-20T18:16:48Z")
This [Atlantic article](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/10/how-cicadas-squirrels-and-bees-react-to-solar-eclipses/381842/) also cites scientific studies of changes in animal behavior during an eclipse. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/7 "2017-07-20T22:57:48Z")
In the 1998 eclipse I witnessed on the island of Guadeloupe, there was a cow tethered in a meadow across the street from where I was. During the partial phases, the cow was mooing rather steadily. During totality, she was totally silent. ---
**Author:** ![Magicicada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@Magicicada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magicicada)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/8 "2017-07-21T04:56:12Z")
I remember sitting on my back step during a solar eclipse (possibly in 1994) while a good-sized bull snake hung out nearby. The snake remained in one spot, in head-up, tongue-flicking mode. I’m not well versed in snake behavior, but I assumed that while it wasn’t alarmed enough to flee, it sensed a change in the environment and was reacting accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/9 "2017-07-21T12:08:00Z")
Dogs specifically, and a few other highly-domesticated species, might freak out at the unusual reactions of all of the humans around them. And pets might also be stressed by the proximity of many other people, as folks from all over the country crowd into the path of totality. The darkness itself, though? It’s not like they’ve never encountered darkness before. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/10 "2017-07-21T13:06:11Z")
I was lucky enough be right in the middle of the path of an eclipse back around 1970, and one of the things I remember being so interesting is that all the pet dogs started jumping around in agitation once the eclipse “happened”. There is a an experience where it’s almost like a switch is flipped and darkness falls very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-behave-differently-because-of-an-eclipse/791739/11 "2017-07-21T14:51:45Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I was lucky enough be right in the middle of the path of an eclipse back around 1970, and one of the things I remember being so interesting is that all the pet dogs started jumping around in agitation once the eclipse “happened”. There is a an experience where it’s almost like a switch is flipped and darkness falls very quickly. There is also the phenomena that you see little “dancing rings” on the ground, and it could be that these are what cause the animals to act up. Whatever the cause, experiencing a total solar eclipse is an event I will never forget. I was about 13 at the time. It was truly awesome.