What’s so special about the morning? Why shouldn’t they sing in the late afternoon when the rest of us get up?
Many birds also sing at dusk when roosting. Stay abed a bit longer & wake to the evening song! It’s probably a territorial declairation.
If you sleep late, you likely get home late disturbing the sleeping birds. Thay sing extra loudly near you to get even!
Carl
The “dawn chorus.”
Birds vocalize for many reasons, but the exuberant songs we hear in the morning are most likely directed toward two targets: any male birds outside the territory holder, and females. In other words, many birds sing to advertise that the prime habitat is already occupied and will be defended, and sometimes that the defender is a studly guy and looking for a mate.
One reason why there is such an outburst in the morning is because the territory holder may lose the territory if he does not advertise that he is currently on site (and willing to defend). Since so many are in the same situation, they tend to cue up at the same time (probably some combination of triggering sunight and social facilitation).
For crows, we found that when they used distant roosts, they’d take their time to fly to the roost in the afternoon (and not everyone from the family would leave the territory). In the morning, those that roosted off-territory would fly directly back, taking the least amount of time. Once on territory, they would do a lot of calling (not singing) and patrolling around the territory. Again, advertizing their presence. So, even when you may hold onto a territory for a long time (we’re talking years here), you must still defend it. Territory is everything.
After all, you can’t breed if you don’t have the land.
I’ve heard several explanations for why birds sing in the morning more than any other time of day, including that the birds’ songs carry better is the cool, still air and that insect prey is not yet active.
They enjoy the dawning of the new day, just as I do.
Peace,
mangeorge