GIVEN EVERYTHING WE'VE HAD TO contend with over the last two years, it's hardly surprising that a worrying deterioration in the has become a parallel pandemic running alongside Covid-19. But the one positive note to emerge from this wretched period has been a renewed appreciation of the natural world's astonishing ability to provide solace during troubled times. And there can be no finer example of nature's capacity to alleviate stress than that provided by the dawn chorus. This freely available therapy is not only accessible everywhere, but is approaching its annual peak now.
Although bird vocalisations can be heard throughout the year, bird song is at its biggest, brightest and most uplifting in spring. With a few prominent exceptions, it is mostly the males that sing - behaviour brought about by the production of the combative hormone testosterone in response to the increasingly longer days. This wondrous form of communication of course serves two main purposes for the proponents: that of holding a territory and attracting (and keeping) a mate.
Did you know? International Dawn Chorus Day takes place on Sunday 1st May. Find out about events and bird song ID guides on our website.
Bu hikaye BBC Wildlife dergisinin Spring 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye BBC Wildlife dergisinin Spring 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Jump Around - Bagheera Kiplingi - The acrobatic spider with a predilection for veggie food
Spiders eat flies, right? everyone knows that the 45,000 or so spiders in the world are all obligate carnivores, more or less – eating other animals, mainly invertebrates. Nature, however, loves an exception, and one particular spider missed out on that ecological memo. It goes by the wonderful scientific name of Bagheera kiplingi, and its claim to fame is that its diet is – at least mostly – vegetarian.
Female of the Species - Zebras - A strong sisterhood is key to staying safe
Zebras are masters of confusion. Their collective noun is ‘a dazzle’, which is fitting since their bodies and behaviour have been surprising scientists for centuries.
See It, Save It? - Wildlife tourism can be a powerful ally in protecting nature - but it can also harm it. We weigh up the pros and cons.
The sums of wildlife travel aren’t as simple as more tourists equals happier nature. How much did my visit really contribute to the conservation of Lady Liuwa and her habitat – and was that outweighed by carbon emissions from my flights? Did my presence disturb the animals’ natural behaviour more than it reduced the threat of poaching or benefited local communities?The question of whether wildlife travel is, on balance, good for wildlife is a complex one – and there’s no simple answer.
Can Your Really Offset Emissions? - Planning an overseas wildlife-watching trip entails facing some inconvenient truths
Imagine (or maybe you don't need to) that you hanker after the safari trip of a lifetime in sub-Saharan Africa. A 17-day tour beginning at the iconic Victoria Falls, passing through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania, taking in some of the continent’s most wildlife-rich national parks, and ending on the lush island of Zanzibar.
Metamorphosis: a life-changing event
WITH EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST JV CHAMARY
New series for BBC One: Asia
Settle in this autumn for a new natural-history extravaganza on BBC One and iPlayer: the longawaited Asia, presented by Sir David Attenborough.
Loss of Antarctic sea ice could impact seabird food supply
Albatrosses and petrels may be forced to fly further to feed
Tarsiers in trouble
Urgent action is needed to ensure survival of the Yoda-like primate
SNAP-CHAT
Chien Lee on shrew loos, rogue drones and being rained out of bed
VISIONS OF NATURE
The winners of the Wildlife Artist of the Year competition 2024, from David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
