The birds exposed to artificial light sing almost another hour a day than those who are not exposed to lighting poles.
A study this Thursday in Science revealed that the artificial light is prolonging bird activity.
To reach this conclusion, Southern Illinois University and Oklahoma State University researchers analyzed 2.6 million starting corners of birds in the morning and termination in the late afternoon.
Researchers studied the standards of 583 daytime species; and found that the birds of the zones with the highest light pollution caused by man sing for another 50 minutes than those that are not exposed to additional light.
In detail, the birds in the brightest landscapes began to sing about 18 minutes earlier than those in the darkest zones, and continue to sing for 32 minutes later at night.
Researchers say the most affected birds were the species with large eyes, open nests and large areas of distribution.
The effects of light pollution on singing standards were also more notorious during the reproduction times. The team states that it is unclear whether the impact on corner is positive, negative or neutral in terms of bird health.
“On the one hand, 50 minutes of prolonged activity can represent a substantial loss of rest time, particularly during the reproduction time, which is an already demanding period for birds,” scientists said in their study, cited by.
“However, prolonged activity may not translate into a sleep debt and its harmful effects if birds can rest during the day, sleep more intensely during periods of non -activity or sleep with a brain hemisphere during activity. In fact, changes in light pollution can lead to positive effects on physical fitness if they facilitate the increase in food demand time or reproductive production,” they add.
Currently, it is estimated that 80% of life on Earth lives under heavens polluted by light – Areas where man produced by man brings back the natural darkness that the planet would have at night.
This phenomenon is known as, and has caused various embarrassment such as the death of insects that collide with the lights; the disturbance of nocturnal migration patterns of birds; the change in seasonal hormonal rhythms; and problems with reproductive habits.
