9 birds that sing at night including great potoo to black rail

Time of India

6 hours ago

Birds are a crucial part of the ecosystem and some of them are popularly known for their voices. We know that birds sing in the daytime but many of them prefer to sing at night. From the haunting cry of the great potoo to the elusive chirps of the black rail, these birds are more active when the world is asleep.
Thus, this is a fact that makes them unique from other birds as well. Here is the list of 9 species that sing at night and are popularly known for this factor as well.
9
birds that sing when the world sleeps
Northern Mockingbird
The Northern Mockingbird is one of the most well-known birds that sings at night in the region of North America. Thus, it is active during the day but it often prefers to sing at night that too during the spring and early summer season. This bird can mimic different calls which helps in creating a complex nighttime performance and its extended singing attracts the mates and also helps them to defend the territory.
It is popularly known for singing that makes it unique from other birds as well.
Source: Wikipedia
Common Nightingale
The Common Nightingale is a famous night-singing bird which is known for its powerful and emotionally rich song. It is native to Europe, Asia and other parts of North Africa. The male nightingales sing at night during the breeding season in order to attract mates and they sing a beautiful mix of whistles, trills and gurgles which are delivered with a volume that is quite fascinating.
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The quality that makes it unique is not just the nighttime vocal habit but also the unfiltered musicality of the song that it sings.
Thus, its voice is clear and sometimes feels haunting too.
Source: Britannica
Eastern Whip-Poor-Will
The Eastern Whip-poor-will is a bird which is more active during the night. It is best known for their 'whip-poor-will' call that it often sing for hours during spring and summer nights. It is native to woodlands and forest edges of eastern North America but is more often heard than seen because of their camouflage ability.
The males primarily sing in order to attract mates and mark the territory. Thus, it is more active during the night and is more vocal under the moonlight.
Source: American Bird Conservancy
Great Potoo
The Great Potoo is a bird that is mostly active during the night. It is native to Central and South America and is popularly known for the moaning calls at night. During the nighttime, the Great Potoo becomes vocal and emits low haunting cries that serve to mark territory and help them to communicate with mates.
Thus, its ghostly voice adds a different atmosphere in tropical forests during the night.
Source: eBird
European Robin
The European Robin is also a bird that sings during the night. A unique fact about this bird is that they are daytime singers. The male robins prefer to sing at night especially in urban areas because the artificial lighting in urban areas confuse their natural rhythms. It uses this voice in order to defend the territory and to attract mates as well.
Its sweet voice offers a peaceful contrast that can be heard in urban areas even during the nights.
Source: Wikipedia
Great Reed Warbler
The Great Reed Warbler is a bird which is known for its loud voice during the night. It is native to Europe and western Asia and often sings at both times of the day during the breeding season. Its song is a mix of harsh and melodious notes that helps in defending the territory and to attract a mate also. Thus, its voice can be heard from a far distance and is popularly known for its voice in the wild which makes it different from other birds too.
Source: eBird
Black-Crowned Night Heron
The Black-Crowned Night Heron is a nocturnal bird that often sings throughout the night. It is found near wetlands, rivers and lakes and is more active during low light. The calls by this bird are deep and harsh and also help them to communicate with each other. Thus, the Black-Crowned Night Heron's deep voice adds a unique texture to the nighttime soundscape of watery habitats which makes it a notable singer after the sunset.
Source: Wikipedia
Eurasian Nightjar
The Eurasian Nightjar is known for its distinctive song in the open woodlands, heathlands and grasslands across Europe and Asia. This bird uses its rhythmic call in order to attract mates and to establish territory throughout the breeding season. It carries different factors like hidden coloring and silent flight. On the other hand, it prefers to remain during the daytime but during nights, its unique song becomes a unique feature that makes it popular.
Source: Wikipedia
Black Rail
The Black Rail is one of the most secretive night-singing birds that is found in the wetlands of North and South America. Despite its small size, this bird has a distinctive high-pitched series of calls and whistles that it often sings during the night. This bird has a shy nature and dense habitat but is rarely heard by most people which makes it a hidden gem. Thus, its soft repetitive calls help it to communicate with mates as well as to mark its territory.
Source: eBird
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