Morning Vocals

Why do birds sing so loudly in the early morning? That’s a question people who’ve been jolted awake by noisy birds at dawn have asked themselves for thousands of years. Now biologists from the University of Western Ontario think they know the answer.

Researchers have known for a long time that male birds sing to establish their territory. Their singing warns other males to stay off their turf and away from their mates. But why do these male birds do it so loudly so early? Their songs aren’t nearly so intense at mid-day.

In the past, some scientists have theorized that birdsong only seems louder in the early morning when there is less heat, wind or atmospheric turbulence. But researchers from the University of Western Ontario who tested these theories discovered they weren’t the real reason.

Birds sing louder in the morning because, at that time of day, they instinctively know the signal they’re sending is more consistent. It carries better, so their message is more apt to be heard. Knowing this, they give it all they’ve got. It’s a bit like people singing in the shower where the quality of the sound is often better than in other places. Don ’t people sing louder in the shower than any where else?

Puzzle of the month

What’s in you suitcase?

All the words listed below appear in the puzzle. They may be written up, down, across, diagonally, or backwards. When you find a hidden word, circle its letters, then cross it off the list. We’ve found a word to start you off. After you’ve found all the hidden words, there will be a few uncircled letters left over. These leftover letters form a secret word. Can you find out what that word is?

tie; belt; book; brush; camera; comb; dress; film; hose; jacket; jeans; magazine; money; radio; robe; souvenirs; shirt; shoes; skirt; socks; slacks; sweater; ticket.

This month’s secret word is:__ __ __ __