Why the lone bird you hear before sunrise is almost always a robin
etimes.in / May 07, 2026, 19:07 (IST)
Robins greet the dawn chorus first due to superior low-light vision, allowing them to claim territory and mates before rivals. Their timing is dictated by light cues, including artificial city lights, which can cause them to sing even in the middle of the night. This finely-tuned behavior reflects millions of years of evolution.