the dawn chorus as a communal and collective phenomenon in which individual birds negotiate and affirm their relationships while minimizing conflict. “It’s a reaffirmation of place and belonging every morning with mates, family groups, neighbors, and flocks,” he says. “By avoiding physical confrontations, the dawn chorus reduces risks and stress and conserves energy. It’s a tapestry of vocal behaviors,” he says, “and it may be the greatest evolutionary achievement of songbirds, allowing them to coexist and to become the wildly successful and diverse group they are.”
