Eclipse eBirding: what do birds do during a total eclipse?

By Team eBird 24 Aug 2017
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor

Have you wondered what birds do during a total eclipse? You’re not alone. Thanks to your eclipse eBirding, we’re closer than ever before to knowing the answer. It turns out that, unsurprisingly, many birds reacted to a sudden obscuring of the sun and the resulting 360-degree ‘sunset’. Thanks to the team at BirdCast, we have interactive eclipse bird behavior results from your eBird checklists on Aug 21 during the North American total eclipse. Read first-hand accounts of swifts and swallows dropping out of the skies; nighthawks and owls coming out to call and feed; and herons, hawks, and doves going to roost in the middle of the day.

Read about eclipse birding on BirdCast.

This map shows the locations where eBird checklists mention the eclipse in the comments. If you haven’t eBirded your eclipse sightings yet, add them now!