This is the moment birds across the country were thrown into a state of confusion as the sun disappeared behind the moon during yesterday’s solar eclipse.
Yesterday evening, millions of people around the country came to a standstill to watch a once-in-a-generation solar eclipse darken the sun.
With the nation’s eyes fixed on the sky, videos shared online show large flocks flying chaotically through the air as the sky began to darken.
Meanwhile, others appear to show the animals falling eerily quiet during the celestial event.
The peculiar scenes prompted viewers to wonder whether the animals realised something extraordinary was taking place.
‘The birds knew something was happening,’ one person said after sharing footage of birds flying in a random pattern in the sky above her.
Another user asked: ‘Has anyone noticed the birds acting strangely?’ while another said there was suddenly a ‘massive flock of crows’ in the sky.
Another user, from Cornwall, said: ‘The birds were definitely spooked!’ while one person added: ‘The solar eclipse has all the birds in my local area PANICKED.’
Bizarre videos shared online show large flocks flying chaotically through the air as the sky began to darken
Last night, millions of Britons took to the streets to marvel at a once-in-a-generation-eclipse. Pictured: The solar eclipse seen from Glastonbury, England
While the birds’ reaction may appear strange, the animals are highly attuned to changes in light and use the rising and setting of the sun to regulate their daily routines.
During Wednesday’s eclipse, the moon moved across the face of the sun, blocking out more than 90 per cent of its light from London at its peak.
Across Britain, the sudden change was accompanied by an eerie drop in light and, in some places, a noticeable chill.
‘Some animals rely even more heavily on light cues; birds are one example,’ explained Dr Kristina Paradowski, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Reports from eclipse watchers also described birds falling silent as the skies darkened.
Experts have previously observed daytime birds stopping their calls, changing their flight patterns or settling down as an eclipse progresses.
The effect is thought to be driven largely by the sudden changes in light and temperature, rather than the birds somehow sensing the astronomical event itself.
In other words, to a bird, the sun suddenly disappearing can look rather like nature’s alarm clock has announced that night has arrived early.
Birds across the country were thrown into a state of confusion as the sun disappeared behind the moon during last night’s solar eclipse
As Britain sweltered in the fifth heatwave of the year, an eerie yet welcome chill descended as the Moon blocked out the unrelenting 30C sunshine at Northala Fields in London
People watch the solar eclipse during the European Athletics Championships Birmingham 2026
A previous study, published in the journal Science, found that more than half of wild bird species changed their behaviour during the 2024 solar eclipse.
Researchers found that many birds responded to the sudden darkness as though night had fallen.
Some even launched into a dawn chorus after the eclipse, despite the ‘night’ lasting just a few minutes.
The findings suggest that the rapid change in light can temporarily disrupt birds’ normal biological rhythms.
