Popularly, the statement is widespread that the roosters crow with the first morning light and they intend to wake up everyone who is still asleep. This affirmation is, without a doubt, demonstrable by all those who live in rural areas or have gone for a season to spend a few days in the countryside.
But have you ever wondered why roosters crow? This behavior is usually common in these poultry, and is not merely a whim. For this reason, in this article on our site we explain the reason why roosters crow.
How do roosters sing?
Roosters are known for their peculiar song described by the onomatopoeia “quiquiriquí”, with which they dare to wake up anyone who sleeps peacefully in the morning. But have you ever wondered how they can make this sound?
The truth is that roosters, like many other birds, base much of their communication on sound, and this is possible thanks to its vocal organ, the syrinx (structure that allows us to speak), as well as the muscles that surround it and facilitate, in many birds, the possibility of using all kinds of tones and gurgles depending on the force with which the air passes and how these muscles contract.
Roosters have this complex bone structure located lower than humans, since it is located in the trachea, specifically, in the bifurcation that carries air to the bronchi. We, on the other hand, have it located earlier, in the larynx.
As a curious fact, you may also be interested in this other article on Why don't chickens fly?
What does the cockcrow mean?
Now that you know how roosters are capable of emitting their characteristic song, surely you want to know with what intention they carry out said behavior.
First of all (and although you probably already know it), it should be noted that the roosters, that is, the males, are the only ones that use this peculiar sound. Chickens, on the other hand, do not have this need. Also, in the case of castrated roosters, they do not produce this sound either.
This behavior is, therefore, produced as a hormonal response by the fact of being male, and with two very specific purposes: to attract femalesand as territorial challenge to other roosters rivals. Exceptionally, roosters can also produce this sound as a warning , in case they have detected any threat in the environment. This territorial behavior is not only performed by roosters, but many wild birds often produce their songs around their territories in order to warn outsiders to stay away.
Finally, it should be noted that roosters can make another type of sound, which they share in common with hens: el cacareo This sound, known by the onomatopoeia “cocó”, is usually more friendly and reassuring, since it is a sound emitted when they have found food, to call the rest of the group or to start mating.
If you have a pen with roosters and hens, we encourage you to learn more about the reproduction of hens.
Why do roosters crow at dawn?
Roosters sing throughout the day and, in addition, they concentrate their songs at certain established times:
- Dawn.
- Noon.
- Midafternoon.
- The midnight.
However, these birds are quite popularly known because they sing in the morning, that is, with the arrival of the first rays of the sun at dawn.
The truth is that the statement that roosters crow at dawn is not entirely true, since a study[1] carried out at Nagoya University (Japan), has shown that roosters do not crow primarily because they sense sunlight, but rather crow at dawn because their biological clocktells them when to do it.
What does this mean? To understand it, you must know what said experiment consisted of. In this, the researchers tested these birds by exposing them day and night to artificial light, so that they could not distinguish between daytime and nighttime hours and, therefore, could not perceive the first light of dawn. Surprisingly, despite the aforementioned circumstances, these roosters continued to crow shortly before sunrise
This fact determined that the crowing of roosters is marked by their circadian rhythm or their biological clock. Now, it should be noted that despite having this ability, this study does not rule out that the appearance of sunlight slightly influences this behavior, in addition to hearing other birds sing in the morning.
Do all the roosters crow?
Yes. This behavior is something that is part of the nature of all roosters. It is impossible to “shut up” a rooster, since we would be trying to repress a behavior totally inherent in it, such as breathing.
Now then, not all roosters crow with the same frequency or intensity, because as we have seen, crowing is an innate response to a certain context. For this reason, depending on the environment and the welfare of the rooster, it will crow more or less and at a greater or lesser volume.
Mainly, those roosters that crow less are those that live in environments that make them feel calm and safe, that is to say:
- Your essential needs are covered (food, water, rest…).
- They do not perceive threats in their environment (loud noises, other animals…).
- They do not live with other roosters and, therefore, they have no rivals to compete with.
On the contrary, a rooster who feels that he lives in a dangerous environment, will live under stress and will remain constantly on the alert, with the intention of protect the chickens and their territory.
If you want to learn how to properly care for your rooster, don't miss this other article on our site about The hen as a pet.
