GAIAPRESS continues to shed new light on the wonders of nature, including theories that used to be considered unscientific or have long been ignored, in order to gain a new perspective on science.
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Come Spring, a long and familiar song is heard across the Japanese archipelago...
Eurasian Skylarks can be seen hovering high in the sky over their nesting grounds in the fields and meadows below.
The purpose of this distinctively long song is still unknown, with some ornithologists claiming it to be a mating call, and others insisting it is territorial in nature.
Birds have balloon-like structures called air sacs located near the bronchi.
Inhaled air is first delivered to the posterior air sacs, forced through the parabronchi where gas exchange occurs, and then into the anterior air sacs.
Along with assisting the breathing process and air pressure adjustments during flight, air stored in the anterior air sacs is also the source of the bird's cry.
Unlike many species that simply generate sound when exhaling, the extremely long cry of the Eurasian Skylark would not be possible without this secondary source of air.
Eurasian Skylarks appear to spend some of their time looking down when hovering, leading experts to believe they must be inhaling during the downward facing portion of their flight.
It's quite conceivable that the Eurasian Skylark makes long extended cries while flying directly above the nest to ensure chicks remember the sound of the male parent's call.
While it's evident that chicks copy the slightly differing cry of their father, related mechanisms such as breathing and frequency variations are still largely unsolved.
Males can be seen raising their crest in an apparently excited manner once on the ground.
This perhaps attests to the large amount of energy exhausted by their airborne performance.
Eurasian Skylarks are also the object of phenological observations, used in some regions to indicate seasonal changes in much the same way as cicada and cherry blossom flowers.
Records show that in most regions the Eurasian Skylark starts singing around early February, behavior apparently influenced by ground temperature rather than air temperature or pressure.
It's not clear, however, as to whether they can directly sense these variations or detect the arrival of spring through the movements of other plants and animals.
How do they produce the same flat note for extended periods of time while inhaling?
And how do they sense the coming of spring?
One thing is certain, further research is vital to unlocking the secrets of the Eurasian Skylark, a familiar species still very much steeped in mystery.
Humans do not have such refined sensors with which to measure the natural world.
However, humankind posses the power of analysis, one that goes beyond our natural limitations.
The protection of this diverse and beautiful earth through the analysis of nature is a mission that has been entrusted to humankind.
