How will animals react to the solar eclipse

[Catherine]

There is little clear documentation about animal behavior during an eclipse. They occur so seldom that it is hard to study the reaction of animals.
On August 21 North America, in particular, the USA will experience a total solar eclipse.
Scientists are hoping that ordinary people will make a point of observing animal behavior and sharing it with them. 

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/science...1708070112

The eclipse will be interesting enough, but the chance to study animal reactions will be exciting.
Sadly most of us will not being seeing this eclipse so we can't observe animal behavior.

I do hope many people contribute their observations. I am curious to learn how different animals react to such a major event.

[Libby]

I never even thought about how animals would react. I'm in the path of the total eclipse so I'll have to keep an eye out.

[Tobi]

We had a pretty decent solar eclipse here in summer 1999. I didn't get 100% where I live but probably about 80-90. I can't clearly remember now.
Anyway I went out with my dog Toby to watch it. It happened sometime in the morning. We stayed out on the hill in all the fields there and watched the whole thing. At times the sky got a bit overcast so it wasn't always a clear view.

Well, Toby didn't react at all. And he was a great one for finding interesting things in the sky! He would chase hot air balloons, Tornado jets, the Moon, etc
It just looked like one of those deeply thundery stormy days when the light becomes almost like twilight. Only it was a little stronger than that. I think because Toby was used to going out in horrible weather anyway he thought nothing of it. Perhaps he just thought it was one of those dark days. He didn't behave in any different way.
I didn't notice the cows were bothered either. I'm not sure about the birds though. It's likely they might have thought it was time to roost. But I didn't notice any sudden silence. (They are used to abysmal weather too!)

[LPC]

Yes, I remember the 1999 eclipse. We still lived in the UK, but were in northern France at the time, as it was August and we were looking for a house there. We were right in the path of the eclipse.

I don't want to disappoint anybody, but a total eclipse doesn't exactly turn day into pitch black. It just becomes like late evening when it is nearly dark but not quite. One can still see the surroundings fairly clearly.

We were in rural France at the time, but to be honest the animals only became quiet, like evening had come early. Nothing more exciting than that. There is a brief account of the 1999 eclipse in Europe here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_ecli...t_11,_1999

However, happy eclipse watching to anyone in its path this year!

[Catherine]

Libby, I thought you might be in the path of the eclipse. It will be interesting to see if the animals around you react in any way.

The 1999 eclipse was well viewed. LPC, you were in the perfect place to see it. I think saw an eclipse in Winnipeg as a child. I believe it was total or close to it. You are right, it doesn't get dark, but on a sunny day it is quick a contrast when the sun is totally covered. I don't remember animals reacting, but I probably wasn't looking for anything.

I think any other eclipses I saw were actually viewed on TV and not live. I couldn't find one that was total where I was living at the time.

If it was cloudy and stormy weather, I doubt Toby or the other animals would have noticed the sky. It is not that big a change.
It is exciting though.

So, Libby, you have the front row seat. You will have to tell us what you see and observe.