The “internet” of animals operates from the canopy of the rainforest, which warns of predators in a wide area

BIRDS often sing to find a mating partner or to defend their territory. For many people, the song of the birds helps them to relax on a walk in the forest.

However, the cry of birds can also signal danger, not only to fellow species but also to everyone else.

Animals seem to be constantly listening to each other, says a study that was published scientific journal Current Biology.

When rainforest birds detect a predator, they let out a warning cry. Other animals, especially tree-dwelling monkeys, pick it up.

The message spreads first in the canopy. Eventually, it causes unrest throughout the forest.

The species are as if connected to a common information network.

Much of the forest goes silent when danger is near.

Research the factors Ettore Camerlenghi and Ari Martinez explain the network In The Conversation online magazine.

Scientists knew that birds repeat the warnings of others, sometimes even those of other species or primates.

They wanted to find out how messages travel in the rainforest. A remote area of ​​the Amazon rainforest in Peru was chosen as the research site, in Manu National Park.

More than 370 bird species and 10 primate species live in the area.

Biologist used trained birds of prey in the study. Seeing them caused birds and primates to send out warning calls.

Biologists recorded the screams. They then played recordings in the rainforest and watched how the animals reacted.

Surprisingly, the alarm sounds produced by the small Bird Species were the best transmitted.

Other animals often also joined in the vocalization. Large canopy species such as capuchin monkeys and spider monkeys do respond to sounds, but not always.

If animals in the understory did emit warning sounds, they did not spread as well.

The concept of the “internet of trees” has also gained popularity in the last decade. The idea is that plants also exchange information and warnings through the root system and fungal mycelia in the soil.