--- title: Study: Birds Heard April Tornadoes Coming description: Ecologists say birds could hear the oncoming storm from over 100 miles away canonical: https://time.com/3641719/birds-tornado-infrasound-sense/ author: Eliana Dockterman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-19T13:23:08.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T03:00:40.879Z article:section: Science og:title: Study: Birds Heard April Tornadoes Coming og:description: Ecologists say birds could hear the oncoming storm from over 100 miles away og:url: https://time.com/3641719/birds-tornado-infrasound-sense/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltac2e5398254b724b/69877016a988caf5546ab864/golden-winged-warbler.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: 128616745 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Study: Birds Heard April Tornadoes Coming twitter:description: Ecologists say birds could hear the oncoming storm from over 100 miles away twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltac2e5398254b724b/69877016a988caf5546ab864/golden-winged-warbler.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Birds Sensed Tornadoes Coming a Day Early, Study Finds > Sponsored content. 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There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=dd0b81b3-3717-489a-9e97-d8d5118bfd70&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1)  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Dec 19, 2014 1:23 PM UTC  Golden-winged warbler Golden-winged warbler Getty Images  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Dec 19, 2014 1:23 PM UTC Five golden-winged warblers left their nests one day before devastating tornadoes in the central U.S. in April, suggesting they could sense the storms coming, according to new tracking data. These migrant songbirds may be able to sense extreme weather events with low frequency hearing, a [new study](http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822%2814%2901428-6) in the Journal of Current Biology says. The warblers left their nesting area when the storm was still over 100 miles away and weather conditions in the area were normal. Ecologists say they could likely hear an “infrasound” signaling the approach of the storm, which humans cannot hear. The birds left their nesting area just days after completing their seasonal migration. Geolocators show them flying from the Appalachians 400 miles south to the Gulf of Mexico. 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