Day and night animals
Biology · Early Years · The School
Awake in the daytime
Most birds are awake in the day. So are squirrels. So are you! These animals are called DIURNAL. That means awake in the light. Asleep in the dark. Look outside in the morning. Most animals you see are diurnal. They are up and about.
Awake at night
Some animals do the opposite. An OWL hunts in the dark. It has huge eyes. They help it see in dim light. A HEDGEHOG comes out at night. It looks for slugs and bugs. A BAT flies at night too. It finds insects by listening for echoes. These animals are called NOCTURNAL.
Why be awake at night?
Night-time can be safer. Fewer other animals are hunting then. Night-time can mean more food too, with less competition for it. It can be cooler as well. For a nocturnal animal, the dark is not scary. The dark simply works better.
Four pictures. A ROBIN sings in bright sunshine. A SQUIRREL collects nuts at midday. An OWL sits in a dark tree, eyes wide. A HEDGEHOG snuffles through leaves, under the moon. Which two are diurnal? The robin and the squirrel — both awake in daylight. Which two are nocturnal? The owl and the hedgehog — both awake at night. The owl's huge eyes are a clue. So is the hedgehog only coming out after dark.