Animal forecasters project. Living barometers: folk signs about animals and weather

We always listen to weather forecasts with a grain of salt: too often weather forecasters are wrong. Sometimes there is a downpour outside the window, and the radio cheerfully reports: “No precipitation is expected”... But “our smaller brothers”, who cannot rely on meteorologists, although they depend on natural disasters much more than we do, feel in advance what kind of weather is expected.

Ant forecast

It has been noticed that before the rain, bees return to the hive, flies and butterflies seek shelter in crevices or under the foliage of trees. But if it starts to rain while the sun is still shining, it can take them by surprise. Scientists suggest that diurnal insects react to changes in illumination: they hide when clouds appear in the sky. Moths are considered more accurate weather forecasters, as they “judge” the upcoming weather by changes atmospheric pressure and air temperature. When warm weather approaches atmospheric front they can fly even in the rain, but on a clear night preceding a cold snap they hide.

Long-term predictions can also be made based on the behavior of insects. It is known that if mosquitoes appear in late autumn, the winter will be mild. Ants build large piles - to harsh winter.

Inhabitants of rivers and ponds react to weather changes no less, and sometimes more sensitively, than insects. Before it rains, fish dive to the bottom. Anticipating a thunderstorm, they rush about and jump out of the water. This is due to the fact that due to the calm that usually occurs before a thunderstorm, the layers of water do not mix well, and the fish have to rise from the depths to the surface, where there is more oxygen. Even lazy catfish - those who like to spend time at the bottom of the swamp - are forced to climb up.

For the same reason, before the rain, you can observe a massive emergence of crayfish from the water onto the shore.

Live barometer

In Rus', in ancient times, the frog was used as a home barometer. She lived in a vessel of water with a small wooden ladder. If a frog climbs the ladder, wait for rain; if it swims in the water, it will be dry and sunny.

Today it is unlikely that anyone will have a “frog” barometer, but a “leech” barometer is quite possible. It is used by fishermen, hunters, and tourists. Leeches react very sensitively to changes in atmospheric pressure and, like fish, rise to the surface of the water before bad weather. At home, they can be placed in a glass jar with a layer of sand at the bottom, half filled with river water, and tied with gauze on top. If the leeches lie calmly at the bottom - there will be good weather, they move slowly - towards the cold, they are pulled together into a ball - hail is possible, they lie on the water or half stick out of it - it will rain, they crawled out of the water and stuck to the glass - a storm, they quickly crawl along the glass - to a thunderstorm.

However, in predicting the weather you can do without leeches and frogs. Just look out the window and see how the birds behave. If they gather in trees, scream in alarm - it will rain, swim in puddles in spring or autumn - it means warming.

Let's take a closer look at the world around us. This is important not only to find out whether to take an umbrella with you - life will sparkle with completely new colors, worries and worries will fade into the background. It is not for nothing that psychologists believe that what closer person to nature, the more resistant to stress his nervous system is.

Svetlana Ryabukhina

Personal opinion

Yuri Entin, poet, playwright:

– I believe that animals have much more abilities than we think. At least you can’t deny them intelligence and ingenuity. I spend a lot of time outside the city and often watch how a dog and crows communicate with each other. For example, I once observed how a crow, whose chick had fallen out of its nest, distracted the dog, preventing it from heading in that direction.

We have three cats living at home, and each has its own character, its own attitude to life.

Tailed weather forecasters

Animals are much more sensitive than homo sapiens, spoiled by civilization, and they know about the upcoming vagaries of the weather no worse, and sometimes even better than weather forecasters armed with the latest instruments.

Seismograph cats. History describes more than one case when cats left cities on the eve of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and when the danger subsided, the mustachioed striped cats returned to their native places. Residents of earthquake-prone areas know very well that cats get excited before a natural disaster. They meow loudly and for no apparent reason, tremble, hide, ask to leave the house, and sometimes fall into a stupor.

But still, cats enjoy the greatest respect among sailors. They say that cats perfectly sense the approaching storm and can warn the team about it. A huge black cat also sailed on the ship of the famous discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus. The sailors on board testified that the ship's cat could predict the weather and helped avoid many dangers on a long journey.

Experienced sailors believe that cats can not only warn of danger, but also know how to ward off storms, but only if the crew treats the fluffy ones well. There are cases when ships were in distress immediately after the ship's cats were overboard! Japanese sailors especially revere tortoiseshell and white cats and always keep them on board, believing that cats of this color can pacify the elements. And their Swedish colleagues believe that you can only take a kitten or a cat that grew up on this ship on a voyage. According to legend, other people's cats bring with them bad weather, as storms hide in their tails.

The elephants were not harmed. We all remember the tsunami that hit the coast of Southeast Asia in December 2004. The giant wave claimed thousands of lives and destroyed coastal cities. However, no matter how incredible it may seem, the natural disaster caused almost no harm to the animals. Thus, the authorities and representatives of environmental organizations in Sri Lanka, the country most affected by the disaster, are still perplexed: after the wave receded, not a single dead animal was found, but rescuers discovered thousands of human bodies. And in the national natural park Yalla on the Indian Ocean coast, a huge wave destroyed everything three kilometers from the shore. The park was home to herds of wild elephants, leopards and other animals. Feeling it coming natural disaster, all the inhabitants of the park went deep into the island. “What is inexplicable is that we did not find a single dead animal. All elephants are alive, all leopards are alive. Not a single rabbit died! I think the animals have a sixth sense: they knew danger was coming and they left,” said park director H.D. Ratnayake in one of his interviews.

Animal omens

A horse snores - to bad weather, snorts - to warm, curls its ears and throws its head up - to rain.

The dog curls up and lies in a ball - to the cold. He sleeps with his paws outstretched, his stomach up - towards the warmth. Sleeping a lot and eating little means rain.

Before it gets cold, cats curl up into a ball and bury their faces in their paws. Before the heat, the cat lies down in the middle of the room, stretches out and sleeps.

Alexandra Tyrlova

We live in a time when people use technology to check the weather forecast. But there are times in life when the Internet may not be available. You can tell the weather by looking closely at

We live in a time when people use technology to check the weather forecast. But there are times in life when the Internet may not be available. You can tell the weather by looking closely at the behavior of animals. It has been known since ancient times that birds and our smaller brothers cope quite well with this task.

Our ancestors learned from the behavior of a domestic cat to determine what surprises the weather had in store for us:

When a cat sleeps with its chest tucked under itself, expect cold.

The cat dreams while lying on its stomach, expect warmer weather soon.

If a cat is trying to warm its back, it will soon start to rain.

The cat sharpens its claws on the floor - windy weather.

The cat climbed onto the stove and is warming itself - severe frosts will come soon.

It has long been proven that cats do not use any mysticism to predict the weather. The thing is that animals such as cats are very sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure. As soon as the pressure changes, the animal’s behavior also changes.

You can find out what the weather will be like by paying attention to the cows. If a horned animal drinks a little water and greedily eats grass in the evening, be prepared for rain in the morning.

Dogs are also endowed with similar abilities. Notice that the dog is rocking on the ground before the rain and thunderstorm.

The nearest weather forecast can also be predicted by the behavior of birds. Birds such as rooks generally always build nests near people's homes. Watch these birds and you'll know the weather without the help of technology.

If a flock of rooks scream in alarm and fly over the nest, expect bad weather. When the rooks frolic and play, the weather will be fine.

Long ago our ancestors noticed many weather signs associated with swallows. If a swallow flies high above the ground, the weather will be dry, and if, while flying low above the ground, the swallow rises sharply, there will certainly be a storm.

Poultry are also excellent weather forecasters. Geese and ducks constantly hide their heads under their wings - expect cold and cold.

Heavy rain will occur if the hen tries to hide her chicks underneath her.

In winter, expect a thaw when the goose flaps its wings in the cold. And if these poultry are standing in winter time on one leg, expect severe frosts.

You saw that chickens are “bathing” in the sand, flapping their wings - be sure to expect rain. And if the chickens start to blow their tails, it’s a sign of a blizzard.

Wait for the rain when the chicken's tail is down and the feathers are hanging down.

Do you hear a cockerel crowing in the evening? This means that the weather will change. In the middle of a clear day, roosters crowing among themselves - it means rain.

Knowing these signs, you can go into nature, to the village with peace of mind and enjoy the company of friends and family, without gadgets. Breathe fresh air and relax from the bustle of the city without fear of unpleasant surprises from the weather.

Minenko Maxim

Live weather forecasters, material for a physics lesson on the topic: "Atmospheric pressure."

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Live weather forecasters

A weather forecaster (from the Greek word “simultaneously observing”) is a meteorological specialist who makes weather forecasts using weather maps, television images of meteorological satellites, and vertical sounding data of the atmosphere. With the help of this project, you can learn to distinguish the signs of weather in any area, understand nature and what it has in store for the coming days. And in general, who wouldn’t benefit from the skills and knowledge of how to predict the weather without a synoptic forecast. Anyone who is tired of hearing vague statements, something like: “There will be short rains in places,” will find exactly what will help him to keep abreast of the affairs of nature. Who is a weather forecaster?

Flower meteorologists or predicting the weather by flowers

Plants, like animals, react to upcoming weather changes and can also act as living barometers. Botanists already know more than 400 species of plants that predict weather. These plants include the so-called acacia. There is such a sign: if bees are stuck around an acacia tree (we are talking about caragana tree and robinia false acacia, incorrectly called yellow and white acacias) - do not go into the forest, it will rain. The secret of this sign is very simple. Both plants release large quantities of fragrant nectar before rain, when the air becomes most humid. This is what attracts bees and other insects to them.

The same thing happens with currants, honeysuckle, and sweet clover. If the flowers of these plants suddenly smell strongly and insects stick around them, wait for rain. At night, when no insects are visible, the strong smell of honeysuckle can tell you what the weather will be like tomorrow. IN good weather the smell of its flowers is almost not felt.

The easiest way to know whether clear weather or rain is expected is to watch the dandelions. You have probably observed more than once that in sunny weather, dandelion flowers open wide, showing the world their golden core. Sometimes, when the sun is shining brightly outside, dandelion flowers close, thereby making it clear that rain is expected soon. Or, on the contrary, in gloomy weather they will suddenly dissolve - which means that the clouds that frighten us will pass by and there will be no rain. Even a faded dandelion can serve as a barometer. In dry weather, its white fluffs easily scatter in different directions, and before approaching bad weather, sensing an increase in air humidity, the flower folds its fluffs like an umbrella so that they are not wetted by rain.

The violet, tender and fragile, in sunny weather stretches its bright purple petals to the sky, and in anticipation of bad weather invariably bends to the ground. Daisies and pansies behave the same way when bad weather sets in.

Some plants are also harbingers of cold or warm weather. The most striking example is the flowering of bird cherry. When the bird cherry blossoms, there is always cold. It’s not for nothing that people call it “cold bird cherry”. But lilac, on the contrary, blooms on hot days, and, as a rule, after it blooms, the cold does not return to us. Rowan blossoms promise us prolonged warmth. If bees buzz in a swarm on a flowering bird cherry or rowan tree, tomorrow will be a clear day. Their flowers release nectar only in dry and clear weather. The same applies to jasmine, violet, meadow cornflower and motherwort.

Some weeds also have the ability to change the position of leaves before bad weather. Small, inconspicuous, branchy grass often grows in vegetable gardens, the leaves of which always seem to be wet to the touch. This is a woodlice. Its small white flowers can serve as an excellent barometer that predicts rain. If in the morning the corollas of the flowers of this weed have not opened, and the flowers themselves on the stalks have drooped, then you should expect rain during the day.

Weeping plants

Among the trees and herbaceous plants there are many “weather forecasters” who predict weather changes in a very original way - they “cry”. Moreover, they begin to “cry” in different ways - both a few hours and several days before the rain. Plant “crying” is a physiological process closely related to water metabolism. At large quantities water in the soil and at high air humidity, when the roots absorb more liquid than can evaporate from the leaves, the excess amount is removed in the form of drops through special holes - hydathodes, usually located along the edges of the leaves. In dry areas this phenomenon is never observed. This process is called guttation (from the Latin gutta - drop). Such “crying” of plants can be observed at any time of the year, even in winter. Guttation is most often observed in the early morning, in cloudy, windless weather and before rain. Therefore, the “crying” of plants is a very important synoptic sign, indicating high relative humidity air.

The weather can also be determined by the trees that grow in the city. For example, yellow and white acacias intensify their smell in cloudy, humid weather, thereby attracting insects. Before a big change in weather, a willow “drops tears on the ground” - the ground under the tree may become damp. Chestnut trees grow in many cities, and by observing them, you can also say a lot about changes in the weather. For example, before rain, droplets of sticky juice appear on chestnut leaves, causing the leaves to become darker. It seems that someone varnished the leaves of the chestnuts, as they also begin to shine.

How can guttation water be distinguished from ordinary dew caused by strong cooling of the air at night? You should pay attention to the location of the drops: drops of guttation moisture are usually located on the edges, tips and denticles of the leaves. And dew, formed from the smallest particles of fog, completely covers the entire surface of the leaf with a thin bluish coating or small droplets. In addition, dew does not only form on plants.

Winged weather forecasters or which birds and insects can predict the weather

It has been noticed that before the rain, bees return to the hive, flies and butterflies seek shelter in crevices or under the foliage of trees. But if it starts to rain while the sun is still shining, it can take them by surprise. Scientists suggest that daytime insects react to changes in light: they hide when clouds appear in the sky. Moths are considered more accurate weather forecasters, who “judge” the upcoming weather by changes in atmospheric pressure and air temperature. When a warm atmospheric front approaches, they can fly even in the rain, but on a clear night preceding a cold snap they hide. Long-term predictions can also be made based on the behavior of insects. It is known that if mosquitoes appear in late autumn, the winter will be mild. Ants build large piles - for a harsh winter.

Many signs about the weather are associated with the behavior of nimble swallows. The most famous are: swallows fly high - in dry weather, on a bucket; swallows fly up and down - wait for a storm; swallows bathe and anxiously fly in and out of the nest - before the rain; swallows touch the surface of the water with their wings - it means rain. There are other signs: swallows fly above the ground - don’t expect dry weather. The signs are correct. But the point here is not at all in the swallows themselves, not in their ability to subtly sense ongoing changes in the surrounding atmosphere, but in the insects that swallows feed on. In summer, in good weather, when the air is dry, strong air currents lift many insects high up. Before bad weather, the picture changes. Sensing the approach of bad weather, numerous insects hide in the grass, and if they fly, they fly very low. This is explained very simply: before the rain, the air becomes more humid, the thin wings of insects swell, become heavier and pull down. So the swallows are forced to catch them above the ground, above the water, or simply pick them up from blades of grass. Thus, upcoming weather changes are essentially determined by insects, and the swallows themselves, by their flight and hunting for them, only show us where the insects are, so to speak, they are the needle of the natural barometer.

Swifts - caring parents: they themselves are malnourished, but the cubs will be fed. However, it happens that the male and female suddenly leave their nest. And not for a day or two, but for several days. Where do they go? Why do they fly away from their nest? Who do they leave the helpless chicks to? After all, they can die from hunger and cold. For a long time, scientists were at a loss, painstakingly studying the life of swifts, their habits, until they finally discovered the secret of their unusual behavior. And the whole swift secret, it turns out, is this. Before cold weather, storms and prolonged rains, it becomes difficult for swifts to get food - insects, which they only catch high in the air (in bad weather, insects, as mentioned above, land). This forces swifts to leave areas threatened by bad weather. Excellent fliers, capable of flying at a speed of about 100 km per hour (swifts cover up to 1000 km per day during migration), they easily migrate hundreds of kilometers to places where the weather is warm, where the sun shines brightly, where there are plenty of flying insects. And they return to their homes with the same ease when the weather is good in their homeland.

What about the haircuts? Their nests are closed, and they are not afraid of bad weather. And most importantly, as scientists have established, with the onset of inclement weather, which means cold weather Swifts (like their closest relatives - hummingbirds) fall into short-term hibernation, the so-called suspended animation. At this time, all their life processes slow down: breathing, blood circulation almost stop, the heart beats barely, and the chicks can live for several days without food. Parents take advantage of this, leaving home without worries during bad weather. The sun will come out, the warmed haircuts will wake up, and the parents will be right there. So, based on synoptic and adaptive abilities, signs were formed: if suddenly in the middle of summer swifts disappear from the city, wait for rain. And the rain will be persistent. Swifts flying high above buildings until late twilight are a sign of continued warm, good weather.

Seagulls are medium-sized birds that inhabit inland waters and seas, feeding on fish, mollusks and crustaceans. Sensing the approach of a storm, these birds, despite the fact that they swim perfectly and are good at soaring flight, do not fly to the sea for prey, do not swing on the blue surface of the boundless sea. The storm is dangerous for them. They remain on the shore and wander squeaking along the sandbanks or among the coastal rocks. They are looking for meager pickings and waiting for the storm. And they are not wrong in their forecast. Sailors have long learned to determine the weather by the behavior of seagulls. They trust them as the most accurate, reliable barometer. They even composed a proverb: “A seagull walks on the sand, it promises sadness to sailors, a seagull lands on the water, wait for good weather.”

How do seagulls and other birds make their predictions about upcoming weather changes? What “devices” do they have for this? According to one hypothesis, birds have a peculiar barometric system consisting of hollow tubular bones of the skeleton, air space which are connected to nine thin-walled air sacs located throughout the bird’s body. It is assumed that changes in atmospheric pressure affect the pneumatic bones of birds and they react to this in advance by changing their behavior. It is quite possible that a change in barometric pressure causes a kind of irritation of special baroreceptors located in the pneumatic bones and in a number of internal organs associated with air sacs.

Another hypothesis explains the ability of birds to predict the weather by the design of their contour feathers. Contour feathers are those feathers that dress the bird's body, give it a streamlined shape, and determine the entire appearance of the bird. The contour feather is a true miracle of nature's engineering art. Each contour feather consists of a rod bordered on the sides with a fan. The rod is divided into a stem and a stem, or trunk. The feather represents the initial part of the feather shaft, free from the fan and hollow inside. The horns sit deep in the feather bag of the thickness of the skin. Near the base of the ridge, the tissues of the bird’s body are densely permeated with sensitive nerve endings. And the hollow frame itself resembles a kind of aneroid barometer. When atmospheric pressure changes, the pressure inside the skin also changes; it is captured by the nerve endings of the birds' skin papillae. This whole device, scientists believe, allows birds to predict the weather. Which of the stated hypotheses is correct, whether they both correctly explain the structure and operating principle of bird meteorological mechanisms - today it is difficult to say.

Wet weather forecasters or which fish and reptiles can predict the weather

Japanese fish. "Ideal barometers" are beautiful small fish that live in the depths of the underwater kingdom off the coast of Japan. They react in advance and completely unmistakably to the slightest change in the weather, and their behavior in the aquarium is closely monitored by the captains of snow-white ocean liners going on long voyages, fishermen and villagers. Fish have an original structure of the swim bladder, which perceives subtle pressure changes. The sensitivity of these fish is at its limit. technical systems. Another well-known sign is the disappearance of jellyfish before a storm. This phenomenon also has a scientific explanation - the wind, which begins to intensify, overwhelms the crests of the waves. The result is an acoustic shock that the jellyfish feel. Thus, jellyfish “hear” the storm much earlier than it approaches, and manage to go into the depths, where they calmly wait out it.

Some of the most accurate predictions are frog ones. The skin of these amphibians needs constant hydration, so in hot, dry weather, frogs sit in the water, and before rain, when the air humidity increases, they go out “for a walk.” In Rus', in ancient times, the frog was used as a home barometer. She lived in a vessel of water with a small wooden ladder. If a frog climbs the ladder, wait for rain; if it swims in the water, it will be dry and sunny. Leeches react very sensitively to changes in atmospheric pressure and, like fish, rise to the surface of the water before bad weather. At home, they can be placed in a glass jar with a layer of sand at the bottom, half filled with river water, and tied with gauze on top. If the leeches lie calmly at the bottom - there will be good weather, they move slowly - towards the cold, they are pulled together into a ball - hail is possible, they lie on the water or half stick out of it - it will rain, they crawled out of the water and stuck to the glass - a storm, they quickly crawl along the glass - to a thunderstorm.

Tailed weather forecasters or what animals can predict the weather

History describes more than one case when cats left cities on the eve of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and when the danger subsided, the mustachioed striped cats returned to their native places. Residents of earthquake-prone areas know very well that cats get excited before a natural disaster. They meow loudly and for no apparent reason, tremble, hide, ask to leave the house, and sometimes fall into a stupor. But still, cats enjoy the greatest respect among sailors. They say that cats perfectly sense the approaching storm and can warn the team about it. A huge black cat also sailed on the ship of the famous discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus. The sailors on board testified that the ship's cat could predict the weather and helped avoid many dangers on a long journey. Experienced sailors believe that cats can not only warn of danger, but also know how to ward off storms, but only if the crew treats the fluffy ones well. There are cases when ships were in distress immediately after the ship's cats were overboard! Japanese sailors especially revere tortoiseshell and white cats and always keep them on board, believing that cats of this color can pacify the elements. And their Swedish colleagues believe that you can only take a kitten or a cat that grew up on this ship on a voyage. According to legend, alien cats bring bad weather with them because storms hide in their tails.

Dogs are also endowed with no less ability to predict the vagaries of the weather. By the behavior of sled dogs, residents of the North know when to expect a snowstorm, whether there will be a snowstorm or, on the contrary, a thaw is coming. The dog curls up and lies in a ball - to the cold. He sleeps with his paws outstretched, his stomach up - towards the warmth. Sleeping a lot and eating little means rain.

We all remember the tsunami that hit the coast of Southeast Asia in December 2004. The giant wave claimed thousands of lives and destroyed coastal cities. However, no matter how incredible it may seem, the natural disaster caused almost no harm to the animals. Thus, the authorities and representatives of environmental organizations in Sri Lanka, the country most affected by the disaster, are still perplexed: after the wave receded, not a single dead animal was found, but rescuers discovered thousands of human bodies. And in the Yalla National Park on the Indian Ocean coast, a huge wave destroyed everything three kilometers from the shore. The park was home to herds of wild elephants, leopards and other animals. Feeling the approach of a natural disaster, all the inhabitants of the park went deep into the island. “What is inexplicable is that we did not find a single dead animal. All elephants are alive, all leopards are alive. Not a single rabbit died! I think the animals have a sixth sense: they knew danger was coming and they left,” said park director H.D. Ratnayake in one of his interviews.

Grandma guessed right or folk signs about the weather

It is always important for a person to know what the weather will be like, since it affects his activities and well-being. Watching the weather in bad weather, sunny days, at dusk, at night, people celebrated characteristic features, foreshadowing certain weather changes. "Weather" signs are varied. Bees signal humans in advance about approaching cold weather. In the cold winter, bees seal the entrance, leaving a barely noticeable hole in it, and warm winter it remains open. Anticipating bad weather, bees do not fly out of their hives. Before the rain, as if on command, they return to the hive together. Scientists explain this phenomenon by the fact that before the arrival of rain or storm, the atmosphere is highly saturated with electricity and the static charge in bees immediately increases. It is this that serves as an alarm signal for them, a dangerous situation, calling for a return to the hive.

Mosquitoes hover in a column - wait for good weather. Ants become lethargic in bad weather and gather at the top of the anthill. Pines, spruces and others coniferous trees before the rain they lower their branches and raise them when clear weather approaches. A house spider will warn you about a change in weather. If in the evening he begins to go down the web, it means there is a thaw. The temperature sense of living organisms serves them not for orientation or detection of food, but to ensure successful life activity - to constantly maintain the optimal body temperature of the animal. And if environmental conditions change, then animals react to this in a certain way and take additional measures

The sleeping position of a domestic cat also depends on the ambient temperature; if it is cold, the cat curls up into a ball. A chicken standing on one leg means it’s cold. Before a cold spell, the ground cools quickly. Each leg of a chicken is a kind of heat conductor. One leg leaves less heat from the bird's body into the ground than two legs.

The weather will be good if...

When a cat sleeps with its paws tucked under itself, expect cold.

The cat dreams while lying on its stomach, expect warmer weather soon.

If a cat is trying to warm its back, it will soon start to rain.

The cat sharpens its claws on the floor - windy weather.

The cat climbed onto the stove and is warming itself - severe frosts will come soon.

You can find out what the weather will be like by paying attention to the cows. If a horned animal drinks a little water and greedily eats grass in the evening, be prepared for rain in the morning.

Dogs are also endowed with similar abilities. Notice that the dog is rocking on the ground before the rain and thunderstorm.

Near-term weather changes can also be predicted by the behavior of birds. Birds such as rooks generally always build nests near people's homes. Watch these birds and you will know the weather without the help of technology.

If a flock of rooks scream in alarm and fly over the nest, expect bad weather. When the rooks frolic and play, the weather will be fine.

Our ancestors have long noticed many weather signs associated with swallows. If a swallow flies high above the ground, the weather will be dry, and if, while flying low above the ground, the swallow rises sharply, there will certainly be a storm.

Poultry are also excellent weather forecasters. Geese and ducks constantly hide their heads under their wings - expect cold and cold.

Heavy rain will occur if the hen tries to hide her chicks underneath her.

In winter, expect a thaw when the goose flaps its wings in the cold. And if these poultry stand on one leg in winter, expect severe frosts.

You saw chickens “bathing” in the sand, flapping their wings - be sure to expect rain. And if the chickens start wagging their tails, it’s a sign of a snowstorm.

Wait for the rain when the chicken's tail is down and the feathers are hanging down.

Do you hear a cockerel crowing in the evening? This means that the weather will change. In the middle of a clear day, roosters crowing among themselves - it means rain.

Surely each of us, before going outside, will definitely try to find out about the upcoming weather for the day. We all know that the weather is quite a capricious lady, so there are practically no people who want to be caught off guard by a downpour in the middle of the day. Nowadays, to find out about the upcoming weather, it is enough to turn on the TV, the Internet or open the newspaper to the desired page.

Now imagine that we, for example, moved to the 16th century, when human life was completely dependent on nature, and we do not have a single special instrument for observing the weather. How can you find out about approaching bad weather in this case, you ask? What did our ancestors do in this case?

It turns out that in the distant past, a person observed the weather, various natural phenomena, and compiled various signs for “prediction”, “foretelling” the weather. And in this he was helped by faithful assistants and friends - mustachioed, tailed and feathered, namely our smaller brothers. Think about it, have you paid as much attention to the behavior of your pet as our ancestors did? I think not, but in vain...

It is known that our pets are very sensitive to the vagaries of the weather, and they know about upcoming weather changes no worse, and maybe even better, than a group of meteorologists armed with special observation instruments. Scientists count about 600 representatives of the animal world that have “synoptic” abilities. But let's do everything in order, and we will start, first of all, with pets, or rather with the most graceful representatives of tailed and mustachioed animals - cats.
It has been noted that of all four-legged animals, the cat is the most sensitive to weather changes. In addition, she is credited with the ability to foresee various events in the house, for example, the arrival of guests, before whose arrival she washes her face with her paw, but for us, of course, more interesting are her meteorological abilities, which she has very well developed. It is known that when the weather changes, cats become lethargic, sleep a lot, and some even refuse to eat. Before rain or strong wind, Murka sharpens its claws; if it scratches the floor or table leg, it means there is wind and snowstorm. But before it gets cold, he curls up into a ball and sleeps, covering his face with his paws. But if your furry pet is stretched out on its back with its belly up, expect warming.

Residents of seismically dangerous areas try not to lose sight of changes in the behavior of cats and carefully monitor their cats. If your cat is acting restless, agitated, meowing loudly, hiding, and trembling, it is time to move to a safer area.
During World War II, cats saved their owners more than once. As it turned out, the Murziks have an uncanny ability to anticipate the beginning of the bombing. The cats' fur stood on end and they began to make hissing and irritated sounds. This ability of cats was so valuable during the war that a special medal was established in Europe with the words engraved on it: “We, too, serve our Motherland.” The medal was awarded to cats who saved greatest number human lives.

But tailed weather forecasters are especially respected by sailors. Experienced sailors believe that cats can not only warn of danger, but also know how to drive away a storm, only if the Murzik has been treated well. There are cases when ships were in distress immediately after the ship's cats were overboard. Swedish sailors believe that only a kitten or cat that has grown up on this ship can be taken on a voyage. According to legend, alien cats bring bad weather with them because storms hide in their tails. Japanese sailors revere tortoiseshell and white cats, as they believe that cats of this color can pacify the elements.

Our faithful four-legged friend, the dog, has no less ability to predict the weather. If the dog digs the ground intensively or gets into the water or eats grass, then expect rain; rolls on the ground in the summer, eats little and sleeps a lot - to bad weather, in winter - to a blizzard; the dull barking of dogs in winter means snow. We noticed that if sled huskies ride in the snow in the evening, expect a snowstorm at night, and often a long one.

Many birds are highly sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure, the slightest fluctuations in illumination and the accumulation of electricity in the atmosphere. Changes in the behavior of birds are manifested in the characteristics of singing, screaming, foraging, timing of arrival and departure. For example, in Cuba, a parrot has become widely known for accurately predicting the weather. Before a hurricane, a parrot whistles a funeral march, before a thunderstorm - sambas, before rain - Strauss melodies. Let's look out the window and see how the birds behave.

Pay attention to the sparrow. In good weather, sparrows are cheerful, active, and sometimes pugnacious. But as soon as they become lethargic, quiet, sit puffed up, gather on the ground or bathe in the sand, it will rain. They fly in flocks from place to place - in anticipation of the upcoming winds; they flutter in the morning - in anticipation of rain.
The strong cooing of a dove indicates upcoming hot weather; pigeons hiding means bad weather.
It is interesting that the cuckoo crows regularly - to warm weather and the end of cold mornings, makes sounds similar to croaking - to rain, sits on a dry tree - to cold weather. Often we see how a gray crow sits on a tree branch or a fence, hunches over, lowers its wings, just like an ancient old woman. He sits and croaks dully and hoarsely. “It’s raining,” we grumble dissatisfied. And indeed, this often happens. Of course, a crow may have other reasons for its “bad” mood, but, as a rule, this mood precedes “uncomfortable” weather for the crow.

Swallows, swifts and woodpeckers are extremely sensitive to weather changes, whose behavior depends not on themselves, but on the insects on which they feed. Ornithologists claim that in the summer, in good weather, when the air is dry, strong air currents lift many insects that swallows feed on high up. Swallows rush after them. But before the rain, the air becomes more humid, the thin wings and hairs covering the body of insects swell, become heavier and pull down. Insects hide in the grass, and if they fly, they fly low. So the swallows are forced to catch them near the ground, or even just pick them up from blades of grass. So, if you spot a low-flying swallow, wait for the rain. The woodpecker feeds mainly on insects and larvae, obtaining them under the bark or in the thickness of trees. In good and dry weather, insects and larvae do not hide under the bark, and the woodpecker has difficulty finding food. But now bad weather is approaching, insects, anticipating it, take refuge under the bark and in the cracks of trees, and the woodpecker enthusiastically begins to knock and announce bad weather. Mostly birds huddle close to houses - to snow, fog, bad weather; play - towards the wind; they stop singing in the heat - when it rains and more often with a thunderstorm; in the evening they feed longer than usual - in anticipation of frost; flying low means rain.

Crickets and grasshoppers are especially sensitive to changes in air temperature. Having unraveled the biological mechanism of their behavior, English scientists from the Royal Institute of Entomology were able to determine the air temperature not using a thermometer, but using a watch with a second hand. To do this, just count how many times a grasshopper or cricket chirps within 15 seconds, and add 40 to the resulting number; the resulting amount will indicate the air temperature in Fahrenheit. Determining temperature in Celsius requires more complex calculations. A grasshopper chirps loudly late in the evening - to have a nice day, silent - for rain. Fireflies glow more than usual before warm, good weather. Beautiful large butterflies do not sit on flowers before sunny weather, but before rain they will happily sit on a flower. If a moth comes to visit you, expect strong winds.

Bees are sensitive to weather changes; they become angrier and sting most often before a drought. An excellent “living barometer” is some fish species. If on a cloudless day the bite suddenly stops, the fish rushes about wildly in the water, jumps out and catches midges - it will soon start to rain. For example, a catfish floats to the surface of a river in anticipation of a thunderstorm, but crayfish climb out of the water to the shore before bad weather.

One of the most accurate forecasts is a frog. The skin of the “wah” needs constant hydration, which is why in hot weather frogs sit in the water, and before rain, when air humidity increases, they go out for a “walk.” In Rus', in the old days, this was also noticed and they began to use the frog as a home barometer. It is known that she lived in a vessel of water with a small wooden ladder. You probably guessed that when the “wah” climbs up the stairs - wait for the rain, floats in the water - it will be dry and clear. Also, the respiratory system of a frog is very sensitive to even a slight increase in humidity. This is the reason that before the rain, the “wahs”’ mouths do not close, and they croak heart-rendingly.

Fishermen, hunters and tourists use so-called “leech” barometers. Leeches, like fish, react to changes in atmospheric pressure by rising to the surface of the water before bad weather. They are placed in a glass jar with a layer of sand at the bottom, half filled with river water, and the jar is tied with gauze on top. If leeches begin to stick to the walls of the dish and protrude from the water - to the rain, they swim quickly, wriggle, trying to cling to the walls of the dish at the surface of the water - to strong wind and thunderstorms, remain calm in the water, more often at the bottom - in good weather.
The main thing that people's observers pay attention to is the crowing of roosters. Their early and generally untimely singing foreshadows bad weather and a change in weather. So, for example, in the Kharkov province local residents noticed that if the rooster crowed at sunset, then a change in the weather is expected, but if they crow later than 10 o’clock in the evening, then the night will be quiet and good.

But chickens cackle, pick their feathers or pluck, walk in the middle of the street - to bad weather, swim in the sand and flap their wings - to rain, fly up onto high objects in a barn, under a canopy - to quick rain, walk in the rain - to prolonged rain, early in winter they sit on a roost - it means frost, and if they twirl their tails or flap their wings - it means a blizzard. Hens place chickens under themselves or take them to shelter - to bad weather.

Cattle are extremely sensitive to the vagaries of weather. If a cow is in a hurry to return to the stall, it means cold. In hot weather, cattle lie down open place, lies on the right side or gathers in a heap - for rain, roars loudly in the evening - bad weather, drinks little water, and sleeps during the day - for rain. There are relatively few signs about horses, but some of the observations are quite correct. A horse snores - to bad weather, lies down on the ground in the summer - to wet weather, snorts - to warmth, shakes his head and throws it up - to rain, kicks with his hind leg in the summer - to warming or bad weather, in winter - to snow.

They say that one day on a clear sunny day, Isaac Newton went out for a walk and met a shepherd with a flock of sheep, who advised the scientist to return home if he did not want to get caught in the rain. Newton looked at the sky, smiled and moved on. Half an hour later I went heavy rain, thoroughly soaking the scientist.
Surprised, Newton asked the shepherd how he predicted rain so accurately. The shepherd laughed and replied that it was not he who predicted it, and pointed his hand at the ram. Even more surprised, Newton looked questioningly at the shepherd. Then the shepherd explained that he determined the onset of rain by the wool of the ram. Indeed, animal hair has the ability to swell and lengthen before rain and in damp weather due to the filling of the pores of the hairs with water. Sheep wool becomes softer and somewhat straightens, but in dry weather, on the contrary, it curls. Experienced cattle breeders can accurately identify these changes in coat.
We have completely forgotten about the piglets, whose squealing indicates an approaching cold snap in winter and bad weather in summer.

There are signs for the weather and wild animals, but there are not many of them, since, as you guessed it, they are more difficult to observe. In Chuvashia, they noticed that before the cold, a hare runs away from a person from afar - very sensitively. If wolves howl near your home, it means it will be frosty. Small mice also give rise to some signs about the weather. If in the summer the mice are making a fuss in the field: squeaking, running, chasing one after another - expect good weather in the morning, but if they sit quietly in their holes, most likely there will be bad weather. In Mexico it was noticed that the bats They circle in large numbers when the weather is good. Beavers work all night for rain. On warm days, the little sister fox lies in the snow - a sign of upcoming frosts. And before the rain, a badger will never take her cubs out of a warm hole for a walk. We noticed a chipmunk that, on a sunny, clear day, begins to wash itself and whistle sharply, which means it will rain soon; in the morning it begins to whistle, indicating a sharp change in the weather.

So far, we have looked at the so-called short-term forecasts, when animals predict a quick change in the weather, but there are also long-term forecasts for the next month, two or even a whole year. For example, if in August - October the horse does not stay in the pasture and the wool does not lie smoothly on it, the winter will be harsh. The bear determines in the fall what kind of spring it will be, and chooses a den for itself in such places so that the water does not flood its winter refuge. It has been noticed that if moles place holes in their burrows to the north - for warm weather, to the south - for cold weather, to the east - for dry weather, and to the west - for damp weather. In autumn, they store a lot of stubble or straw in their burrows - to cold winter, and if they don’t insulate their nests in the fall, go to warm ones. These animals foresee in advance how much the river will flood, so they build their underground passages above the water level in the river during floods. If there are more hares than usual - a dry summer, fewer - a damp summer, the fur is thicker and fluffier - a cold, harsh winter. The bunny's fur turned white in the fall earlier than usual - for the imminent onset of winter. We noticed in the summer that a lot of wasps appeared - by the cold winter, on the contrary, a lot of cockchafers - by the hot summer. If a bullfinch “squeaks” in the fall, it means early winter. wild ducks or geese fly away early - for early winter, arrive fat - for a long winter cold spring. Squirrels build their nests high for warm winters, low for cold frosty winters.

So we looked at the most common and famous signs based on animal behavior. It turns out that if we show a little more observation and attention to our pets, they will become our irreplaceable " tailed weather forecasters" While watching your pets, do not forget that they are sensitive not only to weather changes, but tailed animals also sense your mood well. Of course, each pet is unique in its own way, has its own character, habits and manners, this should not be forgotten when observing. I hope that from now on there will always be only the most accurate predictions in your home! Sunny mood and clear weather, friends!

Ermolov A.S. Folk weather science. M. 1995. Pp. 66-67.
Khrenov L.S. Folk signs and calendar. M. 1991. Pp. 32-33.
On the use of folk signs about the weather. Kuibyshev, FOL Privolzhskhydromet. Page 38-39
Khrenov L.S. Folk signs and calendar. M. 1991. pp. 39-40.
Ermolov A.S. Folk weather science. M. 1995. Pp. 57-58.
On the use of folk signs about the weather. Kuibyshev, FOL Privolzhskhydromet. 1988. Pp. 42-43
Khrenov L.S. Folk signs and calendar. M. 1991. Pp. 41-42.

Museum Researcher
"Meteorological station of Simbirsk"
Ivanova A.L.

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