Rooster Earplugs

Like nature’s alarm clock, the rooster is an expert at rousing the world. In fact, if you stood next to a crowing rooster, you’d be blasted with up to 140 decibels of cock-a-doodle-doo—loud enough to damage your eardrums. So how does a rooster listen to its own cacophony without going deaf?

A rooster’s crow can reach 140 decibels—the equivalent of a gunshot or a military jet taking off.

According to a recent study, a rooster’s eardrums are half covered in a soft tissue to dampen the noise. And when a rooster tilts his head back to let loose, his auditory canals close completely. With these natural earplugs, the rooster doesn’t hear the full fury of his own squawk.

A rooster crows to warn other roosters who might encroach on his turf. To do this, he typically finds a high vantage point, away from the hens. And it’s a good thing because hens aren’t equipped with the rooster’s natural ear protection.

The Creator graciously gave roosters earplugs to protect their hearing and instincts to protect hens from the damaging decibels. He also gave our lazy bones a cock-a-doodle wake-up call to embrace the morning and rejoice in the day he has made.

This article was taken from Answers magazine, March–April, 2020, 39.