morning hours. This is likely not to increase the range of their song but to increase its audibility and consistency, granting them the strongest chance of landing a partner. OPENING ACT All bands have an opener, and all great acts need to practice to reach their full potential. According to a report by PBS, another theory as to why birds sing their loudest in the morning is that they are warming up and will sing multiple times throughout the day. NESTING GROUNDS We can all agree there is nothing more irritating than the constant chirping of a bird first thing in the morning. So, it makes sense that birds sing to ward off competition. They want to let other birds in the area know this is their turf and do not want to share it with anyone else. One theory posits that male birds tend to sing in the earliest hours of the morning because it’s the most dangerous time of day for them, and they prove their strength and value as a mate by braving it anyway. The Dawn Chorus Reasons Behind Birds’ Morning Songs
Birds join together in the early morning hours — usually around 4 a.m. — in a chirping symphony, which scientists call the dawn chorus. I know what you’re thinking; that would be a great band name! You are correct; it would be, but it is also an astounding fact of nature that many birds choose to sing in the morning at great volume. There’s a reason for this behavior, or at least a couple of theories, and you can read about them here! LOVE BIRDS Birds are romantics at heart, and they start every morning with a lovesong in the hopes of stirring up romance — or, more accurately, finding a mate. It is primarily the male birds singing, and science shows that their ballads are loudest in the early
Leave a Legacy of Impact
Weave Philanthropy Into Your Will
Imagine leaving a legacy that not only benefits your loved ones but also creates a lasting impact on the causes you care about most. By incorporating philanthropy into your estate plan, you can support the organizations you’re passionate about long after you are gone. Whether you want to do some good for education, medical research, or the environment, your estate can be the way you give back and continue to make a difference. Ready to discover how your estate plan can become a catalyst for positive change? Let’s explore how to work philanthropic giving into your plan! CHOOSE YOUR CAUSE The first step in incorporating charitable giving into your plan is deciding what causes and organizations you want to support. Think about what matters most to you and your family or what issues you hope to help address. When you know, think about
what you want to leave to those groups in your estate. Financial donations are a great option to support a charity, but you can also donate highly valued assets like artwork or collectibles. You could even see significant tax savings by doing so. PICK A PLATFORM There are various options to donate cash or items to a charity in your estate plan. You can make a bequest through your will and specify the amount or percentage of your estate you wish to leave to a charity. You can also create a charitable trust in which you get to determine how it will manage and invest assets and make donations. This option allows you to contribute to a charity during your lifetime and after your death. There are also donor-advised funds that you can contribute to over time and receive tax benefits for. When you pass on, the balance of that fund will go to the charities
you selected. Alternatively, you can name a charitable organization as a beneficiary on your retirement plan or life insurance policy. By weaving philanthropy into your estate plan, you’re not just planning for the future — you’re shaping it. You can leave a lasting legacy on the causes that matter to you with the proper planning. If you’re ready to start today, contact us at Douglass & Runger.
2 • DouglassRunger.com
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