noise pollution

Noise pollution drives away some birds, but benefits those that stay behind

edyong | July 27, 2009

Cities are noisy places. If you ever get annoyed by the constant din of traffic, machinery and increasingly belligerent inhabitants, think about what songbirds must think. Many birds rely on songs to demarcate their territories and make their advances known to mates. They listen out not just for the sounds of seduction or rivalry, but for approaching predators and alarm calls that signify danger. Hearing these vital notes may be the different between life and death. Last year, I wrote a feature for New Scientist about the effect that urban noise has on songbirds. Those that can't make…