Noise pollution: Disturbing birds

As if mankind’s effects on the planet and the natural world was not profound enough, it now emerges that our noisy presence is disturbing bird life. New research from Queen’s University Belfast shows manmade sounds mask signals between birds, hampering their ability to communicate with each other through song.

Just as bees depend on depleting flora for for their nourishment, singing is crucial for the survival and reproduction of birds.

Birds use song to show aggression and to attain territory for nesting and breeding, but this is becoming more difficult for them due to noisy conditions created by humans.

Farmland birds in Europe have declined by over 50% collectively in the last 30 years but noise, of course, is not the only reason. Pesticides, loss of habitat, changing climate, and wind turbines all affect bird populations.

We may not, individually, be able to do much about those effects but creating a quiet corner in a garden to attract birds could help. In return, you will be greeted with a chorus of birdsong.

A real tweet.