Noise Pollution Negatively Affects Woodland Bird Communities

[Staff]

Noise Pollution Negatively Affects Woodland Bird Communities
ScienceDaily (July 24, 2009) — A new University of Colorado at Boulder study shows the strongest evidence yet that noise pollution negatively influences bird populations, findings with implications for the fate of ecological communities situated amid growing urban clamor.

Noise Pollution Negatively Affects Woodland Bird Communities
excerpts from above:

"This is the first study to show that noise pollution causes changes in species interactions within bird communities," said Francis of CU-Boulder's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. "Since noise pollution can be a major cause of declining bird diversity in and around urban areas, better noise control using quieter road surfaces and sound-reducing walls and berms should be considered to help preserve such communities."

While other studies have shown noise pollution can have negative impacts on bird species, most have been conducted near heavily used roads, said Francis. The CU-Boulder study is one of the first conducted in a controlled environment -- the team worked with energy companies to shut down gas pad compressors for several hours each week, allowing researchers to identify individual nests and determine nesting success.

[bubbleoffplumb]

The study also is the first to indicate that at least a few bird species opt for noisy areas over quiet ones, perhaps because of their vocalization pitches, a reduction in nest predators and less competition from other songbirds that prefer quiet environments.

this is of serious interest to me.
I live very close to the tappan zee bridge (and approaches).
although I try to focus on the biophony ,
I always wondered how these loud manmade sounds effect the critters.

interesting that some prefer the noisier enviros.