Natural History Wanderings

Smithsonian scientist studied how birds change their calls in response to big city noise. They found that birds tend to sing higher notes in areas where there is a lot of general noise. In areas where there are many buildings and hard surfaces birds tend to sing lower, deeper notes. However, if there are both buildings and hard surfaces along with a large amount of noise birds have trouble adapting their songs to meet both conditions. Bird song is critical to bird communication for survival and reproduction. Bird songs have traditionally adapted to the acoustics and characteristics of their local habitats.  Are the challenges or urban living too much for some birds? Read more at Smithsonian Science Urban songbirds adjust melodies to adapt to life in the big city, Smithsonian scientists find