Chickadees Adjust Their Songs to Urban Noise
Author Information
Author(s): Darren S. Proppe, Christopher B. Sturdy, Colleen Cassady St. Clair
Primary Institution: University of Alberta
Hypothesis
Chickadees adjust signal characteristics to their ambient environment to maintain sexually selected markers of dominance while avoiding overlap with anthropogenic noise.
Conclusion
Chickadees reduce song duration and increase song frequency in response to ambient noise levels, allowing them to thrive in urban environments.
Supporting Evidence
- Chickadees sang at higher frequencies in noisier environments to avoid masking effects of traffic noise.
- Longer, lower-frequency songs were used when noise levels were low to maintain dominance signals.
- The study found that song duration decreased with increasing instantaneous noise levels.
Takeaway
Chickadees change how they sing based on how noisy it is around them, using shorter songs in loud places and longer songs when it's quiet.
Methodology
The study recorded chickadee songs at 22 roadside locations and analyzed song frequency and duration in relation to ambient noise levels.
Limitations
The study was limited to specific roadside locations and may not generalize to all urban environments.
Participant Demographics
Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in urban habitats.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.04 for frequency, 0.05 for duration
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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