SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) — San Francisco birds started singing differently in the quiet of the coronavirus lockdown, says a study in Science.
Birds responded by producing higher performance songs at lower amplitudes, maximizing communication distance and salience.
“We found that birds sang more softly when noise levels were lower and at shorter recording distances before and during the shutdown,” researchers said in the study.
Even though the birds were singing more softly, the study found that communication distance nearly doubled, elevating species fitness and increasing mating potential.
“In addition, the signal-to-noise ratio doubled in relative energy, which helps explain media reports suggesting that bird songs sounded louder during the shutdown,” the researchers said.
Source: CNN News
