News Ecosystems

Noise pollution can harm birds even before they hatch

Exposing zebra finch eggs and hatchlings to traffic sounds had lifelong health impacts

A zebra finch, with bright orange beak and cheek spots, gray head and white belly, perches in a thicket of brambly branches.

A new study with zebra finches (one shown) reveals how pervasively harmful noise pollution can be.

Chris Tzaros

By Jonathan Lambert

The raucous din of modern life can seriously mess with animals (SN: 2/9/15). Traffic noise can drown out mating calls, spike stress hormones and even increase mortality. Now, new research suggests some critters can be harmed by this noise even before they can hear it.

Zebra finch eggs and nestlings exposed to everyday traffic noise experience significant, lifelong reductions in health and reproduction, researchers report in the April 26 Science.