This is bird note.

Dr. Clinton Francis is a sensory ecologist who studies how noise pollution affects birds,

like this black-headed growth speak.

He says sounds from machines and vehicles can really disrupt bird behavior,

because for most birds, their sense of hearing isn't very good.

Even though birds do rely on acoustics and hearing quite strongly, your typical bird hears about half as well as we do.

Birds rely on their hearing to sense predators and prey and for mating.

They need to hear each other's songs and calls in order

to communicate and find each other. That makes them very sensitive to noise pollution. Clinton says

some species, like the Blackhead of Gross Speak, will just avoid places that get too loud for them.

In our long-term study sites in New Mexico, where we've studied how noise from essentially the energy sector restructures bird communities, we see a loss, a complete loss of about one-third of species in noise-polluted areas.

But Clinton says there are lots of ways to help, from switching to quieter electric vehicles

to using lawn equipment outside of morning hours when birds are singing the most.

Rakes are strongly encouraged.

Or just leave the leaves.

Learn more about what you can do to reduce noise pollution on a Bring Birds Back

podcast. Listen in your favorite podcast app or at birdnote.org. I'm Tasha Lawson.