The researchers took into account the conduct of tit (Parus major) in the vicinity of the airport Madrid Barajas Adolfo Suárez where cameras were installed in troughs exposed to aircraft noise.

On alert

The results of the study, which has helped the Research Group on Instrumentation and Applied Acoustics at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, showed that these birds prolonged state of vigilance against excessive noise at the expense of their power .

This behavior shows that noise pollution directly interferes with animal communication, which in the case of birdscome even to reduce their singing and the sounds emitted by chickens to call their parents in demand for food.

According to Diego Gil, a researcher MNCN, “when there is a lot of noise the utility of the acoustic channel is reduced, reducing the ability to detect potential predators and communicate, it is as if the birds to stay temporarily deaf.”

And that hearing loss is compensated chickadees with an attitude of alert. “With this research we have seen how time visual monitoring of common chickadees fires when the planes take off while feeding activity is relegated” to the background.

Adaptability

Thus, he added, “our study shows how organisms can relax their behavior to adapt to new situations and habitats imposed by man” and are able to respond to adverse conditions such as climate change.

Diego Gil has clarified, however, that it is too early to know how these changes in behavior can affect birds to tackling the risk of predation and changes in their food .