Bird population declines and species turnover are changing the acoustic properties of spring soundscapes

C. A. Morrison, A. Auniņš, Z. Benkő, L. Brotons, T. Chodkiewicz, P. Chylarecki, V. Escandell, D. P. Eskildsen, A. Gamero, S. Herrando, F. Jiguet, J. A. Kålås, J. Kamp, A. Klvaňová, P. Kmecl, A. Lehikoinen, Å. Lindström, C. Moshøj, D. G. Noble, I. J. Øien, J-Y. Paquet, J. Reif, T. Sattler, B. S. Seaman, N. Teufelbauer, Stefan Trautmann, C. A. M. Turnhout, P. Vořišek and S. J. Butler ()
Additional contact information
C. A. Morrison: University of East Anglia
A. Auniņš: University of Latvia
Z. Benkő: Romanian Ornithological Society/BirdLife Romania
L. Brotons: InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF)
T. Chodkiewicz: Polish Academy of Sciences
P. Chylarecki: Polish Academy of Sciences
V. Escandell: Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/BirdLife)
D. P. Eskildsen: Dansk Ornitologisk Forening, BirdLife Denmark
A. Gamero: European Bird Census Council-Czech Society for Ornithology
S. Herrando: CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès
F. Jiguet: Centre d’Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, UMR7204 MNHN-CNRS-SU
J. A. Kålås: Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
J. Kamp: University of Göttingen, Department of Conservation Science
A. Klvaňová: European Bird Census Council-Czech Society for Ornithology
P. Kmecl: DOPPS - BirdLife Slovenia
A. Lehikoinen: Finnish Museum of Natural History, FI-00014 University of Helsinki
Å. Lindström: Lund University
C. Moshøj: Dansk Ornitologisk Forening, BirdLife Denmark
D. G. Noble: The Nunnery
I. J. Øien: NOF-BirdLife Norway
J-Y. Paquet: Natagora, Département Études
J. Reif: Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague
T. Sattler: Swiss Ornithological Institute
B. S. Seaman: BirdLife Österreich
N. Teufelbauer: BirdLife Österreich
C. A. M. Turnhout: Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology
P. Vořišek: European Bird Census Council-Czech Society for Ornithology
S. J. Butler: University of East Anglia

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Natural sounds, and bird song in particular, play a key role in building and maintaining our connection with nature, but widespread declines in bird populations mean that the acoustic properties of natural soundscapes may be changing. Using data-driven reconstructions of soundscapes in lieu of historical recordings, here we quantify changes in soundscape characteristics at more than 200,000 sites across North America and Europe. We integrate citizen science bird monitoring data with recordings of individual species to reveal a pervasive loss of acoustic diversity and intensity of soundscapes across both continents over the past 25 years, driven by changes in species richness and abundance. These results suggest that one of the fundamental pathways through which humans engage with nature is in chronic decline, with potentially widespread implications for human health and well-being.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26488-1

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