Mobiles change birds' song tune
Sunday, June 29, 2008
MANY wild birds are able to imitate the simple ringtones of mobile phones, German ornithologists report, underscoring the influence of humans on the evolution of birds.
These birds can sing up to 78 different phrases, and many of the simplest telephone ringtones coincide with them, ornithologist Matthias Werner, of the government's bird protection agency said.
The common titbird (Parus major) can sing 32 different songs, he said.
According to Werner, birds like the Eurasian jackdaw (Corvus monedula), the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and the Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) — very common in Germany and Central European countries — were put in contact with electronically created sounds as a result of the expansion of urban life, the food opportunities provided by cities, and the fast-paced growth of mobile phone use. Another factor that attracts birds to cities is the expansion of protected green areas in urban perimeters.
Several other ornithologists have reached conclusions similar to Werner's.
It's in the nature of these birds to imitate sounds in their environment that correspond to their own musical capabilities, said Richard Schneider, of the NABU Bird Protection Centre, in the city of Mossingen 600km south of Berlin.
They can imitate those sounds so well that sometimes it is very difficult to hear the difference, he said.
That's how evolution is. There is no predetermined scheme, and the influences of the environment, even if they are artificial, turn out to be considerable, he added.
The song is useful for male birds not only in the search for a female or to mark its territory, but also as a deceptive manoeuvre when faced with potential dangers.
The jay is able to imitate the songs of other birds, sound cries of alarm to warn of danger, or make sounds like cracks or meows. The black starling simulates the sound of brakes, human whistles and even ambulance sirens.
The experts agree that these phenomena do not imply the loss of the species' original songs. Nor is the apparent cacophony dangerous.
The diversity of songs can only be identified by members of each species. Most wild birds are not yet able to repeat the more complex sounds made by the newer mobile phones, or the polyphonic sounds of electronic music.
This adaptation comes as no surprise to biologists or other experts in ecology. No species can survive if it isn't capable of adapting, biologist Matthias Glaubrecht, a professor at Humboldt University in Berlin, said.
Sometimes it is possible for species to adapt to very rapid changes, and in many cases it's evident that human activity speeds up evolution, he said.
Given the risk that birds might forget their original songs as a result of human influence, the tunes have been archived in European and North American universities, allowing the possibility of recovering them — a step backwards, perhaps, in the constant process of adaptation that is evolution.
Because climate change poses a serious threat of extinction for many species, collecting animal sounds is considered a crucial tool for environmental protection. Bio-acoustic signals are specific to each species and these behaviours are lost forever when a species goes extinct.IPS
These birds can sing up to 78 different phrases, and many of the simplest telephone ringtones coincide with them, ornithologist Matthias Werner, of the government's bird protection agency said.
The common titbird (Parus major) can sing 32 different songs, he said.
According to Werner, birds like the Eurasian jackdaw (Corvus monedula), the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and the Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) — very common in Germany and Central European countries — were put in contact with electronically created sounds as a result of the expansion of urban life, the food opportunities provided by cities, and the fast-paced growth of mobile phone use. Another factor that attracts birds to cities is the expansion of protected green areas in urban perimeters.
Several other ornithologists have reached conclusions similar to Werner's.
It's in the nature of these birds to imitate sounds in their environment that correspond to their own musical capabilities, said Richard Schneider, of the NABU Bird Protection Centre, in the city of Mossingen 600km south of Berlin.
They can imitate those sounds so well that sometimes it is very difficult to hear the difference, he said.
That's how evolution is. There is no predetermined scheme, and the influences of the environment, even if they are artificial, turn out to be considerable, he added.
The song is useful for male birds not only in the search for a female or to mark its territory, but also as a deceptive manoeuvre when faced with potential dangers.
The jay is able to imitate the songs of other birds, sound cries of alarm to warn of danger, or make sounds like cracks or meows. The black starling simulates the sound of brakes, human whistles and even ambulance sirens.
The experts agree that these phenomena do not imply the loss of the species' original songs. Nor is the apparent cacophony dangerous.
The diversity of songs can only be identified by members of each species. Most wild birds are not yet able to repeat the more complex sounds made by the newer mobile phones, or the polyphonic sounds of electronic music.
This adaptation comes as no surprise to biologists or other experts in ecology. No species can survive if it isn't capable of adapting, biologist Matthias Glaubrecht, a professor at Humboldt University in Berlin, said.
Sometimes it is possible for species to adapt to very rapid changes, and in many cases it's evident that human activity speeds up evolution, he said.
Given the risk that birds might forget their original songs as a result of human influence, the tunes have been archived in European and North American universities, allowing the possibility of recovering them — a step backwards, perhaps, in the constant process of adaptation that is evolution.
Because climate change poses a serious threat of extinction for many species, collecting animal sounds is considered a crucial tool for environmental protection. Bio-acoustic signals are specific to each species and these behaviours are lost forever when a species goes extinct.IPS
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