Field Course in Behaviour and Ecology Project Report

2014

The Effect of Anthropogenic Noise Pollution on the Territorial
Song Frequency of the Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
7650507



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Abstract
Recent research indicates that high levels of anthropogenic noise pollution have a significant
impact on the way birds communicate. Low-frequency noise produced by human settlements
masks bird song, which can impair reproduction and courtship between conspecifics. Some
birds have overcome this by altering their song to have a higher minimum frequency, so that
they become distinguishable among the noise. In this report, I observe the effects of moderate
noise pollution on the Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) in order to see if lower thresholds of
background noise still elicit this vocally plastic behavior. I recorded 5 individuals in 3 locations of
differing noise pollution levels, comparing their average minimum frequency. Average maximum
frequency was also taken into account. Overall, the results were consistent with relevant
literature, with blackcaps near a busy town having significantly higher minimum frequencies
than those who lived in more rural locations (p=0.0054). Further experimentation is needed to
isolate anthropogenic noise pollution as the sole cause.

Introduction

Recent research indicates that high levels of anthropogenic noise pollution have a
significant impact on the way birds communicate. Elevated levels of low-frequency noise are a
trademark of human settlements (Katti and Warren, 2004). These low frequencies can mask
communication between conspecific birds, handicapping an important element of sexual
selection (Des Aunay et al., 2014). Some species of bird have been able to adapt to these
conditions with vocal plasticity, singing songs that are less complex, higher frequency, and/or
louder in the presence of background noise (Cardoso & Atwell, 2011). This has been exhibited
in robins, great tits, house finches, and other small songbirds (Dowling, 2012, Huffield et al.
2013, Bermudez-Cuamatzin et al., 2014). Most often observed is a reactionary increase in
minimum frequency when exposed to low-frequency noise pollution, proving that the behavior is
a short-term acoustic adaptation (Bermudez-Cuamatzin et al., 2011). Not all birds are capable
of this plasticity however, particularly large birds, which renders otherwise suitable areas
uninhabitable thus decreasing abundance and diversity of selected species in noisy areas
(Proppe et al., 2013, Francis & Clinton, 2011). With a projected human population of 9.6 billion
by 2050 (UN report, 2013) anthropogenic noise pollution is only going to increase, and so it is
vital that we understand its relationship with wildlife in order to preserve biodiversity.
While extensive research has been done to test the effects of urban noise levels on
birds, little has been done on populations which inhabit areas of moderate to low noise pollution,
as is present in the small towns and settlements of the Italian Alps. Passo Pura, located on the
southeast edge of the Alps, is a quiet area punctuated with bouts of noise from cars and
motorcycles. Eurasian blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) are very common throughout the area,
males producing a distinct territorial song. I was interested in exploring the effects of moderate
noise pollution on the song of these birds to determine whether vocal plasticity is selected for in
the early stages of urbanization- that is, the increase of minimum frequency in response to
urban noise as mentioned earlier. The nearest permanent human settlement is the town of
Ampezzo, which has a sawmill creating a constant source of noise in addition to passing cars
and agricultural machinery. Birds were recorded in Ampezzo as well as further up the mountain
at the Rifugio Tita Piaz, an area of minimal noise pollution beyond the occasional passing
vehicle. The minimum and maximum frequencies of the male territorial song could then be
compared to assess any differences.
I hypothesized that blackcaps close to Ampezzo would have a higher minimum frequency than
birds in more rural areas up the mountain.
Methods
At dawn (5 AM to 6:30 AM Central European Time) I recorded 5 individual birds of the
same species (the eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla) in 3 locations over a period of 4 days.
The locations included the Rifugio Tita Piaz in Passo Pura, the nearby town of Ampezzo, and a
path in the forest a mile from the Rifugio. The forest represented a rural area, whilst the Rifugio
represented an isolated area of minimal anthropogenic noise pollution. Ampezzo represented
an area of moderate to high noise pollution.
In order to get better recordings from birds which were perched in trees, I created a makeshift
amplification cone for the microphone. I taped the microphone to the end of a long stick so that
it could be as high up as possible. (Fig 1)


Figure 1: Microphone setup. Left shows the makeshift cone, constructed from plastic bottle and stabilized
with kitchen towel. Tape was then wrapped around the stem to fix it to the microphone. Right shows the
microphone taped to the large stick which will be used as an arm extension.








I generated a spectrogram of each birds song using Bat Scan 9 and noted the lowest and
highest frequency reached during the territorial defense song. (Fig 2)


I used a one-way ANOVA to analyze the average maximum frequencies of each location to see
if there was a significant difference between the groups. I also used a one-way ANOVA to
analyze the average minimum frequencies in the same way.
If my one-way ANOVA results were significant, I analyzed the data further using a pairwise t-test
to compare each location.

Figure 2: A spectrogram of the Eurasian blackcaps territorial defense song. Frequency is measured along the Y axis
and time is represented on the X axis. The composition remains generally the same in all species within the areas of
testing. Measurements were taken where the spectrogram spikes in three rhythmic das, denoted by the red square.
The blue rectangle shows where the song begins and ends.

Results
The difference between the maximum
frequencies of the territorial calls showed a
slight upwards trend (Fig 3a). The minimum
frequencies had a strong, significant difference
from each other (Fig 3b).
To further explore the differences between the
average minimum frequencies I used a pairwise
t-test to compare the means of each location.
The greatest difference was between the
Rifugio and Ampezzo, Ampezzo having
significantlly higher minimum frequencies (p=
0.0054). The difference between Ampezzo and
the forest birds was also statistically significant
(p= 0.044), Ampezzo again having higher
minimum frequencies. Unexpectedly, the
difference between the forest blackcaps and
the Rifugio was stronger than that between
Ampezzo and the forest (p= 0.031). The forest
location showed higher minimum frequencies than the Rifugio.

Discussion
Moderate anthropogenic noise pollution may have an effect of the minimum frequency of
territorial songs of the Eurasian blackcap, however more controlled research is necessary to
isolate it as the sole cause.
My results were consistent with the findings of similar studies done in urban areas, which
could have important implications for bird populations in the future as noise pollution becomes
Figure 3: (a) A scatterplot of the average maximum frequency for
individual birds in the 3 locations. A one-way ANOVA showed
significant difference (p= 0.068) (b) A scatterplot of the average
minimum frequency for individual birds in the 3 locations. A one-
way ANOVA showed a strongly significant difference (p= 0.003).
(a)
(b)
more prevalent. An interesting point to note is the elevated minimum frequency in the forest
blackcaps compared to the Rifugio. A possible explanation could be that lower frequency calls
make blackcaps more conspicuous to predators, as high-pitched calls are more difficult to locate
(Dooling, 2000). In the forest there is likely a higher population of predators, which would make
a higher frequency call advantageous; a lightly settled area with humans may create a pocket of
low predation (assuming predators are deterred by human presence). This could explain why
the birds by the Rifugio Tita Piaz had a lower frequency call than those in the forest who may be
at greater risk of predation.
Bird density and species composition may be another factor to consider, as higher bird
density would create noise with which to compete, potentially influencing song frequency. If the
avian population down in Ampezzo consisted of more species with a lower average minimum
frequency than blackcaps, this could explain a shift to a higher frequency in order to be heard
among these birds. By contrast, if the bird population higher up the mountain consists of small
songbirds with high-pitched songs, this would allow the blackcap to maintain a lower-frequency
song. By performing abundance and diversity surveys prior to recording this could be taken into
account. Personal observation at all three sites led me to believe that there were indeed
different compositions of species in Ampezzo compared to the Rifugio and the forest, who
shared a fairly similar composition.
Observing birds in their natural habitat likely provides results closest to natural
behaviour, but caged/capture experiments could be useful in order to prevent recording the
same bird more than once. It would also create an environment in which noise pollution as a
cause could be isolated, particularly if bird calls with differing levels of background noise could
be played to the subjects. This would be the most efficient way of measuring the plasticity of the
behavior, as they would reply with higher minimum frequencies to louder calls if they possess
the plasticity character.
Further experimentation would benefit from high quality recording equipment. If
background noise levels could be quantified rather than estimated based on human population
this could give useful insight to the threshold of noise pollution which triggers selection for vocal
plasticity. I would recommend additional research into other species, such as the great tit (Parus
major), who have been proven to alter song frequency in response to urban noise pollution, but
to observe them in quieter suburban environments to see if a similar behavior is displayed. It
would also be useful to compare song complexity, length, and volume as these are factors
which have also been shown to change with relevance to noise pollution levels.


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