Photo © Senzaki et al. 2020

Sensory Pollution Affects Nesting Birds

In a new major study on the effects of noise and light pollution on nesting birds, researchers found a variety of detrimental impacts for reproduction. Data collected by NestWatchers across the country, combined with maps of noise and light pollution, show mixed effects on nesting success, clutch size, hatching failure, and timing of nesting.

In this month’s blog post, we explain some of the key findings of the new study, published in Nature. The results are complicated, and not all species react the same way to anthropogenic disturbances. For instance, birds that nest in the forest react differently to noise than birds that nest in the open. Check out our blog to learn more about this important study, and thank you to every NestWatcher for helping make this massive analysis possible!