Sleepy birds, quiet dawns

by Halimat Olunlade, Social Media Manager

Photo credit: Tom Fisk

A good night’s sleep is essential for our daily functioning. Without adequate rest, many of us struggle to maintain our energy, focus, ability to communicate and even our mental health. In our increasingly noisy world, disturbances to sleep can significantly impact how we live, learn, work or play. In a new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, researchers have found that these effects are also true for songbirds.

Due to rapid urbanization, our world is becoming brighter and noisier, even in the most remote areas. The study, which was conducted on common myna birds, found that songbirds sleeping in these noisy and brightly-lit environments sang less and rested more throughout the day, compromising effective communication in favor of extra sleep.

Communication through song is essential for these birds, as they rely on these often complex vocalizations to attract mates, signal danger, find food and maintain social bonds. This singing impacts various aspects of a songbird’s survival, including reproduction, feeding and the ability to find and protect their territory. Creating these songs requires coordination among the brain, lungs and throat muscles — all of which need sufficient rest to function properly.

Interestingly, the study also discovered that sleep-deprived birds sang longer, lower-frequency songs. Since singing is crucial for recognition and communication, this change can significantly affect the community dynamics of this highly social bird species. These short-term effects could lead to substantial long-term impacts, especially as our world continues to grow louder and brighter.

Although this study only observed these effects after one night of disturbed sleep, we can imagine the compounded ecological effects of ongoing sleep deprivation on these birds and their ecosystems year-round.

But just like for humans, there are solutions to these problems. For the well-being of songbirds and humans alike, cities can limit light and noise pollution by prioritizing noise-absorbing green spaces. These spaces not only help to minimize noise pollution but also provide essential nesting habitats for birds whose homes are being encroached upon by urban development.

To achieve quieter streets, cities could implement restrictions on modified mufflers and limit the unnecessary use of loud items, such as fireworks, by collaborating with local law enforcement to enforce these regulations. Additionally, dimming and restricting unnecessary lighting at night can contribute to a more peaceful environment for all.