Bioacoustics: Symphony of the Species
Biophony offers a deep insight into the health, diversity and potential conservation of ecosystems.
One morning in 2020, I became convinced that the usual chorus of birdsong in my garden was getting louder. It was April — the first real taste of COVID lockdown — and I, like many others, was witnessing the quickening new life of spring with an added layer of awestruck appreciation. Though the fabric of daily life unraveled before us, it seemed as though nature sang out louder than ever.
Several months and an internet search later, I realized my mistake: the symphony of birdsong outside my window was not any louder, but a sudden lull in human sound had created space to listen.
I wasn’t alone in this experience. All around the world, people reported an increase in bird chatter during the pandemic. With fewer airplanes roaring overhead, less traffic on the roads and diminished human noise, the usually-muffled sounds of nature rang out clear and uninterrupted.
As the ordinary hum of human activity came to a halt, scientists studying animal vocalizations found themselves faced with a unique opportunity to listen. Research in bioacoustics, or soundscape ecology, flourished, giving the field a long-deserved moment in the public spotlight.
