It's no denying that building roads causes a decline in bird populations around the world. The question has always been: Is there one reason we can pinpoint? If we could find the main reason causing this, it would be possible for scientists and conservationists to help find an ecosystem that would be beneficial on all aspects, almost like a compromise. Well, this article suggests that researchers at Boise State University may have found the culprit: noise. While "disturbances, collisions, and chemical pollution" are all undoubtedly harmful to birds and other wildlife, the newest studies show that it's in fact that traffic noise that these species cannot coexist with. The study involved the creation of a "phantom road" with speakers, and the results shows that a quarter of the birds in the area declined and avoided the area when the speakers were playing traffic noises.
I found this article so interesting because it shows how much really does go into problem-solviing real world climate issues. We can't just get rid of every road in the world to save as many birds as we can. Instead, scientists were able to isolate the variable that we can change and that can make a difference without altering something entirely. There is always the possibility of finding a compromise, but it does usually take patience and experimentation to figure it out!
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