University of Colorado researchers in Boulder have discovered that noise pollution can decrease the diversity of bird species in an area, the Associated Press reports in the Denver Post. The study published online this week in Current Biology looked at birds south of Durango in New Mexico and found noise changed the way species interacted. The study suggests better noise control, such as using quieter road surfaces and sound-reducing walls could help preserve the natural balance of bird communities. In the study, 32 different species nested in quiet areas while 21 nested at noisy sites. A few birds did prefer the noisy sites because it drove their natural predators away.
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