Loud Man-Made Noises, Climate Change Can Lead to Health Decline of West Australia, Magpie, Study Warns

The rising effects of climate change and loud man-made noises can potentially threaten the species of West Australian magpie. The combined impact of two threats can cause unsuccessful reproduction and unhealthy conditions.

The population of magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis), a territorial bird, is considered one of the most unique songbirds in Australia and can be recognizable by their black-and-white appearance. Magpie feeding and diet are insects and larvae.

Human disturbance poses a significant threat to many species, including magpies. Loud noises can potentially disrupt species populations and habitats. In addition, climate change is another threat to their numbers due to rising temperatures and changing weather conditions.

As a result, researchers from the University of Western California raised concerns about the double impacts of human disturbance and climate change. Understanding the possible threats is essential for conservation and protection efforts amidst the problems of climate change.

Loud Man-Made Noises, Climate Change Threats to Magpies in Australia

The research report was published in Animal Behavior. Researchers studied the multiple anthropogenic stressors that can impact the magpies' forage and population, raising concerns about the effects of anthropogenic noise and heat stress on their species.

The study highlighted that the impacts of said stressors are not widely studied, particularly in urban areas. The findings can help understand the additive impact of stressors on the bird's behavior and foraging.

"Our results revealed that both heat stress and human-induced noise independently reduced the time magpies spent looking for food and increased the time they spent watching out for danger, which is consistent with previous findings," Grace Blackburn, the study's lead author, said in a report by the University of Western Australia.

To know better, the study brought the birds into playback recordings, exposing them to sounds and airplane noise. Researchers discovered that the two stressors can reduce the food foraging of magpies and increase their vigilance around them.

"We found that under these circumstances, larger groups become more vigilant and spend less time foraging, which suggests that multiple human-made stressors can also alter the benefits of group living for magpies, which is concerning," Blackburn, who is also a Ph.D. candidate from UWA's School of Biological Sciences, said, as quoted in the same report.

When magpies invest less time in searching for food, they can likely suffer from starvation or a lack of important nutrition.

The researchers aim for future studies to focus on multiple stressors that impact different species in the wild.

Rising Temperatures Impact on Wildlife

In recent NWN reports, rising temperatures can affect many species in the animal kingdom. Frequent shifts in temperatures can alter animals' habitats, making it more challenging for them to survive.

When drought and wildfires become frequent, it can cause the emergence of invasive species, threatening the food security of humans and native species.

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