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Can birds outsing traffic? Some are trying
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Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Open Navigation Menu --> Newsletters NPR Shop Close Navigation Menu Home News Expand/collapse submenu for News National World Politics Business Health Science Climate Race Culture Expand/collapse submenu for Culture Books Movies Television Pop Culture Food Art & Design Performing Arts Life Kit Gaming Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions Podcasts & Shows Expand/collapse submenu for Podcasts & Shows Daily Morning Edition Weekend Edition Saturday Weekend Edition Sunday All Things Considered Up First Here & Now NPR Politics Podcast Featured Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Planet Money Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics Can birds outsing traffic? Some are trying New research from scientists at the Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary finds that some birds living in cities are changing their songs to compete with traffic and other urban noise. Environment Story Of The Day NPR hide caption toggle caption NPR Environment LISTEN & FOLLOW RSS link Sign up for the [TITLE] Newsletter Get perks with [Podcast Title]+ Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed. LEARN MORE --> Environment Can birds outsing traffic? Some are trying June 7, 20264:53 PM ET Heard on All Things Considered By Adrian Florido , Henry Larson , Daniel Ofman Can birds outsing traffic? Some are trying Listen · 1:55 1:55 Transcript Toggle more options Download Embed Embed "> <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5828822/nx-s1-9800626" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript New research from scientists at the Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary finds that some birds living in cities are changing their songs to compete with traffic and other urban noise. Sponsor Message
ADRIAN FLORIDO, HOST:
Take a listen to this robin.
(SOUNDBITE OF ROBIN TWEETING)
FLORIDO: Does it sound a little weird to you?
(SOUNDBITE OF ROBIN TWEETING)
FLORIDO: No? Well, what about compared to this robin?
(SOUNDBITE OF ROBIN TWEETING)
FLORIDO: These are two different robins - the first in a city, the second out in nature. New research shows that some city birds are actually changing their songs.
MONIKA JABLONSZKY: Animals have to adapt to be able to live in cities.
FLORIDO: This is Monika Jablonszky from the Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary.
JABLONSZKY: It always starts with the simple sax and that (imitating rhythm).
FLORIDO: She's been studying how and why these city dwellers are changing their songs.
JABLONSZKY: The traffic noise is the most common. Not only the noise, but other urban phenomenon also influence songs, like the different physical structure of the environment because of the buildings.
FLORIDO: Birds sing as part of the mating process or to mark territory. But what good does it do if your fellow avians can't hear you over the ruckus of the city?
JABLONSZKY: So the birds try to sing higher.
FLORIDO: They try to sing higher. Some birds change the frequency of their songs, others change individual notes.
(SOUNDBITE OF BIRD TWEETING)
FLORIDO: But most city birds, Jablonszky says, they actually don't change their songs at all.
JABLONSZKY: And I think it's a good thing because it means that the birds, regardless of their song or the characteristic of their song, are able to live in cities.
FLORIDO: Even so, she thinks it is important to know which birds are forced to adapt. To know how what we build affects the natural world around us, sometimes you just have to stop and listen.
(SOUNDBITE OF BIRDS TWEETING) Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
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