Birds produce a wide range of sounds and songs, but how loud are they in terms of decibels? Let’s take a closer look at some key facts and figures to understand the volume levels of different bird vocalizations.
What is a decibel?
First, it’s important to understand what a decibel (dB) is. A decibel is a unit used to measure the intensity or loudness of a sound. The decibel scale is logarithmic, meaning that an increase of 10 dB corresponds to a sound that is 10 times more intense or louder.
Some key points about the decibel scale:
- 0 dB is the threshold of human hearing. Most young, healthy humans can hear sounds as quiet as 0 dB.
- 10 dB is 10 times more intense than 0 dB. 20 dB is 100 times more intense. 30 dB is 1,000 times more intense. And so on.
- 120-140 dB is the threshold of pain. Sounds above 130 dB can cause immediate harm to hearing.
Decibels are used to measure many everyday sounds. As a point of reference, here are the approximate decibel levels of some common sounds:
Sound | Decibel Level (dB) |
---|---|
Leaves rustling | 10 |
Whisper | 20 |
Normal conversation | 60 |
Motorcycle | 100 |
Live rock music | 110 |
How loud are bird songs and calls?
Bird vocalizations span a wide range of decibel levels. Some of the softer bird sounds, like the coos of doves or owls hooting, can be as quiet as 30-40 dB. Louder bird calls like a crow’s caw can reach 80 dB. And the songs of some of the loudest birds can exceed 100 dB!
Here are some approximate decibel levels for common bird vocalizations:
Bird Vocalization | Decibel Level (dB) |
---|---|
Owl hooting | 30-40 |
Dove cooing | 40-50 |
Sparrow chirping | 60-70 |
Crow caw | 80-90 |
Goose honking | 80-100 |
Peacock call | 100-105 |
As you can see, most common backyard birds tend to vocalize at 60-90 dB, similar to the volume of human conversation. But some of the loudest bird species can produce calls well over 100 dB.
The loudest bird songs
Some record holders for the loudest bird calls and songs include:
- Greater Sage-Grouse – Their popping and popping display calls can reach 90-100 dB.
- European Robin – One of the loudest songbirds, its song can reach 83-104 dB.
- Mallard Duck – The male’s “rah-bok” and other calls can reach 90-105 dB.
- White Bellbird – This Amazon species’ song reaches 125 dB, one of the loudest bird songs ever recorded.
- Screaming Piha – This rainforest bird’s call exceeds 120 dB.
In terms of the loudest ever recorded, a White Bellbird and a Screaming Piha in the Amazon rainforest both had songs measured at around 125-132 dB, as loud as a rock concert!
Why do some birds sing so loudly?
Birds have evolved to sing loudly for several important reasons:
- Attracting mates – Louder songs travel farther, allowing birds to communicate over longer distances to attract mates.
- Repelling rivals – Loud songs also mark a bird’s territory and repel competing males.
- Piercing forest noise – In dense rainforest habitats, loud songs allow communication over the ambient noise.
- Courtship displays – Some loud calls are used in intricate courtship dances to impress potential mates.
The functions of long-distance communication, establishing territory, and courtship displays have driven intense sexual selection for increasingly loud and complex bird songs over evolutionary time.
Possible health impacts
Extremely loud bird vocalizations at close range do have the potential to cause temporary or permanent hearing damage to humans. Sounds above 85 dB can harm hearing over prolonged exposure, and loud bursts 120-130 dB can instantly damage ears.
However, these impacts require very close proximity over time. Most backyard bird watching and casual exposure to bird song poses minimal risk to hearing.
Measuring bird song volumes
Researchers use sound level meters and other noise dosimeters to precisely measure decibel levels of bird vocalizations in the field. Specialized equipment can record data like:
- Peak sound pressure level – The maximum volume in dB
- Sound exposure level – The overall noise dose over time
- Frequency range – The pitch range of sounds
Technologies like directed microphones also allow researchers to isolate and record individual bird songs from near and far distances.
The equipment produces data like this table showing precise details from a study of Bellbird songs:
Individual | Peak Level (dB) | Frequency (Hz) | Duration (s) |
---|---|---|---|
Bellbird 1 | 116 | 390 | 0.35 |
Bellbird 2 | 122 | 390 | 0.42 |
Bellbird 3 | 120 | 390 | 0.37 |
This quantifiable data allows detailed analysis of the sound properties and patterns of bird songs.
Conclusion
Most backyard birds sing at 60-90 decibels, similar in volume to human conversation. But some remarkable species can produce songs reaching 120-130 dB, as loud as a rock concert and among the loudest animal vocalizations on Earth. Advanced sound equipment allows researchers to precisely measure the impressive volumes of songs used by birds to communicate over long distances and attract mates.