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Galápagos Yellow Warblers Living Near Traffic Noise Act More Aggressively, Study Finds

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27 Mar, 2025

This post was originally published on Eco Watch

New research has found that the persistent sound of traffic can aggravate Galápagos yellow warblers and cause them to change their behavior, possibly because they realize their songs may be being drowned out by the noise.

The study was led by experts from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and University of Vienna’s Konrad Lorenz Research Centre.

The Galápagos Islands lie more than 500 miles off Ecuador’s coastline and are seen as a “living laboratory” because of the many unique, endemic species who call the archipelago home, a press release from ARU said.

Galápagos yellow warblers are genetically distinct from yellow warblers in the Americas and are classified as a subspecies.

The researchers found that Galápagos yellow warblers living near busy roads behaved more aggressively when recordings of another bird were played alongside traffic sounds. They said this could be due to the birds realizing that their songs, which are effectively warnings to intruders encroaching on their territory, could be being masked by the din of cars and trucks.

“Communication usually is in lieu of physical aggression but, if the communication is not possible because of noise, then they might actually engage in risky behaviours that would lead to a physical fight,” said co-author of the findings Dr. Çağlar Akçay, a behavioral ecologist at ARU, as The Guardian reported.

Since Charles Darwin first visited the Galápagos in 1835, there has been a significant rise in the number of humans living on the islands. The permanent population is growing by more than six percent a year, which means more vehicles on the roads.

“The Galapagos Islands are famous for plant and animal life which has been there for thousands of years before human beings appeared on the islands. As the population of the Islands grow[s], it is important to monitor the impact of the human population on the environment,” according to Galápagos Conservation Trust.

A Galápagos yellow warbler. Alper Yelimlies

The research team played birdsong accompanied by traffic noise from a speaker at 38 locations on the islands of Santa Cruz and Floreana. Twenty of the sites were within approximately 164 feet of the closest road, while 18 were more than 328 feet away.

The team measured the warblers’ songs, as well as aggressive, physical behaviors like coming close to the speaker and flying repeatedly over it.

The researchers observed that the warblers who lived in roadside territories displayed increased aggression, while those living farther away from roads showed less aggression in comparison to trials without noise.

“Birds use song during territorial defence as an aggressive signal. However, if external noise such as traffic interferes with the signalling, effectively blocking this communication channel, increasing physical aggression would be an appropriate response,” Akçay said in the press release.

The “roadside effect” was even apparent on Floreana Island, where there were only around 10 vehicles, suggesting minimal traffic can also impact the noise responses of Galápagos yellow warblers.

“Our results show that the change in aggressive responses in yellow warblers occurred mainly near roads. Birds occupying roadside territories on both islands, and therefore having regular experience of traffic noise, may have learned to increase physical aggression when the territorial intrusion was accompanied by traffic noise,” Akçay said.

During the noise experiments, Galápagos yellow warblers increased their songs’ minimum frequencies regardless of how close their territory was to the road, which helped cut down on the overlap between their songs and the low-frequency traffic noise. Warblers on Santa Cruz, a more populated island, extended the length of their songs when confronted with traffic noise.

“We also found some evidence of birds trying to cope with noise by adjusting their song, with yellow warblers in all habitats increasing the minimum frequency of their songs to help them be heard above the traffic noise,” Akçay added.

The findings support the theory that an individual bird’s experience with noise, or long-term selection in response to noise, allows birds to adapt and adjust aspects of their songs.

“Our study shows the importance of considering behavioural plasticity in conservation efforts and developing strategies to mitigate the effects of noise pollution on wildlife. It also highlights the significant impact of human activities on wildlife behaviour, even in relatively remote locations such as the Galápagos Islands,” Akçay said.

The study, “Galápagos yellow warblers differ in behavioural plasticity in response to traffic noise depending on proximity to road,” was published in the journal Animal Behaviour.

The post Galápagos Yellow Warblers Living Near Traffic Noise Act More Aggressively, Study Finds appeared first on EcoWatch.

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Urban 'placemaking' focus for $85m recreation centre

Urban 'placemaking' focus for $85m recreation centre

Sydney developer Billbergia Group has announced the Rhodes Recreation Centre — an $85 million, 9200 m2 multi-purpose community hub in Sydney’s Inner West.

Located at 6 Gauthorpe St and designed by architectural firm SJB, the recreation centre is in a three-level podium building beneath two high-rise residential towers — the 48-level Peake and 43-level Oasis. Together, they form stage two of the developer’s Rhodes Central Masterplan — a $3 billion, three-stage town centre project.

The Rhodes Recreation Centre was delivered under a $97 million Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) between the developer and City of Canada Bay Council. It will be handed over to council next month and is set to open later this year. Once complete, the masterplan will have delivered 25,000 m2 of dedicated public amenity, including retail, community facilities and open space.

With the NSW Government’s housing reforms set to address the housing shortage, the recreation centre will reflect the importance of ‘placemaking’ — a collaborative approach to designing and managing public spaces that enhances community wellbeing and fosters connections between people and their environment — in planning new urban communities.

It also presents a pathway for public and private sectors to collaborate and create social infrastructure while increasing housing supply in fast-growing suburbs.

The recreation centre is set to add vibrancy and pedestrian activity to the local streetscape, providing a diverse range of facilities that enhance the livability of the evolving suburb. These community amenities include two full-sized indoor sports courts, a gymnastics centre, a 70-place childcare centre, a community lounge, allied health services, and bookable spaces for local groups and events. It also provides a gym with cardio equipment, weights, group fitness rooms, a creche and an outdoor terrace, alongside a range of sustainability features.

Facilities at the Rhodes Recreation Centre. Images supplied.

“Rhodes Recreation Centre is the community heart of our high-density TOD development, bringing to life Billbergia’s vision for a future-focused, livable urban environment that prioritises amenity, not just density,” said Saul Moran, Development Director – Planning and Design at Billbergia.

The amenities within the two residential towers include a swimming pool, spa, sauna, children’s play area, library and theatre rooms. Pedestrian connections and through-site links provide access to Rhodes railway station and the Homebush Bay waterfront.

“The Rhodes Recreation Centre stands as a benchmark in successful public–private collaboration. Through a VPA with Canada Bay Council, we’ve created a pathway to unlock additional housing supply while delivering significant, lasting community infrastructure. It’s a clear demonstration of how thoughtful public and private partnerships can shape vibrant, livable neighbourhoods,” Moran said.

Located adjacent to Rhodes railway station, stage one of Billbergia’s Rhodes Central Masterplan was completed in 2021 and included the 13,000 m2 Rhodes Central Shopping Centre, with convenience retail, a Woolworths supermarket, medical facilities and the Bamboo Lane dining precinct.

Other previous projects include the 1.2 ha Phoenix Park in Rhodes, the $63 million Bennelong Bridge, the popular Baylink Shuttle service, the 3500 m2 Wentworth Point Community Centre and Library, and the Wentworth Point Pop-Up Town Square.

Billbergia’s ongoing focus on placemaking and social infrastructure also includes the $8.4 million delivery of a library at its mixed-tenure development, Arncliffe Central, in Sydney’s south. There is the potential for 75% of Arncliffe Central’s dwellings to be dedicated to social, affordable and essential worker rental housing, along with 3400 m2 allocated to childcare, convenience retail and cafes, and a 4000 m2 park with play space for both residents and the broader community.

Top image caption: The Rhodes Recreation Centre location with two planned residential towers, Peake and Oasis. Image supplied.

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