are birds sensitive to sound

Birds’ songs and calls are important for survival. The ear of a bird is very much like that of a mammal’s with two important exceptions. The external ear lacks a pinna (the flesh-covered outer ear) although owls have one, and nstead of three vibration-transmitting bones birds have only one, the columella. When sound waves hit the eardrum they are transmitted to the columella and then the cochlea, the fluid-filled organ that contains hair cell nerve endings. The hair cells move in the cochlear fluid and transmit information to the brain. Unlike us, whose hearing declines with age and exposure to loud noises that cause the death of hair cells, avian hair cells continually regenerate so birds maintain their hearing all of their lives.

The hearing range of most birds varies from 1000-4000 Hz; humans hear between 20-20,000 Hz (Hertz, a measure of frequency). The range differs among bird species. The Horned Lark hears between 350 and 7600 Hz, the Canary from 1100 to 10,000, the House Sparrow from 675 to 11,500 Hz and the Long-eared Owl from 100 to 18,000 Hz. Even though the frequencies at which birds and humans hear best are similar, birds are more sensitive to the tone and rhythm of sound so they can more easily discern sounds even in a noisy environment.

We cannot see the ear opening of birds except for those with unfeathered heads such as vultures and storks. In most birds this hole is covered by feathers that protect the ear from air rushing over it and help to funnel sounds into the ears as the bird flies.

Most birds determine the source of a sound by moving their head, like we do. Watch an American Robin or European Blackbird walking along the ground with its head turned toward the soil; some say that the birds are listening for worms or insects crawling in their burrows or under the litter. In reality they are simply looking for worm castings or other signs of prey. Some woodpeckers, though, have the ability to hear beetle larvae crawling under the bark of a tree.

Nocturnal birds depend more on sound even though their night vision is excellent. Barn Owls have a flattish facial disk that funnels sounds toward the ears and fleshy ears not unlike humans’, but asymmetrical in shape and location – they don’t look exactly alike, and one is higher on the head than the other. Sometimes, when I give a talk on birds I ask for a volunteer in the audience to help explain why owls can locate sounds better than us. I ask the volunteer to close her eyes and tell her I will snap my fingers in front of, over, or behind her head and that it is her job to determine the direction of the sound. Since I snap my fingers in the vertical plane that bisects her head from front to back, the volunteer rarely guesses correctly because the sound hits both ears with the same frequency and volume. (Once I unknowingly chose a blind person, who, as expected, got it right. I will never again assume blind people do not attend illustrated lectures.)

Research to find out how to regenerate human sensory hair cells in our ears is ongoing. Maybe hearing aids will become a thing of the past, thanks to birds.

Research to find out how to regenerate human sensory hair cells in our ears is ongoing. Maybe hearing aids will become a thing of the past, thanks to birds.

Although nocturnal birds have excellent night vision, they rely more on sound. The fleshy ears of barn owls are similar to those of humans, but they are asymmetrical in form and location; one is higher on the head than the other. They have a flattish facial disk that directs sounds toward the ears. Occasionally, during my bird talk, I ask a volunteer from the audience to help me explain why owls are better at locating sounds than humans are. I ask the volunteer to close her eyes, explaining that it is her responsibility to determine the direction of the sound as I snap my fingers in front of, over, or behind her head. The volunteer seldom guesses correctly since I snap my fingers in the vertical plane that splits her head in half from front to back because the sound reaches both ears at the same frequency and loudness. (Once, I unintentionally chose a blind person, and they correctly identified it.) I promise never to assume that people who are blind don’t attend illustrated lectures. ).

With the exception of vultures and storks, which have featherless heads, we are unable to observe the opening of their ears. Most birds have feathers covering this hole to shield the ear from airflow and to aid in funneling sounds into the ears during flight.

Most birds use their heads, just like humans do, to locate the source of a sound. Observe a European Blackbird or American Robin strolling along the ground with its head pointing toward the ground. Some people believe that the birds are listening for worms or insects that are crawling under the litter or into their burrows. Actually, all they’re doing is searching for worm castings or other indications of prey. However, some woodpeckers are able to detect beetle larvae that are burrowing beneath a tree’s bark.

Most birds can hear between 1000 and 4000 Hz, while humans can hear between 20 and 20,000 Hz (Hertz is a unit of measurement for frequency). The range differs among bird species. The hearing range of the Horned Lark is 350–7600 Hz, the Canary is 1100–10,000 Hz, the House Sparrow is 675–11,500 Hz, and the Long-eared Owl is 100–18,000 Hz. Birds can more easily distinguish sounds even in noisy environments because they are more sensitive to the tone and rhythm of sound than humans are, despite the fact that humans and birds have similar hearing frequencies.

I was considering getting a Cockatiel or Budgie, but I realized that noises could make them anxious. Though it can still be a little noisy, I considered putting them in a different room. If I’m serious about getting one, I suppose this is one of the most important things to take into account. Archived post. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast.

Hi, I’m a drummer, and I usually like to have loud speakers for entertainment, similar to those in movie theaters (in fact, I think the drums could be louder than the speakers).

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