"She and her colleagues hung speakers near song-sparrow nests and began
broadcasting the sound of hawks, raccoons and other predators.
"The sparrows were so scared they experienced something akin to post-traumatic
stress. They laid fewer eggs and were so flustered many of their chicks starved
to death.
"By the end of the four-month experiment the sparrows had produced 40 per cent
fewer young than normal, demonstrating what scientists say is the very real
impact of fear."
Given how unsuccessful this kind of thing is at keeping birds away from crops,
I wonder if the effect would eventually wear off if they continued the
experiment.
"Clinchy says cats should not be allowed in wildlife areas as previous studies
have shown that feral and domestic cats directly kill 22 per cent of birds in
Victoria parks. He says the fear effect is likely reducing the number by
another 20 per cent."
Does this mean that even if it turns out to be true that someone's moggy
doesn't actually kill anything, they're still have a big impact on local
wildlife?
Peter Shute
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> On Behalf Of
> Ian & Carla Jackett
> Sent: Friday, 9 December 2011 10:53 AM
> To:
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Sound of predators can be just as
> deadly as their claws and fangs
>
> An interesting article on a recent study near Victoria B.C.
>
> Carla Jackett
> Bellawongarah
>
> http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Sound+predators+just+deadly
> +their+claws+f
> angs/5831165/story.html
>
>
>
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