Himalayan bird changes voice due to human activity
New research shows that the Himalayan monal is altering its pitch and moving higher into the mountains to cope with noise and habitat loss.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Indian researchers published two new studies on human impacts on the Himalayan monal.
- Monal birds are increasing their call pitch to cut through valley noise.
- Infrastructure expansion and tourism are forcing the birds to move higher up.
- Climate change is projected to shrink the bird's suitable habitat through 2100.
Rapidly increasing human activity and tourism across the Himalayan mountain forests are profoundly altering the behavior and survival of a prominent regional bird species. Two separate studies conducted by Indian researchers have shed light on the mounting pressures faced by the Himalayan monal, a pheasant deeply embedded in local culture and folklore.
The eye-catching monal features distinctive green, blue, and copper plumage in males, serving as the state bird of India's Uttarakhand state and the national bird of Nepal. However, expanding infrastructure and heavy urbanisation are increasingly squeezing its natural habitat and disrupting communication among the wildlife.
Led by Dr. Rajeev Lochan, a five-year research effort evaluated the key threats to the bird. The second study, conducted alongside Dinesh Kumar Sharma and Anand Kumar from Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, recorded over 700 monal calls across two valleys in the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary in Uttarakhand—including the busy tourist spot of Chopta and the relatively quiet Madmaheshwar—over a year starting in April 2023.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The findings revealed that birds living in noisy environments consistently produced calls with significantly higher peak frequencies compared to those in quieter habitats, as they adapted to cut through human-generated noise in busy valleys.
This behavioral adaptation, where wildlife alters vocal frequencies to overcome urban noise pollution, serves as a critical indicator of ecosystem stress. When indicator species like the monal struggle to communicate naturally, it signals broader ecological disturbances that likely threaten other sensitive fauna sharing the same fragile mountain landscape.
Alongside acoustic changes, the first study highlights that climate change is projected to continually shrink the monal's habitat through 2100 under IPCC climate scenarios. As snow melts and vegetation shifts upward, the birds are compelled to move higher into alpine meadows while facing human encroachment from below, raising risks of fragmented populations and local extinction.
"These two studies give a useful warning for other more vulnerable species."
Vishal Singh
Source: BBC Science & Environment
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