Birdsong and Victoria’s city soundscape
In the last year, I’ve gotten really into birding, and I’m not the only one. Beyond just looking at and identifying birds, I’ve come to enjoy learning about bird-related issues. On that note, here are two recent(ish) articles about local Victoria bird news.
Monique Keiran: Songbirds trying to be heard over traffic again, after last spring’s quiet
People love bird song. Increasing city noise means birds need to shout to communicate during this year’s breeding season. This difference is mostly only notable compared to last year’s stillness, when increasing numbers of city dweller began to notice and appreciate their winged neighbours.
Condo resident wants change as the ‘Bayview Squawker’ goes all day long
People do not love fake bird sounds. Or at least not 24/7. Incessant artificial bird sounds leads to condo residents to launch ‘Stop the Squawk’ campaign. The sound consists of a bird of prey’s call, followed by the sound of a small bird in distress. It plays once per minute.
The irony: there is a real peregrine falcon pair living on the building’s exterior, keeping seagulls mostly at bay.
