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Sensory interference shapes habitat suitability for an acoustically specialized predator
Aleena R Habib1,2, Julianna M A Jenkins3, Natalie M Rugg3,4
1Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA. aleenarhabib@gmail.com.
Scientific Reports
|December 4, 2025
Summary
Noise pollution negatively impacts the northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus) by masking important sounds, leading to habitat avoidance. This study shows how soundscapes influence predator distribution and space use in forests.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Bioacoustics
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Ambient soundscapes significantly influence animal perception and interaction with their environment.
- Acoustic masking from noise can impair foraging, reduce fitness, and displace wildlife from habitats.
- The role of soundscape characteristics in structuring animal space use is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how landscape variables and soundscape characteristics affect the spatial distribution of the northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus).
- To determine the impact of noise levels within specific frequency bands on the habitat selection of this nocturnal predator.
Main Methods:
- Utilized passive acoustic recordings across 276 sites in a mixed-use forest landscape in Oregon, USA.
- Assessed the relationship between noise levels in biologically relevant frequency bands and owl landscape use.
- Analyzed the influence of low-frequency sound on acoustic detection probability.
Main Results:
- Northern saw-whet owl landscape use decreased significantly with increasing noise levels in the 1.60–7.10 kHz frequency band, aligning with the owl's peak auditory sensitivity.
- General low-frequency sound (0.25–1.00 kHz) did not predict landscape use but negatively impacted acoustic detection probability.
- Sensory masking by ambient soundscapes was identified as a constraint on the owl's realized acoustic niche.
Conclusions:
- Ambient noise levels, particularly in frequency ranges critical for a species' hearing, can drive avoidance of otherwise suitable habitats.
- The perceptual accessibility of ecological information, influenced by the acoustic environment, is a crucial factor shaping species distributions.
- Spatial ecology studies must incorporate full-spectrum acoustic environments to fully understand species distributions beyond physical habitat factors.
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