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New Rivals Emerge for World's Loudest Bird Title
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Firstpost•30-09-2026, 12:45
New Rivals Emerge for World's Loudest Bird Title
- •The bare-throated bellbird and red-legged seriema have been measured at over 120 peak decibels, challenging the white bellbird's record.
- •The study, published in the journal Evolution, found the bare-throated bellbird averaged 122.4 decibels, with one individual hitting nearly 131 decibels.
- •Researchers used golf laser rangefinders and industrial sound level meters to accurately measure bird calls in challenging environments.
- •The bare-throated bellbird is found in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, while the red-legged seriema inhabits South American grasslands.
- •The team behind the discovery, including biologist Jeff Podos, emphasizes that the goal is not a "race" for the loudest bird, but a biological inquiry.
Key Questions Answered
The bare-throated bellbird of Brazil's Atlantic Forest and the red-legged seriema of South American grasslands both topped 120 peak decibels, rivaling the white bellbird.
Researchers borrowed laser rangefinders typically used by golfers and paired them with industrial acoustics sound level meters to measure the volume and distance of the birds.
Bigger bodies and wider beaks predicted bird loudness, which aligns with bulkier muscles building more pressure and broad mouths allowing more sound to escape.
