From early morning to late at night, the sounds of nature open our auditory senses to our surrounding world filled with other creatures — if we are listening. Distractions can purge our wonderment at learning what animal is communicating in our shared habitat. The deterrents are mostly from our obliviousness to the natural world and the sounds of its non-human inhabitants.
Such vocalizations are no less meaningful to each species than human speech. Drowning out nature’s tonal expressions is the elevated noise of industrialized human existence. It has become increasingly difficult to find silence even outdoors.
Our affluent society excels at emitting noise, lots of noise. It seems we humans are hardwired to not only dominate and control nature and all other living things but to ensure we blanket our surroundings with as many decibels as possible. Bird songs, mating calls of frogs, the soft patter of rainfall and wind brushing tree limbs are all canceled by an armada of noise-makers — air conditioners, trucks, cars, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, weed whackers, airplanes, barking dogs and loud music.
Human noise extends into the great outdoors. And is there any dwelling in America where quiet prevails? TVs are seemingly continuously blaring, music playing, radios blasting, computers and iPads bleeping, phones ringing, microwaves heating and vacuums operating. Even if there is temporary silence, the sounds of nature are unheard as most people keep windows and doors closed 24/7.
The average American spends nearly 90% of their time indoors. No wonder so many people remain unaware of the sound of nature and sadly miss the greatest show on earth awaiting their discovery. One of Carol’s and my most cherished times is sitting on our deck having dinner overlooking Oyster Creek as day turns to night.
Our enjoyment peaks when all artificial sound (noise) is silenced as we are mesmerized in nature’s tranquil bliss. Lightning bugs may flash their miraculous golden lights as night falls and a few bats outfly mosquitoes and other insects providing us air cover. The periodic sounds of gently lapping waves, the occasional high-pitched whistling peeps and shrill calls of ospreys, the jabber of crows, the utterances of gulls and blue jays and the loud staccato squawking of great blue herons enthrall us.
This peaceful reflective time is so remarkably exceptional as it is rare to be surrounded by quietude and nature’s tranquil messaging. We are in awe of birds communicating as we know so little about their utterances. Fascinatingly, scientists have been studying their and other animal communication systems and decoding sophisticated wildlife “languages” unique to each species, from birds to whales.
For example, ospreys have a variety of calls, chirps and whistles used mainly as a means to communicate with a mate or rival ospreys and warn of threats. The majority are motivated by interactions between mated males and females. As the young grow, the parents communicate increasingly with them.
Male and female ospreys have similar vocalisms, except for a few calls that are given by only the female. Most verbalizations are accompanied by visual body postures or displays. It is very difficult to tell our two species of crows apart visually, but their calls distinguish them.
The American crow makes the typical burly, full-throated caw-caw sound, sometimes singular. The fish crow has a short, nasal and quite different-sounding call that sounds similar to someone saying uh-uh or ack-ack. Crows also make a long rumbling gurgling sound.
They have an advanced repertoire of more than 20 phonations still being deciphered by humans. These birds are highly intelligent animals and can use tools. We get excited by the sound or sighting of a bird we cannot identify that baffles us.
Or sometimes it is the sound of another animal. This happens much more often when traveling in other areas and habitats. Animal vocalizations are unique and are routinely used to identify species and even sexes.
Oftentimes when out birdwatching, the best way to locate birds is through their sounds. Frequently, you may hear a bird and not see it. You can birdwatch with an expert bird guide who knows their sounds or use a free app called Merlin Bird ID.
Once downloaded, you can follow the prompts to use the Sound ID, and the app will pick up the sounds of all nearby birds and identify them for you. And then, there is the sound of silence. No, not Simon & Garfunkel’s 1964 “The Sound of Silence,” but the natural world’s.
Have you ever sat in a forest and simply remained silent with no outside noise or distractions? Experiencing the tranquility of nature is a healthy, cleansing experience. I am always hoping to see or hear a special creature that may be nearby. I have done this at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge waiting for a once-endangered Delmarva fox squirrel to show.
You may hear the sound of the wind gently caressing tree branches or a falling acorn or the buzz of a bee. Maybe you will hear an unseeable critter moving in the leaf litter on the ground. Bird song might break the silence momentarily.
If near water, the gentle gurgling of a small creek can provide background for the sound of silence in the forest. Warning: It is not easy to find a place around this area to bathe in the sound of silence — too much development and too many people. But there are still plenty of places where you can escape noise if you can leave all your electronic devices behind.
Nature’s quietness has been replaced with noise pollution, the least studied of pollution sources and the one occurring without much public concern. Noise is one of the most ubiquitous environmental pollutants and is a major public health threat affecting both physical and mental health. Exposure to persistent noise, including from traffic, can cause stress and contribute to cardiovascular ailments, high blood pressure, impacts on the central nervous system, neuro-inflammation, cerebral oxidative stress, damage to immune cells and impaired circadian rhythms.
Direct exposure to loud or persistent noise can also lead to hearing impairment and to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, suicide and behavioral problems, especially in children and adolescents. Environmental noise is also a common cause of sleep disturbance. Exposure to loud noise at school or home may make it challenging for children to learn and they may experience more difficulty with concentration, communication and speech development, cognitive performance and permanent hearing problems.
Mounting medical evidence documents how exposure to nature counters noise pollution and many health problems, reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, mental illness, depression and premature death. Outdoor time for children fosters curiosity and independence, improves their cognition, mood, self-esteem and social skills, and can make them physically healthier and less anxious. We all need to bask in nature and seek the sound of silence while welcoming Mother Nature’s unique embrace.
If you listen carefully, the silence of nature is beautiful, and you can serenade your soul with nature’s harmonies. “God is the friend of silence. See how nature grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence.
We need silence to be able to touch souls.” — Mother Teresa Gerald Winegrad represented the greater Annapolis area as a Democrat in the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate for 16 years. Contact him at gwwabc@comcast.
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