Noise pollution from traffic stunts growth in baby birds, even while inside the egg, research has found.
Unhatched birds and hatchlings that are exposed to noise from city traffic experience long-term negative effects on their health, growth and reproduction, the study found.
A growing body of research has suggested that noise pollution causes stress to birds and makes communication harder for them.
The birds disturbed by noise during the early stages of their lives produced fewer than half as many offspring as their counterparts.