Bellbirds have the loudest bird calls yet documented in the world, according to a study which found that their mating songs pack more decibels than the screams of howler monkeys and the bellows of bisons.
According to the study, published in the journal Current Biology , the male white bellbird’s mating call is about three times louder than screaming phias — the previously loudest bird singer.
The researchers, including those from the University of Massachusetts in the U.S., said that the bellbird’s calls were so loud that they wondered how the females of the species listened to them at close range without permanent damage to their hearing.
“While watching white bellbirds, we were lucky enough to see females join males on their display perches,” said study co-author Jeff Podos of the University of Massachusetts.
