Elizabeth Derryberry, associate professor in the UT Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, will present “Songbirds Changed Their Tune During the Pandemic,” Friday, March 12.

When pandemic lockdowns were instituted, human activities ceased in an unprecedented way. Traffic sound in the San Francisco Bay Area of California reduced to levels not seen for half a century, which led to a shift in song frequency in white-crowned sparrows. In her presentation, Professor Derryberry will discuss the reasons behind why the shift was notable and how the new “quiet” allowed the birds to quickly fill the most effective song space.