Cardiovascular Collapse in Three-Toed Drongos After Exposure to Atonal Acoustics

The three toed drongo [Drongus bollockus] is a small marsupial widely distributed throughout Oceania. It has adapted well to the gradual invasion of habitat by humans, but a worrisome trend over the past few years is increased mortality due to accidental exposure to music favored by adolescents [audicus horribilus]. We show here that exposure to even relatively low decibel volumes causes a sustained rise in blood pressure and heart rate in these animals.