White Bellbird (Procnias albus): The white bellbird holds the record for the loudest bird call, reaching an ear-splitting 125 decibels—louder than a chainsaw. Found in the Amazon, males produce a sharp, metallic "bonk" to attract females. The sound is so intense it may be painful to nearby listeners, including researchers. Its vocal anatomy includes specialized muscles and a large syrinx. The call is brief but powerful, designed to carry through dense forest. Females approach despite the volume, suggesting the loudness signals male fitness. This extreme vocalization represents a trade-off between attraction and hearing risk, highlighting the evolutionary drive for acoustic dominance in competitive mating environments.
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