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International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management

A Peer-Reviewed, Open-Access International Journal Supporting Multidisciplinary Research, Digital Publishing Standards, DOI Registration, and Academic Indexing.
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ISSN: 3108-1754 (Online)
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ISO Certification: 9001:2015
Publication Fee: 599/- INR
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License: CC BY 4.0
Peer Review: Double Blind
Volume 02, Issue 10

Published on: October 2026

ACOUSTIC ADAPTATION OF THE ASIAN KOEL (EUDYNAMYS SCOLOPACEUS) TO ANTHROPOGENIC NOISE IN JAMMU, INDIA: A TWO-YEAR PASSIVE ACOUSTIC MONITORING STUDY

Rakesh Verma

J&K Forest Services

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Plagiarism Passed Peer Reviewed Open Access

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Abstract

Anthropogenic noise is an increasingly pervasive pollutant that interferes with avian acoustic communication through acoustic masking. The Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus), a culturally iconic brood-parasitic cuckoo, relies on long-range vocal signals for mate attraction and territory defence. Between April 2024 and April 2026, we  conducted a passive acoustic monitoring study across 1,250 stations in the Jammu region, India, recording 3,450 call events. Generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) revealed that Koels in high-noise habitats called at significantly higher peak frequencies (β = 139.4 Hz, p < .001, Cohen's d = 0.78) and produced longer calls (β = 28.7 ms, p < .001, d = 0.42) compared to low-noise habitats. Call rate declined significantly in noisy areas (β = −0.72 calls/min, p < .001). These findings provide evidence consistent with the acoustic adaptation hypothesis and have significant implications for urban biodiversity conservation in the Western Himalayan region.

Keywords: acoustic masking, Asian Koel, anthropogenic noise, bioacoustics, Lombard effect, passive acoustic monitoring, urban ecology, Jammu, western Himalaya.

How to Cite this Paper

Verma, R. (2026). Acoustic Adaptation of the Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) to Anthropogenic Noise in Jammu, India: A Two-Year Passive Acoustic Monitoring Study. International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, <i>02</i>(10), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i10.051

Verma, Rakesh. "Acoustic Adaptation of the Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) to Anthropogenic Noise in Jammu, India: A Two-Year Passive Acoustic Monitoring Study." International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, vol. 02, no. 10, 2026, pp. 1-9. doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i10.051.

Verma, Rakesh. "Acoustic Adaptation of the Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) to Anthropogenic Noise in Jammu, India: A Two-Year Passive Acoustic Monitoring Study." International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management 02, no. 10 (2026): 1-9. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i10.051.

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  • •Published on: Oct 10 2026
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