Physical footprint of oil and gas infrastructure, not anthropogenic noise, reduces nesting success of some grassland songbirds

Western North America's grasslands have undergone a rapid expansion of conventional oil and natural gas development, the effects of which are largely unknown for nesting songbirds. Understanding mechanisms that drive ecological responses to infrastructure is essential for our ability to identify and minimize potential negative effects on wildlife. Our study sought to distinguish between effects driven by physical structures and those driven by associated anthropogenic noise. Further, we evaluated whether some structure types have smaller ecological footprints than others. We monitored 747 grassland songbird nests, of five species, in Alberta's mixed-grass prairie to determine if, and why, the presence of infrastructure affects nesting success.