BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast · Immediate Media

Control stress using birdsong, with Dr Natalia Zielonka

January 8, 2026·47 min·4 clips

Vineyard managers put birds on wine bottles, leading Dr. Zielonka to study how birdsong reduces stress in visitors.

This episode features Dr. Natalia Zielonka, a researcher exploring how natural soundscapes, particularly birdsong, affect human wellbeing. Host Sunny Patel-Ellis welcomes her to discuss findings from a unique study conducted in UK vineyards. Zielonka’s research initially monitored bird populations in English vineyards to see how management practices affected biodiversity. She used acoustic recorders to capture soundscapes across 22 vineyards from April to October, amassing seven terabytes of audio data. The study found vineyards with richer bird communities had louder, more complex soundscapes. Visitors to these vineyards reported feeling more free from stress and expressed higher satisfaction during tours. In an experiment, researchers enhanced vineyard soundscapes by playing recordings of non-native bird species from hidden speakers. Visitors who experienced this enhanced soundscape reported improved wellbeing and were more likely to recommend the tour. The research also analyzed demographic differences, finding females and participants over 40 connected more strongly to the natural soundscapes. One insight compares a rich birdsong soundscape to a full orchestra, creating awe, while a poor one is like a sparse performance. The concept of "extinction of experience" explains how urban disconnection from nature reduces people's ability to gain wellbeing benefits from it. The study suggests younger, urban-raised generations may not form the same positive associations with birdsong. Interestingly, evening primrose plants increase their nectar's sugar content in response to pollinator vibration frequencies. The research ties into broader evidence that birdsong frequencies can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering heart rate and cortisol. Vineyard tourism is a growing part of the UK economy, with estimates suggesting it could contribute 26% of local tourism in Sussex within 5-10 years. The conversation is educational and conversational, blending ecological science with accessible examples about wellbeing. The tone is relaxed and inquisitive, often using analogies like orchestras to explain acoustic concepts. Listeners interested in garden biodiversity, soundscapes, or the intersection of nature and mental health would love this episode. Those seeking purely practical gardening tips or uninterested in environmental psychology might find it less directly applicable.

As heard by us

A calm listen about how birdsong, place, and stress meet in everyday landscapes.

Birdsong and stress are the hinge points here, but the larger interest lies in how sound, biodiversity, and human feeling overlap in a landscape.

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Why you'd press play

Birdsong, stress, and a gentler way to notice the world outside.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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