'Bird Song' Ranks Among the Most Valuable Sounds in New Cross-Cultural Survey Conducted by Widex

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Oct 08, 2020, 09:07 ET

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Oct. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sound matters. And in a recent global survey conducted by hearing aid pioneer Widex, one surprising sound was consistently ranked within the top three most valuable across all cultures: bird song. However, according to WSA Head of Audiology Lise Henningsen, the universally-appreciated sound of a singing bird is also one of the first diminished sounds of hearing loss given its high-frequency tones.

"The deep appreciation for bird song spans oceans, borders and cultures, but due to its high frequency, people are deprived of it at the onset of hearing loss," Henningsen emphasized. "And because hearing loss happens so gradually, over decades, oftentimes you may never realize that a sound you so instinctively cherished has disappeared. Hearing aids help us socialize and communicate, yet they also ensure that we can continue to appreciate life's subtle and natural beauties regardless of our age."

To conduct the survey, Widex interviewed a total of 1,621 participants between the ages of 40-70 across the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, China and South Korea – with approximately 200 interviews per country. The survey featured open-ended questions, prompting participants to list the top three sounds that mattered to them, along with a sound that matters most in the specific category of nature.

Across the three categories of sound, music and voices expectedly took the top two spots – with bird song unexpectedly clinching the third. Surprisingly, 75% of countries polled included bird song in their top three – out of a total of 20 – general sounds of value. When prompted about which sounds in nature specifically were most important, a whopping 42% of respondents listed bird song. In fact, all eight countries identified bird song as their top natural sound – with the UK listing bird song as their number one most valued sound across all categories, even over music and voices.

Recalling the first time she stepped out into nature wearing hearing aids, professional wildlife bird photographer Judy Zehenener said, "It sounded like I had entered a rainforest. I was hearing bird songs that I hadn't in years. Yes, the lower toned calls of the bluejay and the crow, but also the higher-pitched songs of the finch and sparrow. Without my hearing aids, I was unknowingly missing out on so much of the richness and beauty of nature. With hearing aids, the painting is fully restored."

Widex recently introduced the WIDEX MOMENT hearing aid, which offers the industry's most natural hearing experience by combining the latest in AI and machine learning with two ultra-fast signal pathways to enable wearers to experience the complete spectrum of sound – birdsongs and otherwise! Learn more about it here. For hi-res photography, click here.

About Widex
At Widex we believe in a world where there are no barriers to communication; a world where people interact freely, effortlessly and confidently. With sixty years' experience developing state-of-the-art technology, we provide hearing solutions that are easy to use, seamlessly integrated in daily life and enable people to hear naturally. As one of the world's leading hearing aid producers, our products are sold in more than one hundred countries, and we employ 4,000 people worldwide.

About WS Audiology
Formed in 2019, through the merger of Sivantos and Widex, WS Audiology combines over 140 years' experience in pioneering the use of technology to help people with hearing loss hear the sounds that make life wonderful. We are active in over 125 markets and employ more than 10,000 people worldwide. Our broad portfolio of leading hearing related products and services generates annual revenues of around €1.7 Billion. WS Audiology is privately owned by the Tøpholm and Westermann families, as well as funds under the management of EQT. As a global leader, our ambition is to unlock human potential by making wonderful sound part of everyone's life.

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SOURCE Widex